Long and proud history reaches its final chapter for three bases

Most recently the grade A listed historic buildings have been the home for Divisional Command in Scotland, but they are believed to have been at the heart of one of the strangest episodes in the Second World War.

An uncorroborated rumour related in a book on the building by Major CB Innes suggests that Hitler's second in command, Rudolf Hess, was brought to Craigiehall after his ill-fated flight to Scotland to negotiate a peace deal with the Duke of Hamilton.

The 17th-century house close to Cramond was designed by the leading architect Sir William Bruce, but has only been in the hands of the army since the Second World War.

While various regiments were stationed there, the most significant thing to happen at the HQ was the negotiation for the surrender of the Nazi German forces in Norway.

REDFORD BARRACKS

Built just before the First World War, the Redford Cavalry and Infantry Barracks were the biggest military base built in Scotland since the Jacobite revolution.

The cavalry barracks were the home of the Royal Scots Greys, most famous for the capture of Napoloen's eagle at Waterloo, which were based there until they were amalgamated into the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

The Greys were based there when they were sent to fight at Mons and Ypres in 1914 and became one of the first tank regiments in 1917. They were also sent from there to fight the African campaign in the Second World War. The cavalry barracks are now mainly used to house international military performers for the Edinburgh Tattoo.

The infantry barracks were home to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders until 2003, before they were rebased in Canterbury and replaced by the 3rd Battalion Rifles.

DREGHORN BARRACKS

The barracks were built in the grounds of Dreghorn Castle, which was acquired by the War Office in 1893, making it Edinburgh's oldest military barracks.

Currently, it is the home of the First Battalion of the Royal Scottish Regiments - the Royal Scots Borderers, who in various forms have been based in Edinburgh for almost four centuries.

As the Royal Scots Lothian regiment, they were sent to fight in the Boer War in South Africa and in both world wars.

More recently they were sent from Dreghorn to fight in the Gulf War in Iraq in 1991.