Flag raising at Drummuie
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It was a memorable occasion and an ideal opportunity for the Veterans to come together from all over Sutherland. Indeed they were still swapping their stories as they drove away from Drummuie.
The ceremony ended with some additional magnificent piping by the Pipe Band.
To mark the 2009 and 2010 Drummuie ceremonies, a booklet, CD and DVD have been put together by John Ford of Golspie and Flower Thompson. At this year’s ceremony copies of this historical package were presented by Mrs Thompson to representatives from all the Heritage Societies and centres in Sutherland, plus all those who partook in those ceremonies.
The occasion was also an opportunity for Flower Thomson, Deputy Lieutenant, to present four of the veterans with their Veteran’s badge – namely John Duncan, Innes Matheson, John McLelland and James Melville all of Dornoch.
The citation for Donald Kinnear depicted him as a truly professional member of the Royal Army Pay Corps and a loyal and much respected man. Following the reading of the citation, the Lord Lieutenant presented the Cross to Mrs Kinnear, who was accompanied by her daughter Hazel.
The Elizabeth Cross and Memorial Scroll are granted to the next of kin of UK Armed Forces personnel, who have died on operations, in national recognition of their loss and sacrifice. The Elizabeth Cross is not a posthumous medal for the fallen but an emblem demonstrating tangible national recognition of Service families for their loss.
She said that it was also a special day for everyone in Sutherland as Mrs Olive Kinnear of Brora would be presented with the Elizabeth Cross in respect of her son Sergeant Donald Bruce Kinnear, who was killed during the 1991 Gulf War.
She thanked all those taking part and the Highland Council staff at Drummuie for their support in the preparation and planning, thus enabling the ceremony to take place there.
In her welcoming speech, Dr Monica Main, Lord Lieutenant of Sutherland, said that it was a grand day for all to remember, and the opportunity for everyone to join together to pay tribute to our Armed Forces, past and present, young and old.
Members of the Brora and Dornoch Army Cadet Force detachments were also on parade, which was commanded by John McLelland of Dornoch.
The ceremony was enhanced by Standard Bearers and the colourful Standards of the Royal Naval Association Golspie and the Royal British Legion branches of Dornoch, Lairg and Rogart and Creich and Kincardine, with Dornoch also parading the union standard.
At 11am, a large gathering of Veterans stood proudly in their berets and medals, as the flag was raised by Carl Lemkes of Golspie.
The day started with the resplendent Sutherland Schools Pipe band parading, playing under Pipe Major Jamie Kelly and Drum Major Jessie Howell, prior to the raising of the Armed Forces Day flag.
There was a gathering of the old, bold and young, in the magnificent setting of Drummuie, Golspie, , when a special flag raising ceremony was held to mark the start of the week in which the national Armed Forces Day falls.
