Military parades will be held in Inverness today – and in Fort William, Dingwall and Wick tomorrow – to honour the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
The event will follow conferral of the “Freedom of the Highland Region” to the regiment by the local authority at a ceremony today at the Northern Meeting Park in Inverness.
Freedom status allows a military unit to parade through the streets with bayonets fixed and colours flying in recognition of its service.
Today’s parade will include the pipes and drums of The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS), The Highlanders 4th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (4 SCOTS), and 51st Highland, 7th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (7 SCOTS).
It will also feature the regimental mascot “Lance Corporal Cruachan IV” – a Shetland pony.
Council convener Isobel McCallum will confer the freedom of the region on Brigadier The Hon Hughie Monro, Honorary Colonel of 7 SCOTS, on behalf of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
She said: “To be part of history in the making is an immense privilege. I am looking forward to taking the salute from each and every member of the regiment.”
Lieutenant Colonel Charles Platt said: “The regiment has always drawn its strength from the unrivalled support our infantry soldiers get from the community around them, so we are delighted and honoured that we are to be granted the ‘Freedom of the Highlands’.
“We strive to serve the wider community in the finest traditions of those who have gone before us and we look forward to showing our appreciation for the support of the council.”
Today’s parade sets off at 3pm from Crown Primary School. It will be led by 4 SCOTS en route to the High Street, Young Street, Ness Walk and Bishops Road, arriving at the Northern Meeting Park at 3.30pm.
After a ceremony the regiment will parade out of the park’s north gate at 4.45pm onto Ardross Street, Bishops Road and past Eden Court where the parade will end.
Tomorrow’s parade in Wick starts at 10.30am from Dempster Street to Sinclair Terrace.
The Fort William event starts at 11.20am at the west end of the High Street.
And the Dingwall parade is at 3pm from Ferry Road marching onto the High Street.
Inverness SNP councillor Ken Gowans last month criticised a decision to spend £24,401 of the city’s common good fund partly on food and drink for the soldiers at the Northern Meeting Park and for the engraving of commemorative coins to be presented to each.
He said he supported the Army but suggested the amount was inappropriate in a “difficult economic climate.”
Inverness Provost Helen Carmichael said Mr Gowans was entitled to his opinion.