Commemorating men and horses with play set in First World War

Blair Atholl is to commemorate the men and horses that served in the First World War this weekend.

The Highland Perthshire village will stage Jock’s Jocks, a play combining music and stories, on Saturday at 7.30pm in Blair Atholl Village Hall.

It is based closely on interviews carried out by folk singer Jock Duncan, father of pipe major Ian Duncan and the late Gordon Duncan.

Ian Duncan was a former pipe major in the Pitlochrybased Vale of Atholl Pipe Band.

Blair Atholl has strong links to the Scottish Horse with a squadron of the Yeomanry stationed in the village. The Scottish Horse was formed with the creation of the Territorial Army in 1908.

The village’s Atholl Country Life Museum has arranged to bring the play to Highland Perthshire.

Rory Fraser, chairman of the Atholl Country Life Museum Trustees, said: “This commemoration is particularly important for Blair Atholl and Highland Perthshire, as many men from the area left to fight in the First World War and many were at the third battle of Ypres, which took place in 1917.

“We are very lucky to have attracted this wonderful play to our village.”

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the third battle of Ypres, better known as Passchendaele, which was fought in the West Flanders region of northern Belgium between July and November 1917.

Tickets for the play are priced £10 and are available at both the Tilt Store and the Premier Store in Blair Atholl.

All proceeds raised will help maintain Atholl Country Life Museum.