First Minister pays tribute after 'biker historian' passes away

HUNDREDS of tributes have been paid to Scotland's "biker historian" David R Ross, whose death was announced yesterday

Mr Ross, 51, who was convener of the Society of William Wallace and a well-known writer and historian, suffered a heart attack at his home in East Kilbride on Saturday.

Mr Ross was described by friends and fellow historians as "a giant of a man whose passion, enthusiasm and inimitable style brought Scotland's history to millions of ordinary people around the world."

Mr Ross, was known as the "biker historian" – easily recognisable in his black leathers on the back of a motorcycle, as he visited Scotland's historic sites researching his books on William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, James "The Black Douglas" and other Scottish heroes.

In August 2005, to mark the 700th anniversary of Wallace's death, he famously organised and completed the Walk for Wallace, in which he walked 450 miles from the spot where Wallace was captured in 1305 to his place of execution in London. He then held a funeral service for Wallace, attended by hundreds of Scots and later wrote a book For Freedom!, charting the last month of Wallace's life.

Among those to pay tribute was First Minister Alex Salmond. He said: "David Ross was a tremendous enthusiast for all things Scottish, and in particular for the memory of William Wallace.

"Among David's outstanding contributions to the wider understanding of Scotland's history was his leadership of the commemorative march to London in 2005.

"Those of us who attended and contributed to the service at St Bartholomews at Smithfield in London experienced an occasion as memorable as a state funeral and as moving as a personal testament," Mr Salmond said.

Mr Ross's funeral will be held at 3:30pm on Monday, 11 January at South Lanarkshire Crematorium, Blantyre.