SNP President and Member of the European Parliament, Mr Ian Hudghton, yesterday [Sunday] laid a commemorative wreath at the memorial to those in McRae's Battalion who died in the battlefields of the Somme. The memorial was built in 2004 from Scottish stone, sent to France from Morayshire, and has bronze plaques which were designed in Edinburgh and engraved in Orkney. The stone cairn, beside the church in Contalmaison village, stands in recognition of the 16th Royal Scots regiment, known as McRae's battalion after its' Colonel Sir George McRae.

The 16th Royal Scots penetrated further than any other regiment on the opening day of the dreadful carnage which was the battle of the Somme, reaching as far as Contalmaison, where the cairn now stands.

Mr Hudghton laid a wreath from Europe Minister Linda Fabiani MSP, inscribed 'from the people of Scotland ', in recognition of the enormous sacrifice which all those who fought in the Somme gave to preserve the freedom we enjoy today.

Speaking after the ceremony, Mr Hudghton said:

"Whilst it was a tremendous honour to pay the respects of the people of Scotland at the ceremony, it comes with a very heavy burden. All those who fought for their respective countries at the Somme did so in the name of preserving democratic values for future generations, and many lost their lives in the process.

"On the opening morning of the Somme, 20,000 of our forces lost their lives, with a further 40,000 estimated to have been injured. The stark reality of what our forebears went through certainly bore heavily on my mind and I know all those who attended today's ceremony felt the same way.

"In light of the reality of what occurred that morning 91 years ago today it is all the more incredible that McRae's battalion, the 16th Royal Scots, managed to push forward as far as Contalmaison. In their onward march they lost about three-quarters of their men, many of whom were friends, brothers, and fellow townsmen. The valour they and their fellow Scots regiments showed that day should never be forgotten.

"The atmosphere at the wreath-laying ceremony was one of deep solemnity, and a show of unity from all sides at the sheer futility of war was certainly present. Whilst those who fought did so unreservedly in the name of democracy the sheer volume of those killed on all sides reminds us today of why war should be avoided at all costs.

"My own grandfather and his uncle were fortunate enough to fight in the Great War and survive but many families faced the loss of those they loved and knew as friends. I have no doubt that anyone who chooses to pay their respects at Contalmaison will feel the burden of past generations bearing down upon them very heavily indeed."