Highland to mark Remembrance and Armistice Days

Highland Councillors and Highland Council staff will be taking part in acts of remembrance on Sunday 10 and Monday 11 November to mark Rembrance Day and Armistice Day throughout the Highlands.

Councillor Carolyn Caddick, The Highland Council’s Armed Forces and Veterans' Champion added: “Public support through Remembrance Day for ex-Service men and women who still require assistance is a much-valued support for former troops and their families. Schools throughout the Highlands are selling poppies and participating in Remembrance activities, involving pupils staff and local school communities. Their support for Poppy Scotland which assists ex-service personnel and their dependents in times of need is greatly welcomed.”

In Caithness the Council is participating in Remembrance services at Wick and Thurso at 11am on Sunday 10th.

In East Sutherland and Edderton Ward, the Leader of Caithness and Sutherland Area, Councillor Deirdre Mackay will attend the Remembrance Day Parade in Brora. Councillors Graham Phillips and Jim McGillivray will attend the Remembrance Day Parades in Golspie and Dornoch.

On Sunday 10 November at 10:45am Councillor Alasdair Rhind will attend a service at Tain Parish Church and lay a wreath at the memorial; Councillor Jamie Stone will attend and lay a wreath at the Kilmuir War Memorial; and Councillor Fiona Robertson will lay a wreath at the Portmahomack War Memorial. Councillor Mike Finlayson will lay a wreath at 10:45am at Evanton War Memorial. This will be followed by a service at the Church of Scotland. Councillor Martin Rattray will lay a wreath at Alness War Memorial at 10:45am. At Invergordon, a service at 10am at Hayes Hall will be followed by a parade to the War Memorial where Councillor Maxine Smith will lay a wreath.

Also on Sunday 17 November, a ceremony of Remembrance will be held at the Polish War Memorial in Invergordon at 2pm.

Members of the public are invited to join a parade and service to mark Remembrance Day in Inverness on Sunday 10 November 2013 at 3pm. Members of the Inverness Branch of the Royal British Legion Scotland and The Highland Council; staff and uniformed youth groups will parade from Huntly Street and the Town House to the Cenotaph accompanied by Colour parties (flag bearers), the Inverness British Legion Pipes and Drums, Salvation Army Band and local MP’s and MSPs. The parade will march off from Huntly Street at 2:30pm and arrive at Cavell Gardens Cenotaph at 2:50pm.

A Service of Remembrance - conducted by Legion Padre, Reverend Alistair Murray - will take place at 3pm at the Cenotaph at Cavell Gardens in Inverness.  Rev Murray will be assisted with the readings by Millburn Academy pupils Caitlin Marr and David McIntyre.

A short ceremony to mark Armistice Day will also be held on Monday, 11 November 2013 at the front of the Town House on Inverness High Street to mark the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month which is a day of remembrance for all those killed in the service of their country. The Highland Council, Royal British Legion Scotland, Inverness Branch and representatives from 3SCOTS will attend and observe a Two Minute Silence at 11am. Representatives from Inverness secondary schools will also be in attendance.

A service of Remembrance, during which the Two Minutes Silence will be observed, will be held in the Old Parish Church, Nairn on Sunday 10 November at 10.45 am followed by the Official Laying of Wreaths at the War Memorial at 12.00 noon when a Prayer of Remembrance will be offered.

The Nairn Parade, arranged by the Royal British Legion prior to the Church Service, will assemble at 10.15 am.  Members of the Royal British Legion, ex-Servicemen and Senior Youth Organisations will take part in the parade; attend the Church Service and Official Laying of Wreaths.

Other official laying of wreath ceremonies will also take place on Sunday 10 November at Auldearn War Memorial at 1.15pm and Ardclach War Memorial at 3pm.

At Remembrance Services in Badenoch and Strathspey, wreaths will be laid at:

• Advie War Memorial at 3pm by Councillor Jaci Douglas;
• Aviemore War Memorial at 11am by Councillor Bill Lobban;
• Glenmore, Norwegian Stone at 3pm by Councillor Bill Lobban;
• Grantown on Spey War Memorial at 11am by Councillor Jaci Douglas;
• Kingussie War Memorial at 12noon by Councillor Gregor Rimell;
• Nethybridge War Memorial at 1pm by Councillor Bill Lobban; and
• Newtonmore War Memorial at 12.30pm by Councillor Dave Fallows.

On Skye, The British Legion organise a parade on Sunday 10 November, which leaves from the Skye Gathering Hall, Portree, at approximately 10.40am with the service starting at the War Memorial, Somerled Square, Portree at around 10.50am.

In Fort William at 10.50am on Sunday 10th a parade leaves Viewforth Car Park, marching to The Parade, where wreaths are laid.  The Salute will be taken by Lor Lieutenant Donald Cameron of Lochiel and Leader of Lochaber Area Committee Councillor Thomas MacLennan.

At the Spean Bridge (Commando Memorial) 2.50pm a parade leaves the lay-by on the A82 (south side of the Commando Memorial), marching to the Memorial where the service begins at 3pm.

5 Nov 2013