I was in Kirkcaldy and joined with hundreds of people to welcome The Black Watch back from Helmand in Afghanistan at their Homecoming Parade. Thankfully, this latest tour did not have any fatalities but there were soldiers injured and our thoughts and prayers remain with them.
As I watched the parade and applauded the brave young men and women marching through Kirkcaldy, I also thought of the soldiers from the towns and villages across Fife who have lost their lives in the recent conflicts. I think it is important that we never forget those who made the ultimate sacrifices for their country.
I am supporting the establishment of a new garden in Dunfermline near the war Memorial at the Abbey that will be there to remember all those from West Fife who lost their lives in the recent conflicts but also to remember those who put their lives at risk for their country day in and day out across the world. The proposal is for the garden to be called ‘Garden for Heroes’ and will be a place where people can go and sit and enjoy the surrounding and reflect and remember those who have lost their lives or are in areas of conflict as part of the armed forces, and to remember your own hero whoever he or she may be.
The proposal has cross party support in Fife and is being driven by families of soldiers who lost their lives in the conflicts and has growing support across the wider community.
I was also delighted to meet with Cowdenbeath man Kevin Murphy at the Homecoming Parade and to say to him how great it was to be speaking with him after his latest tour of Afghanistan and to welcome him back safely.
I believe that we do owe a great debt of gratitude to the young men and women of our communities who serve in the armed forces, and we should recognise their courage and bravery in serving their country.
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