'One o'clock gun' to be replaced

A new gun will be introduced later in the year

A formal ceremony has been held for army volunteers to bid their farewells to the gun which three generations of Scots have set their watches by.

The 25-pound Howitzer, one of which is used to sound the "one o'clock gun" at Edinburgh Castle, is being phased out by the Territorial Army.

Members of Scotland's volunteer gunner regiment bade farewell to the Howitzer rifle, which has been in use since 1939, at a ceremony at Redford Infantry Barracks.

The famous one o'clock gun, which is connected to the city's Royal Observatory to ensure precision timing, is due to be replaced later this year with a 105-millimetre Light Gun.

The ceremony also saw the Headquarters Battery of 105 Regiment Royal Artillery (Volunteers) formally adopt the more compact name City of Edinburgh Battery, a title which has been associated with the regiment since 1859.

An army spokesman said: "Despite the rain, the ceremony went ahead as planned with a large crowd attending.

"The regiment is proud once again to bear the title which links it closely to Scotland's capital."