The Scottish War Graves Project

Keptie · Joined: 30 Mar 2009 Posts: 54 Location: Letham Forfar angus

A friend of mine has just passed to me the Daily Record newspaper 8th January 2016 and the heading HONOUR SERVICE FOR FORGOTTEN HERO : Memorial for McCrae's Piper DUGIE : Plaque is finally unveiled in honour of soldier - 90 years after his death .

A piper who played as Footballers headed to their doom at the Battle of the Somme has been honoured 90 years after his death .
In 1916 , SERGEANT WILLIAM DUGUID was Pipe Major of MCCRAE'S BATTALION of the 16th Royal Scots - dubbed "the sporting battalion . "

The 1350 men of the Battalion were mostly sportsmen , with players and fans of Hearts and Hibs fighting alongside one another.

Duguid piped the McCrae's out of Edinburgh and then again in Southampton docks where the battalion set sail - bound for the Somme

But he was never able to play the pipes for the Battalion on their return as three Quarters of them were slaughtered in one of the bloodiest battles of WW1 .

Despite his military career DUGUID was buried in an UNMARKED GRAVE in 1929 but yesterday a Plaque was unveiled to mark his final resting place in EDINBURGH .

The Tribute also commemorated the centenary of the Battalion's departure for the front lines and the battalion's great Dane Mascot Jock.

More than 100 people gathered to right the wrong of DUGIE'S unmarked grave in PIERSHILL , daughter Sarah Innes , 80 , said " He was a true Soldier to fight for King and Country ."

(PW Anderson )