‘Today’s news is important step to victory’

We launched our campaign earlier this year amid fears that this precious historical site may soon be lost forever.

The network of trenches at Dreghorn Woods which was used to train soldiers for life on the front line is at risk of disappearing as it has become overgrown with trees.

It had been suggested that as little as £10,000 is needed to preserve the site for future generations.

What today’s investment of £3500 by the city council means is that we will find out accurately the scale of the problem – and whether a bigger or smaller sum is needed.

Experts will carry out a survey and report back by the end of March, at which point, hopefully, the go-ahead can be given to preservation work as soon as possible.

Once restored they will become an inspiring memorial.

As we have previously said, the hope is the site will be somewhere that history can come alive for schoolchildren. A place where they can be taught – and relate to – Edinburgh’s role in the Great War. A place where young men not much older than themselves trained before being sent into the unknown, many of them never to return.

Every school pupil in the south-east of Scotland would be able to visit and learn at first hand about the sacrifices their forbearers made.

The fight to save the trenches is not yet won, but today’s news is an important step along the way.

We will await the report in the spring with interest, and hope we can finally declare victory.

What’s in a name?

THERE have been more than 3000 different suggestions for a name for the new Forth Replacement Crossing – presumably not all of them printable.

Famous figures feature heavily including the likes of William Wallace, Sean Connery, Muriel Spark and even Sir Chris Hoy.

Of course, it would be fantastic to honour the achievements of one of Edinburgh’s greatest citizens in the name of the crossing, and asking for ideas from the public is a great way to go about it.

But at the end of the day, most motorists won’t care what it is called.

They will just want to know the Connery Crossing or Hoy Highway is open and ready for business – on time and on budget.