Scots who fell at Flanders honoured 90 years on

Published on Sunday 26 August 2007 00:56

THE fallen Scots soldiers of the First World War have been honoured with a Celtic cross at a former battlefield.

The memorial was unveiled at Passchendaele in Flanders yesterday. The area was the site of the Third Battle of Ypres, also known as the Battle of Passchendaele, where as many as 500,000 troops from both sides were killed or wounded.

Local communities led the call for a lasting memorial to the Scots who died, and the unveiling of the granite cross took place as part of a series of events to mark the 90th anniversary of the battle.

Minister for Europe Linda Fabiani and Lord Davidson of Glen Clova, the Advocate-General for Scotland, were among those who attended.

Fabiani said: "We have to remember the massive effect that the First World War had and the sacrifices that Scotland made. The amount of people that died and the effect it had on Scotland as a nation was huge and Passchendaele was the single biggest loss of life in the First World War.

"There are many memorials there already but there has never been a specifically Scottish one until now."

The minister said she was moved by the fact the campaign for a lasting memorial was led by locals.

She said: "I've been quite stunned by the depth of feeling in local people living here in Flanders around the war site.

"In 2004 they realised there was not a monument for Scottish troops and I think they have done a wonderful thing by building one."

The modern-day village of Passchendaele lies in the municipality of Zonnebeke.

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Murdo Fraser led a debate in the Scottish Parliament earlier this year calling for Executive support for the memorial.

He said:

"I hope that future generations of Scots will visit the Scottish memorial at Zonnebeke to reflect on the sacrifice made."