Leader of Battle of Littleferry project is forced to pull out of today's dedication ceremony after contracting Covid: Patrick Marriott 'sad' at not being able to be there
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
The ex-military man who founded the Battle of Littleferry project has had to pull out of today’s memorial dedication ceremony after contracting Covid.
It is a bitter blow for Major General Patrick Marriott who over the last two years has put in hours of work steering the scheme to form a battlefield trail at Golspie and write a book about the 1746 skirmish.
Major General Marriott, the former commandant of the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, was also to play a part in commemorations to mark the Battle of Culloden which took place the day after the Littleferry confrontation.
His wife, Henrietta Marriott, the secretary of Golspie Community Council, is to step into the breach and give the speech he had prepared for today’s ceremony.
Major General Marriott told the Northern Times that Covid had hit him quite hard and he was “feeling pretty rotten at the moment”.
He said: “It’s obviously sad not to be there and witness the achievement of what really has been a proper team effort. But you have to laugh at these things - Mr Covid’s timing was perfect.
“Any praise should go to the many folk who have put in some very long hours and much hard graft. I merely held the reins very loosely and marvelled at their achievements.”
“I have had lots of kind messages reaching me on my Covid sick bed - and many thanks for them all.”
An open invitation to all has been extended to attend the ceremony which is taking place at the memorial stone installed on Ferry Road and will last around 40 minutes.
