- Media Invite/Photocall: Tuesday, 16th May 2017, at 11am
- Tens of thousands of poppy petals to cascade down from Wallace Monument
Poppyscotland will release 46,000 Poppy petals from the top of the National Wallace Monument, in Stirling, to commemorate the end of the Battle of Arras. At precisely 11am on 16th May, the poppies will fall with each petal representing a Scottish soldier who lost their life or were wounded during the conflict.
The Battle of Arras in the spring of 1917 saw the greatest concentration of Scottish battalions of any during the First World War. It was also one of the bloodiest. Gordon Michie, the Head of Fundraising at Poppyscotland, said: “The sight of thousands of poppy petals gently fluttering to earth will be a dramatic and fitting way to mark the centenary of the Battle of Arras.”
Ken Thomson, from Stirling District Tourism, the charity which operates the National Wallace Monument, said: “It is a real honour for the National Wallace Monument to be the stage for what will be a dramatic and poignant moment in the history of Poppyscotland and its support of the Armed Forces.”
The Battle of Arras was fought in April and May 1917 to support a French offensive on the Aisne by diverting large numbers of German reserves to the north. The battle, which had begun on the morning of 9th April and concluded in the middle of the following month, resulted in 159,000 British causalities, 46,000 of whom were Scots. Arras was the last time in the War when so many Scottish formations would be on the same battlefield at the same time.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- For further information please contact David A. Findlay, PR Manager at Poppyscotland, on 0131 550 1580 or 07950 991 294, or email at d.findlay@poppyscotland.org.uk
- Available for interview will be Gordon Michie, Poppyscotland’s Head of Fundraising. Gordon served in the RAF from 1988 to 1995 with postings in England, Germany and, closer to home, at RAF Leuchars in Fife. Last month, Gordon travelled to Arras to attend the commemorations taking place there.
- For further information about the 100-year anniversary of Arras, please visit: poppyscotland.org.uk/arras
- Poppyscotland provides life-changing support to the Armed Forces community. Money raised from the Scottish Poppy Appeal and Poppyscotland’s year-round fundraising enables them to deliver support to members of the Armed Forces community in Scotland by providing tailored funding and assistance. The charity also funds services in advice, employment, housing, mental health, mobility and respite. Visit us at poppyscotland.org.uk
- The National Wallace Monument, managed and operated by registered charity Stirling District Tourism Limited, was opened in 1869 to commemorate the life of the Scottish patriot and martyr Sir William Wallace. It attracts more than 100,000 visitors each year and, during
May and June, the Monument is open each day from 9:30am until 5pm. Visitor information
is available at: nationalwallacemonument.com. For further press enquiries relating
to the National Wallace Monument, please contact Katie Goodfellow, at Represent, on
0131 526 3190, or at katie@representcomms.co.uk
