An unbearably tender act of Remembrance
Girl of 10 will pay tribute to Commando father she never knew
SHE was only a few months old when her Royal Marine father died in Afghanistan.
But ten years on schoolgirl Cara Lucas will pay tribute on Armistice Day to the dad she never knew.
The youngster will join veterans, servicemen and women and dignitaries after she was invited to read a prayer at Scotland’s official World War One Remembered service at Glasgow Cathedral tomorrow.
Cara, from Peebles, was six months old when her father, Alec Lucas, was killed on November 24, 2008, while on tour in Afghanistan.
The Royal Marine Commando was 24 years old when he died following an explosion while on patrol in Helmand province, leaving behind his fiancée Jill and daughter.
Although she has no memories of her father, Cara will be leading the congregation in the first part of St Francis of Assisi’s prayer in tribute to him.
Live on BBC Scotland and with 1,000 spectators looking on including The Princess Royal and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the pupil of Priorsford Primary School, Peebles, will be accompanied to the service by her family and headteacher Sandra Macgregor.
Speaking ahead of the service, Cara said: ‘I’m feeling nervous but excited. The rehearsals have been going well, I just need to work on not fidgeting.’
Cara’s grandfather Adrian Lucas, former chief executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: ‘What she’s going to be doing sounds easy when you say it, but when you think it’s going to be in front of 1,400 people, shown on live TV and in front of royalty then it’s a different story.
‘She read her piece out at the assembly in school and she was excellent.’
Mr Lucas added: ‘Alec had been a Royal Marine Commando for four years, and he served in Iraq for a significant posting.
‘He was serving with 45 Commando, based in Arbroath, while in Afghanistan. I think he was the first to be taken, but they lost nine in total during that conflict.’
The theme of the service in Glasgow is how conflict has carried on through the generations.
Mr Lucas, 64, said: ‘Cara has been told about her dad all her life and she’s very proud of him.
‘I can imagine he will be looking down on her from a particular vantage point on Sunday.
‘There isn’t a day we don’t think of Alec but this will be a special way for all of us to remember him on Remembrance Sunday.’
Organiser Professor Norman Drummond, Chaplain to The Queen in Scotland, said: ‘We believe we have created a fitting, traditional yet contemporary service to reflect the mood of the nation at the time of the First Armistice 100 years ago.
‘We wanted to ensure the traditions of Remembrance Sunday – reflecting on those who served in all wars and conflicts – remained.’
Sunday’s World War One Remembered service from Glasgow Cathedral will be broadcast on BBC Scotland from 4pm.
Meanwhile, a teenager has performed a poem he wrote aged 12 at an event at Buckingham Palace as part of the commemorations.
Hamish Scott, 15, from the Isle of Harris, was invited to attend after his poem Scapa Flow – written in Gaelic – won a competition organised by the Never Such Innocence charity, which was set up to give children a voice in the commemorations.
He was one of more than 100 children invited to the tea party in their honour, which was hosted by Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. The teenager read out an English translation of his poem.
Services will be held across the country tomorrow to mark Armistice Day and 100 years on from the exact moment the First World War ended.
In Edinburgh, Miss Sturgeon will be joined by representatives from the UK Government, and the Armed Forces and veterans community for a wreath-laying service at the Stone of Remembrance on the High Street, followed by a service in St Giles’ Cathedral.
The First Minister will then join the service held at Glasgow Cathedral in the afternoon.
Other ceremonies will take place around the country.