Moray falls silent to remember fallen on scaled-back Remembrance Sunday
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PEOPLE across Moray saluted the country's war dead as best they could this Remembrance Sunday as the nation remained locked in the pandemic public health battle.
Wreaths were laid privately at all Moray's war memorials during solemn and scaled-back ceremonies this year as Covid-19 forced the cancellation of the region's traditional Remembrance Sunday parades and gatherings.
Many locals took to their doorsteps to mark the two-minute silence after Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland asked people to commemorate the day in alternative ways.
Wreaths were laid at memorials by members of the Lord Lieutenancy, Moray Council and other organisations throughout Sunday at 15-minute intervals to avoid crowds gathering, while all indoor church services went ahead.
Moray MP Douglas Ross and MSP Richard Lochhead attended Elgin's wreath-laying ceremony, while former soldier and Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain spent a moment alone at Rothes War Memorial to pay his respects.
Mr Mountain said: "We can all continue to remember the sacrifices made by taking time to visit our local war memorials alone and adhering to the social distancing guidelines."
Communities still found ways amid the restrictions to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice. The people of Lossiemouth, young and old, painted poppies on stones – with the aim to create 240 for each of the men who died in World War One and Two whose names are inscribed on the town's war memorial.
People were encouraged to leave their remembrance rocks along the old railway platform at Station Park – most likely the last place any of them stood in Lossiemouth.
In Aberlour Pipe Major Sarah Reid played Flowers of the Forest at the village's War Memorial in the Square.
In Fochabers a lone ex-serviceman marched to the war memorial to lay his poppy at 11am, stopping traffic and making bystanders proud as he performed a two-minute salute. He left with a tear in his eye.
The 1st Buckie Company Boys’ Brigade made a "sea" of poppies to go on display at Buckie South and West Church. More than 200 officers and boys were involved in the effort, creating more than 2000 poppies.
Meanwhile one Urquhart resident, Jimmy Cameron, made his own life-size soldier and poppies tribute to display outside his house.
And Keith-based Moray community radio station KCR 107.7 FM held a service of remembrance at 10am with silent reflection at 11am. The service is available via the KCR website at http://kcr.fm.
Sites across the north-east also lit up red to raise awareness of the Scottish Poppy Appeal.
As part of the Light Up Red campaign the Wolf of Badenoch statue and the Plainstones Fountain in Elgin were lit up on Friday night and will remain so until Armistice Day on Wednesday, November 11.
Other local venues taking part in Light Up Red include Burghead war memorial, Covesea Lighthouse, The Buckie Community Shop, Hall Church in Cullen and St Rufus Church in Keith.
Moray Council convener Shona Morrison has urged people to donate to the Scottish Poppy Appeal in a year during which street collection tins are markedly lighter.
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