Memorial is fighting fit after restoration

Balfron hosting events throughout the day

Balfron will be a focus for many villages commemorating the centenary of the World War One Armistice this Sunday, November 11.

Balfron Church will be taking part in the international ‘Battle’s Over’ events throughout the day along with other Stirlingshire communities.

At 6am the pipe tune When the Battle’s O’er will be played at the door of Balfron Church to greet the dawn of Remembrance Sunday. This will coincide with proceedings at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Westminster Abbey and locations throughout the land.

The Act of Remembrance itself, with the laying of poppy wreaths, will begin at 10.45am at The Clachan and will be combined with the Rededication Ceremony of the newly-refurbished War Memorial.

A short road closure at Balfron Clachan will allow the ceremonies at the war memorial, including the two minute silence, to take place without being disturbed by passing traffic.

Work was carried out earlier this year to repair the 96–year old monument after a clean–up revealed that many of the stone blocks at the top of the monument were loose and mortar between many of the stones had crumbled.

Water had penetrated the stones causing many to crack and crumble and the bronze plaque on the monument was dirty.

A grant of £9,000 towards the £14,500 repair job came from the War Memorials Trust while the remainder of the cost was netted through community fundraising.

Community council chairman Colin Cameron said: “The War Memorial is a hugely important symbol within the community as evidenced by the wonderful response we had to the crowd-funding appeal that made its restoration possible. Our

The War Memorial is a hugely important symbol within the community