Woolwich: Communities try to behave normally

Dreghorn Barracks was one of the bases placed on alert. Picture: Joey Kelly

But communities around two of the largest army bases in Scotland were keen to ensure a sense of normality as they went about their business yesterday.

At Dreghorn Barracks, home to the Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion Royal, The Regiment of Scotland, and Redford Barracks, the headquarters of 3rd Battalion, the Rifles, both in Edinburgh, personnel were on duty and wearing their uniforms in the wider area.

Dreghorn was receiving deliveries from huge green lorries, while many of its personnel were jogging around the streets of south Edinburgh.

Pippa Brooks-Donaldson, 49, lives opposite the barracks and fundraises for Help for Heroes and other forces charities.

Herself the daughter of a major in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, she said the Colinton area was a close-knit community of armed forces families and clearly affected by the tragedy.

“It’s an appalling thing to hear of and terribly sad that a young lad, wearing a Help for Heroes hoodie, would be targeted  like that. Truly sickening”, she said.

“Most of the young lads who serve at Dreghorn are the same age as the soldier killed in London. Young men serving their country.”

She added: “We all support the forces around here, whenever they are marching through Colinton after coming home.

“There is a great deal of pride in the armed forces around here and a feeling a solidarity after this has happened.”

Jade McIntyre, 26, who runs an arts group for children at Dreghorn Barracks, said: “My sons go to nursery with a lot of the forces kids and as a community we use the barracks as well. It’s very much part of the community.”