Former commandant of Sandhurst puts forward plan to mark Sutherland battle
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A MOVE is afoot to commemorate a little known battle which took place in East Sutherland.
Littleferry resident Major General Patrick Marriott is keen to mark the 275th anniversary of the Battle of Littleferry, also known as the Skirmish at Golspie.
The confrontation took place during the Jacobite rising in 1746, just before the Battle of Culloden.
Scottish forces loyal to the British-Hanovarian Government defeated a rebel Scottish Jacobite force.
Major General Marriott is proposing to erect a tall memorial stone to those who fell from both sides.
He said: “It’s an initiative that I’ve been thinking about for a while and, as I researched the battle more, the opportunities for a project grew and grew.”
He has formed a project team which is due to hold its first meeting shortly.
“Our first task will be to decide the best location for a memorial, complete all the ‘clearances’ involved and to find, secure and prepare the stone,” he said.
“These tasks should all be completed this year. I sense the groundwork will be done in 2022 and a decision has still to be taken on a date for any unveiling."
He added: “There are not many villages with a small battlefield on their doorstep and over which a number of our kith and kin will have fought - and a not inconsiderable number would have lost their lives too.
“There were more casualties in the Battle of Littleferry than there are listed on Golspie War Memorial from both of the world wars. This memorial stone will ensure we don’t forget an important part of our history."
He is keen that the opportunities presented by the project are seized and said that education tourism and heritage were areas to be explored.
