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Scotland falls silent to remember the war dead

PA Media First Minister John Swinney with the Lord Provost of Edinburgh and service personnel during the two minutes' silence outside the city chambers where flags are flying. Some are holding poppy wreaths. St Giles Cathedral is behind them and there are people further up the Royal Mile.PA Media
First Minister John Swinney joined veterans and service personnel at the city chambers in Edinburgh

Communities across Scotland fell silent in remembrance of those who have lost their lives in conflicts across the world.

In Edinburgh, First Minister John Swinney was joined by veterans and the city’s lord provost in laying a wreath at the Stone of Remembrance outside the city chambers.

Gatherings took place across the country, including George Square in Glasgow, Dunblane, and Grantown-on-Spey in Morayshire.

Elsewhere, buildings were lit up in red and adorned with poppies as a mark of respect before the traditional two minutes of silence at 11:00.

PA Media First Minister John Swinney laying a poppy wreath at the Stone of Remembrance in Edinburgh. He is wearing dark clothes, including a long, dark coat.PA Media
John Swinney laid a wreath at the Stone of Remembrance in Edinburgh

Earlier, Swinney had shared the story of his uncle, Cpl Tom Hunter, who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross after dying at Lake Comacchio in Italy months before the end of World War Two in a post on X.

Alongside a picture, he quoted the biblical verse John 15:13: “Greater Love hath no man than this”.

The gun fired from Edinburgh Castle signalled the start of the traditional silence.

Rev Dr George J Whyte, interim moderator at St Giles' Cathedral, led a short service of remembrance.

At the ceremony in Edinburgh, Swinney said it was a chance for generations of Scots to honour those who “paid the ultimate price” in conflicts across the globe.

“My uncle laid down his life to protect his colleagues and his comrades,” he told BBC Scotland News.

John Swinney Black and white photograph of a man in a wartime military uniform. He is looking at the camera. John Swinney
John Swinney paid tribute to his uncle, Cpl Tom Hunter

“My grandmother lost her son and grieved until the day of her death and my mother felt the same, so in this Remembrance Sunday, I particularly think of the sacrifice that he made and the family, who mourned him for all the days of their lives.

“It is central to our understanding of our freedoms and our democracy today that we understand the sacrifices which were made by previous generation to make sure we could live in the type of society we live in.”

He added: “That is because people paid the ultimate price in the First and Second World Wars to ensure our freedom and in many other wars since then.

“We must remember, particularly in the modern world, with conflict raging around us, the important sacrifices that were made for our freedoms.”

Wreaths around the cenotaph in George Square. Mourners dressed in black are standing around the side of the image.
Dozens of people gathered for the laying of wreaths at George Square in Glasgow
Young girl dressed in a pink dress and red coat carries a wreath of red poppies at a Remembrance Service. She is holding the hand of a man in a black uniform. Cadets and others are gathered behind them.
Three-year-old Poppy was among those paying tribute in Dunblane

In Glasgow’s George Square, mourners joined veterans and current service personnel in laying wreaths, with a guard of honour presented by representatives of the Royal Navy.

A band composed of members of the Royal Marine Band, the Royal Corps of Signals Pipes and Drums and the Police Scotland and Federation Pipe Band provided arrangements and the sounding of the Last Post.

Meanwhile, Kelvinside Academy was lit up in a red glow in memory of 177 former pupils who lost their lives in World War One and World War Two.

A display featuring the silhouette of a soldier and poppies designed by pupils were also placed outside the school building.

Elaine Livingston Kelvinside Academy in Glasgow lit up red with the silhouette of a soldier carrying a weapon and poppies in the foregroundElaine Livingston
Kelvinside Academy was lit up red in memory of the 177 former pupils who died in the First and Second World Wars

In London, the SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, joined Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and leaders of the other UK parties in laying wreaths at the Cenotaph in Whitehall.

King Charles, the Prince and Princess of Wales and other senior royals also attended the event, but Queen Camilla missed out while she recovers from a chest infection.

The Princess of Wales watched from the balcony of the nearby Foreign Office in her first public appearance following her recent cancer treatment.

Eight former prime ministers; Sir John Major, Sir Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Lord Cameron, Baroness May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, were also present.

People gather around the war memorial in Grantown-on-Spey. Some of them are carrying poppy wreaths and flags. The memorial has flags draped around it at the bottom and a green wreath hanging near the top. There are houses in the background.
A ceremony was also held at Grantown-on-Spey
PA Media Red poppy wreaths laid at the Stone of Remembrance in Edinburgh.PA Media
Wreaths were laid at the Stone of Remembrance in Edinburgh