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Scotland’s Drumhead Service to feature forces, veterans and cadets. 

More than 500 representatives of the armed forces, cadets and veterans will take part in Scotland’s Drumhead Service on August 10.

The multi-faith service on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle will mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War before a congregation of almost 9,000 people representing all parts of Scotland. Many thousands more are expected to watch the service live on television and on a large screen in Holyrood Park. 

It’s believed the Drumhead Service - and the procession down the Royal Mile and memorial in Holyrood Park that will follow - will be first commemoration event of its scale in Scotland’s history. 

Signalling the start of the five-year Scottish Commemorations Programme, the Drumhead Service will replicate those held on the front line 100 years ago when, in a long-held military tradition, neatly piled drums with draped Colours were used in place of an altar.

Organisers revealed the service will feature troops from each of the tri-services and will be accompanied by music from three military bands, two cadet bands, three choirs and around 200 massed pipes and drums.

More than 50 men and women will provide a Royal Navy guard and 50 from the Royal Air Force will provide an RAF guard. A further 80 ranks, drawn mainly from The Royal Scots Borderers 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (1 SCOTS), will form the Army guard.

The Band of the Royal Marines will construct and deconstruct the Drumhead altar and provide musical support to the event, along with the Band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Central Band of the Royal Air Force.

The Chaplain of the Fleet, Chaplain General of her Majesty’s Land Forces and the Chaplain-in-Chief of the Royal Air Forces will each deliver part of the service. 

At the conclusion of the service, the military bands and guards will parade down the Royal Mile accompanied by around 100 marching veterans and 100 cadets. The congregation will be invited to follow in a procession down the Royal Mile to Holyrood Park, where at least 1,000 replica Commonwealth War Gravestones will form a temporary memorial, at which people will be invited to leave poppies or markers.

Brigadier David Allfrey, Producer of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and chief organiser of the Drumhead Service, procession and memorial, said:

“The Drumhead Service, procession and memorial will give a sense of what it must have been like to enlist for the First World War, to leave familiar surroundings of town and country, to join up with others in the austere surroundings of the barracks, to wear uniform and be expected to act and live as a group - to stylised words of command - to march, learn skill at arms, face the uncertainty of travel overseas and the brutality of war. 

“I am pleased that a hundred years later, so many of our forces, veterans, young people and families from across and beyond Scotland – have shown such a strong willingness to take their place at our commemorative service on August 10, which we think will be the first of its kind in Scotland’s history. It promises to be a very memorable occasion.”

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, said: 

“A hundred years ago nobody could have foreseen the tragedy that was to affect every town, village, community and family in Scotland – claiming the lives of more than 100,000 Scots, leaving many more injured or disabled and forcing their loved ones to come to terms with the terrible consequences.

“It is right that we remember that brutal conflict and reflect on how it shaped our society. That is why, from the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War until January 2019, we will encourage the people of Scotland and those with connections to Scotland to recognise the significant and broad impact the First World War had on our nation, and to reflect on its lasting social and civic legacy.

“The Drumhead Service, procession and memorial on August 10 will signal the start of Scotland’s commitment to commemorating this important anniversary.”

Norman Drummond, Chair of the Scottish Commemorations Panel, said: 

“Through the Scottish Commemorations Programme we are inviting the whole of Scotland to join us on a journey of learning and legacy. We want people of all ages and in all corners of Scotland and those with Scottish connections around the world to ask themselves and each other: ‘what do we learn from all this?’

“The Drumhead Service, procession and memorial will be an important part of that journey, uniting the people of Scotland in a shared act of reflection and remembrance.

“We have worked with local authorities, the armed forces, the veterans community and charities to ensure that people of all ages and from every part of Scotland will be there to commemorate this important anniversary, upon which we and our children and our grandchildren may in years to come reflect that ‘we were there and we remembered’.”

A thousand free places were made available last week to members of the public and were allocated within two days. A further 600 seats have since been released for the public and around 200 of these are still available at www.WW100Scotland.com. 

Tickets will be allocated on a first-come first served basis and up to ten can be requested by each applicant. All applications must be received by August 4, 2014. Those requiring wheelchair access or with other accessibility requirements should call 0131 225 1188.

Notes To Editors

More than a thousand replica Commonwealth War Graves will be installed to form a memorial in Holyrood Park. These are currently being crafted by Big House Events Ltd in Portobello, Edinburgh. A photo of the gravestones being prepared will be posted online. You will be able to download this from: https://www.flickr.com/photos/scottishgovernment

Background

The Drumhead Service, procession and memorial will mark the start of the Scottish Commemorations Programme which will remember eight particular events from World War One that had a significant impact on Scotland. They include the start and end of the war, major battles including Gallipoli, Loos, Jutland and Arras and domestic incidents such as the Quintinshill rail disaster and the loss of HMY Iolaire. 

The Drumhead Service will start at 10.30 on August 10 and will last approximately half an hour. Doors open at 9.00 and the congregation should be seated by 10.00. The whole event – including the procession down the Royal Mile and memorial at Holyrood Park - is expected to last until 14.00, although the public can remain in the park until 18.00 when the memorial will be closed. 

The Drumhead Service, procession and memorial will follow events happening in Glasgow as part of the UK Commemorations Programme on August 4 - the 100th anniversary of the date Britain entered the war. A Commonwealth-themed service at Glasgow Cathedral and a commemoration at the Cenotaph will be held in the city on that date. 

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo are organising the Drumhead Service, procession and memorial event at the request of Scottish Ministers. 

The Scottish Commemorations Panel was appointed by Scottish Ministers in 2013 to recommend a preferred approach for Scotland’s commemorations of the centenary of the First World War, and to oversee the delivery of the programme. The panel reports to Scottish Ministers. 

The Scottish Commemorations Panel is working with the Scottish Government, Scotland Office, Ministry of Defence, Historic Scotland, Edinburgh Council and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo to deliver the Drumhead Service, procession and memorial