John Gibson: This fitting tribute to a gallant Para

Published on Tuesday 9 February 2010 09:07

I'VE just seen it. Finely and respectfully crafted in black and gold. In granite. Weighs a ton.

The memorial plaque for Corporal Mark Wright, who posthumously won the George Cross with the third battalion Parachute Regiment for gallantry in Helmand province, Afghanistan, in September 2006 will be unveiled at the Edinburgh Masonic Club on Friday.

His parents Bob and Jem, club members at Shrubhill like their son, will be there along with former Paras from the Lothians for the tribute service.

The subsequent cabaret on the evening, expected to sell out, will raise a substantial donation for the Mark Wright Project Centre at Eskbank which caters for ex-servicemen and women, formed as a charity last summer.

The piper on Friday will be Bob Tait, a former circulation manager with the Evening News.

Says the club's long-serving secretary/treasurer Jim MacLean: "It'll be an emotional and worthy tribute to Mark, who died after going to the aid of wounded comrades.

"As for the Masonic Club itself, after lengthy deliberations since our 'flit' was first mooted 11 years ago, negotiations have at last been concluded with the latest firm of developers.

"They'll build us a new club a few hundred yards from here and also give us 1 million in cash, with preparatory work expected to begin in May and completion in 2012. We're relocating to make room for 400 houses and a hotel."

Taking it easy

If you've been poorly of late and you're sitting back with your pint and slippers, remember George Bernard Shaw's words of wisdom: "Enjoy convalescence. It's the part that makes illnesses worthwhile."

Bear in mind, though, that in his day there was no welfare state, with scroungers living on benefits and a lot of them are taking a couple of years or more to convalesce.

Afterwords . .

. . . I was going to keep this under my beanie but never too proud.

After Hibs' encounter with St Mirren, Eddie "Ned" Turnbull helped me on with my coat in the directors lounge at Easter Road as I departed, vaguely embarrassed.

Ned, a remnant of the Famous Five, is 86.