Highlanders Regiment monument unveiled at Fochabers
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THE proud memory of a now vanished Highland regiment has been commemorated with a stunning monument in Fochabers which can be seen from the A96.
A large number braved the icy rain on Friday afternoon to witness the unveiling of the eight-foot high sculpture besides Baxters Food Group plant.
Designed by Jason Sweeney, the stainless steel sculpture is based on the cap badge of The Highlanders Regiment (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons), which had a stag’s head, thistle and crown.
The regiment was formed on September 17, 1994 through an amalgamation of the Queen's Own Highlanders and the Gordon Highlanders.
One of only two regiments in the British Army to boast a Gaelic motto – Cuidich 'n Righ or Help the King – it was to serve honourably until it was amalgamated with other regiments to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland on March 28, 2006.
The unveiling of the statue was a very special day for Clochan resident Maurice Gibson, who drove forward the project to put in place a permanent reminder of the service rendered by the men of the former regiment.
He said: "The regiment was only in existence for 12 years but it played an important part of military history.
"This an outstanding piece of sculpture; I've known the sculptor a long time and the trustees agreed with me he was the person for the job. Something had to be done to mark the existence of this regiment.
"It has taken around 18 months to bring this all together. A major challenge was actually finding out who owned the land the sculpture stands on and then getting the necessary planning permission."
The site at Baxters was chosen due to it being at the border of the former recruiting grounds for the Seaforths and Gordons.
It was a special moment too for Brigadier Hughie Monro CBE DL who served as the first commanding officer of the regiment and was its last regimental colonel.
At the start of his speech before unveiling the statue he joked: "There is nothing like an outside event in February to warm the heart."
However, he was deeply serious, when he continued: "It was a regiment that lasted all too short a time, but it was something that we were all immensely proud to be a part of."
A list of 11 names was then read out along with the dates upon which they died while serving with the regiment in conflicts such as the Balkans and Iraq.
The Last Post was played and then wreaths were laid by Brigadier Monro and by Shona Morrison, the convenor of Moray Council.
Speaking after attending the moving ceremony, Moray's MP Douglas Ross said: “I was delighted to attend the dedication of this impressive new memorial where it proudly sits near the banks of the River Spey and will be seen by many who travel past it on the busy A96.
“The beautiful sandstone pillar with the sculpture of a stag’s head, thistle and crown which is based on the Highlanders’ Regimental Cap Badge, is a fitting tribute to the all who served in the 1st and 3rd Battalions The Highlanders during the 12-year history of the regiment from 1994 to 2006.
“The large turnout reinforced how important the regiment is to the many veterans who were there to see the new memorial unveiled. I know a lot of work has gone into securing this memorial which proudly stands as reminder of those who served our country as part of the regiment.”
Moray MSP, Richard Lochhead was also present at the unveiling.
He said: "It's a magnificent sculpture.
"It was a real pleasure to be at the unveiling of this magnificent sculpture which has been commissioned to remember the history of the Regiment and everyone who served in the Highlanders.
“I met with a number of veterans who were incredibly proud of the new sculpture, and they will no doubt remember the unveiling for a very long time. The sculpture is a fitting tribute to the regiment and those who served.”
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