Names of WW1 Fallen to illuminate Scottish Parliament as mark of respect

The names of all those who died serving on behalf of Scotland in the First World War will be projected onto the Scottish Parliament building on Sunday 11 November 2018.

Article Source: Scottish Parliament
Last Updated: 2 November 2018 12:47

The names of all those who died serving on behalf of Scotland in the First World War will be projected onto the Scottish Parliament building on Sunday 11 November 2018 to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armistice.

Members of the public are invited to the Scottish Parliament on the evening of Sunday 11 November to view the unique illumination which will honour the 134,712 men and women listed in the Scottish National War Memorial Roll of Honour. Along with Scottish servicemen, the names of those projected will include nurses, munitions factory workers, Merchant Navy personnel, and overseas servicemen who fought on behalf of Scotland.

It will take seven hours to project the names of all those who died, reflecting the sheer scale of loss and the sacrifice that generation made for the country. Set to music, the illumination - which will be projected on to the whole facade of the Parliament - will include images and designs that tell the story of the conflict. Throughout the evening there will be performances by pipers from across Scotland, and the projection will conclude at midnight with the Last Post.

Designed by artist Ross Ashton, the projection titled - THEIR NAME LIVETH - is the result of a partnership between the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish National War Memorial and The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

The Presiding Officer, the Rt. Hon. Ken Macintosh MSP said:

"This illumination will be a poignant tribute to all those who died and a powerful reminder to us today of their sacrifice.

"It is the centrepiece of the Parliament's plans to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I and I hope as many people as possible will join us on Armistice Day to view what will be a truly unique illumination.

"The fact it will take 7 hours to project the names of all those who died reflects the sheer scale of the loss and the devastation the war had on communities right across Scotland.

"This has been a remarkable project and I would like to thank our partners The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Scottish National War Memorial for their help in making it happen."

David Allfrey, Chief Executive of The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo said:

"All of us at The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo are honoured to play a part in the commemoration of the Armistice. We recognise the particular significance of this against the back-drop of four years of remembrance.

"Ross Ashton and his team work with us every year and have created beautiful and innovative projections for our show. He has worked with our armed forces for many years and will, we know, respectfully memorialise the many men and women who lost their lives during the war.

"This event is hugely important and will help us to reflect upon all we've learned over the past century, and in particular these previous four years. We would encourage as many people as possible to join us at The Parliament and pay their own personal tribute."

Lt Col Colin McGrory, the Secretary to the Trustees of the Scottish National War Memorial, said:

"The Trustees were delighted to be asked to contribute to what will be a stunning tribute to the approximately 140,000 Scottish men and women who died in the First World War.

"The team of artists and builders that constructed the Memorial from 1924 to 1927 included many veterans of the War who were fortunate enough to return home. Behind every name projected onto the Parliament on 11 November 2018 is a story of a son, a daughter, a father, a husband. 100 years on, it is our duty and honour to remember them and what they gave their lives for. Lest We Forget."