Liverpool Scottish Museum Archive

Open Letter

Letter to Editors of Merseyside Papers

 From: Colonel I. Paterson OBE TD, Chairman of the Liverpool Scottish Regimental Council

26th April 2000

Dear Editor,

LIVERPOOL SCOTTISH REGIMENTAL MEMORIAL IN BELGIUM

This is an invitation to all who have connections with the Liverpool Scottish to support a project to commemorate those who have served in the Regiment. Many of your readers will have relatives and forebears who have been in The Liverpool Scottish, one of the famous Territorial Army Regiments of Merseyside, during the last hundred years. The Liverpool Scottish Regimental Museum regularly receives enquiries about those who have served their country in the Forbes tartan kilt of the Scottish.

2000 is our centenary year and a memorial is to be placed near Ypres in Belgium on the site of the Battle of Hooge. There, in June 1915 , the Scottish charged forward as the first of Liverpool's territorial battalions to reach the Front only to receive devastating casualties in achieving their objective. In this battle Captain Noel Chavasse, our medical officer, won the Military Cross. He would later go on to be one of only three men to be awarded two VCs. On Saturday 29th July, the City of Ieper(Ypres) will accept a fine stone, carved with the regimental badge. The stone was originally above the entrance to the Liverpool HQ of the Scottish in Fraser Street. Parties are being organised from Liverpool to travel across to Belgium for the weekend to attend the dedication ceremony and place wreathes and crosses of remembrance.

Over the last hundred years citizens from all parts of Merseyside, not just the City of Liverpool, have volunteered to join the Liverpool Scottish. We wish to ensure that all those with a family connection know of the project and, if they wish, have the details of the dedication in Belgium. This event belongs not only to those who serve today with the Liverpool Scottish element of the King's and Cheshire Regiment of the Territorial Army but also to all those who have a connection with or interest in The Liverpool Scottish. The historic and beautiful town of Ypres is not far from Calais. Anyone who might be interested in attending or supporting in any way should contact RHQ, The King's Regiment (Derby Square,Liverpool - 0151 236 6363) during office ours, Major Matthew Boulter (0113 2169340 - evenings) or visit the website of the Liverpool Scottish Regimental Museum http://www.liverpoolscottish.org.uk/

Ian Paterson

---