Scotland’s national memorial event commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Jutland was held at Rosyth and South Queensferry on Saturday 28th May 2016.
Rosyth was the departure point of the 52 ships of the Britsh Battle Cruiser Squadron, led by Admiral Beatty – which were the first ship’s that saw action in the battle.
Britain’s Princess Anne, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, Commissioner for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and the First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon took part in the event.
Rosyth marked the start of the commemorations, where wreaths were laid followed by an act of remembrance in Rosyth Parish Church. Local schoolchildren carried out readings on behalf of the community, before laying a book of remembrance on the altar of the church.
There was a minute’s silence marked by the ringing of a bell made from the hull of HMS Tiger, a battlecruiser which suffered only light damage during the Jutland campaign despite suffering many hits by German shells.
Shortly afterwards, a further act of remembrance took place in South Queensferry Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Cemetery where 40 casualties from the battle are commemorated or buried. Singer Barbara Dickson, whose uncle was killed in the Battle of the Somme, sang the Scottish lament ‘Flowers of the Forest’ as a wreath was laid by Princess Anne (see photo).
The event was also attended by sons and daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who served during the battle, along with local school children from Queensferry Community High School, Broxburn Academy and visiting school children from Wilhelmshaven in Germany.
Sean Stone from Queensferry Community High School and Kim Rautenberg from a school in Wilhelmshaven laid a wreath at the Battle of Jutland memorial within the cemetery.
The day concluded at Hawes Pier in South Queensferry.
The Band of HM Royal Marines (Scotland) performed the Beating Retreat and ceremonial sunset, while HMS Kent sailed out as a reference to the departure of the battlecruiser fleet 100 years ago.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “This centenary commemoration is an opportunity for us to honour and pay tribute to the many thousands of sailors from both sides who lost their lives during the Battle of Jutland. The sacrifices made by those who fought in this battle, the largest naval encounter of the First World War, and by other seafarers throughout the conflict must never be forgotten.”