The words “we will remember them” echoed through the heart of Moray’s biggest town yesterday as residents gathered to honour the fallen.
Hundreds braved wet weather as they packed onto the Plainstones in Elgin for the Remembrance Sunday ceremony.
The event began with a parade along the High Street at 10.45am, as residents huddled beneath umbrellas and peered out from sheltered alleyways to watch its progress.
Elgin and District Pipe Band led the cavalcade of immaculately uniformed military personnel into the town centre.
Deacon Vincent McQuaid, from St Sylvester’s Church, began the service with a prayer, and recited lines from Robert Laurence Binyon’s For The Fallen.
He added: “Bless our friends, and those who were our enemies, who suffered or still suffer from war.”
Even the youngest members of the crowd managed to maintain a respectful quiet as two minutes of silence were observed.
Piper Christopher Hyndman sounded a solitary lament to signal the end of the tribute.
Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Moray, Bill Robertson, laid the first of the wreaths and was followed by various military and council ambassadors.
Moray MSP Richard Lochhead was among the dignitaries who attended, and presented a wreath on behalf of the Scottish Parliament.
Mr Lochhead said: “It was heartening to see so many people turn out to recognise Moray’s strong connection to the forces.”
People in towns and villages all over the region pinned commemorative poppies to their chests yesterday and ventured to their local memorials to mark Remembrance Sunday.
Lossiemouth residents converged on the Pitgaveny Street rock face to observe a respectful silence, before a service in St Gerardine’s Church.
And in Buckie, scores of people flocked to Cluny Square to pay their respects.
