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Remembrance

from Lifestyle Moray Magazine - December 2021 January 2022

from Lifestyle Moray Magazine - December 2021 January 2022, page 28

Walks by Tracy

REMEMBRANCE: THE STATE OF BEARING IN MIND; AN ACT OF RECALLING TO MIND

Every November we, as a nation, come together to remember those fearless men and women who have given their lives in the service of their country. They proudly gather for services throughout the country but, sadly, year by year, their numbers dwindle. We must never forget them as we owe so much to them.

One person who never forgets is Ian Grant who, for the last 40 years, has been the proud standard bearer for the Royal British Legion at local, area and national level. It is, however, time for him to hang up his marching shoes and to pass the mantle on to the next generation of standard bearers. He will, of course, continue to support the Legion in any way he can and to help other members who are willing to carry the standards. One could not wish for a better, more experienced tutor.

Ian came to standard bearing in a most unusual way. He was at a football match in Keith on a wet and cold evening and decided to go across to the Legion for a drink at half-time. He heard a fairly loud noise coming from an adjoining room and was told that it was the colour party practising for an upcoming competition. One thing led to another and, before he knew it, he was invited to join them. Being a mere three years out of the army the discipline and strict regime did not trouble him at all and he more or less fell into it.

The 100 anniversary of battle of Arras in France 2017.

All this happened in January 1981 and since that day he has represented the Royal British Legion at significant major events including events at the Edinburgh Tattoo and the Royal Albert Hall. Ian has also been involved with the Commonwealth War Graves and the services they hold at cemeteries throughout the world. He has been involved with services in Naples, Solerno, Rome and Monte Casino in Italy; other pilgrimages he has done include visits to Holland and northern Germany, Belgium and northern France. Perhaps the most harrowing was a visit to Bergen Belsen, a place he will never forget.

In many ways, Ian’s life has seen a series of ‘firsts’. 2020 was a year of virtual services because of the pandemic – a first for all involved with the Legion. He won his first area competition in 1985 and came third in the national competition. Going up to receive his prize he discovered to his embarrassment and chagrin that there was no trophy for third place; a gentleman who was present at the

Edinburgh Castle. Blue Hackles were added to the headdress in celebration of HM Queen’s Diamond jubilee in 2012 with gold hackles awarded to anyone who has won the national standard bearer competition.

time and who worked for Bon Accord Glass in Aberdeen said he would get the company to donate a trophy – another first in the history of the competition. 1985 saw his first big event attended as a standard bearer when the top three standard bearers from the Legion were invited to take part in a service at Westminster Abbey to commemorate the anniversary of the end of World War 2. He won his first national competition in 1988 at the national conference in Kelso and in the same year took part for the first time in the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall. Ian went on to win the area competition 13 times and the national competition 10 times. He retired after his last competition in 2001. After the annual armistice parades there is always a raffle held and the proceeds are used to upgrade the participants’ kit. This raffle was instigated by Ian, helped by his wife and

It is not an understatement to say that Ian was influential in more ways than one. After he had attended the Royal Albert Hall a few times dressed as per RBLS dress code for standard bearers - in other words in a in dark suit - he met an old friend who he had served with in The 1st Battalion The Gordon Highlanders, who was attending the festival with The London Scottish pipe band. He asked Ian why he did not wear the kilt? That got him thinking and he asked for permission to do this from the national committee. After a couple of years he was given permission by the then national chairman, and because he was going to be out of dress anyway he thought he would go the full hog and got a glengarry made for himself with the blue and yellow dice. Other standard bearers, who had watched the programme on television, thought the glengarry was a great idea and at the next national beating retreat they got a petition signed up by all the standard bearers there to change the head dress from the Balmoral bonnet to the glengarry. That was also passed by the national committee and the head dress was changed.

During the time that Ian was competing he was still working full time and had to use his annual leave to allow him to attend events and parades. With all the pilgrimages and events that were happening at that time he had to use about 10 days of his annual leave and this obviously had an effect on his family life but that was the choice he made.

Ian’s final parade was a most memorable one and something that he will always remember. It was in London in March 2002 when he was invited to carry the national standard and to lead the Royal British Legion contingent at the funeral of Her Majesty the Queen Mother. A great honour indeed.

At Keith war memorial with Glengarry.

instructor and has had the honour of carrying out numerous ceremonies at sites of significant importance to the 100 year anniversary of battles during World War 1. Ever indefatigable, Ian has been instrumental taking bits of the TRBL Ceremonial handbook and writing a standard bearer drill instruction manual, that more suited him and his colleagues for RBLS ceremonial occasions.

There are not many who could claim to be the branch standard bearer for Keith branch; area Drill Instructor for Aberdeen Banff and Kincardine area; the area vice president and the national ceremonial Drill Instructor. Ian also volunteers for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, carrying out checks on the war graves around Keith, Buckie, Banff, Macduff and Huntly areas. He is a proud and dedicated man who probably would modestly say that he was only ‘doing his bit’ but no-one can take away the fact that he has had an illustrious career and has carried out his duties with dignity and pride. He still continues to serve (in between rounds of golf) and is justifiably proud of the part that he has played over the preceding years. And it was all because of a football match on a wet and miserable evening.