Tributes paid to D-Day veterans

Prince Charles met veterans including Gordon Motherwell, far right

Jack McConnell and Prince Charles have paid tribute to the "brave Scots" who took part in the D-Day landings.

The first minister met 15 veterans from a variety of Scottish regiments in Edinburgh before they departed for Normandy to mark the 60th anniversary.

Mr McConnell later defended his decision not to travel to France for the weekend events following criticism from the Scottish National Party.

Prince Charles spoke to three D-Day veterans on a visit to Stirling.

He also met local schoolchildren and World War Two veterans from other countries at the Albert Halls.

The prince later visited the Erskine Hospital for ex-servicemen in Renfrewshire.

They came from all over Scotland united in a common aim, to help free Europe from the evils of fascism First Minister Jack McConnell

Mr McConnell met veterans in Edinburgh's Waterloo Place before they set off for France.

He said: "Sixty years ago, Scottish soldiers took part in one of the decisive military acts of the Second World War when they stormed the beaches of Normandy.

"They came from all over Scotland united in a common aim, to help free Europe from the evils of fascism.

"They fought with tremendous courage and they fought with pride."

He said the commemoration offered an opportunity to tell "those brave Scots" that their country would always remember them.

The first minister said the executive would support fundraising efforts by veterans of the 51st Highland Division, who have commissioned a £20,000 bronze commemorative statue of a wartime military piper.

Weekend events

The statue will be unveiled on Saturday outside Breville.

Finance Minister Andy Kerr will represent the executive at the weekend events in Normandy.

The first minister received an invitation from the French Government, but had already accepted an offer to attend an official dinner celebrating the 250th anniversary of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club in St Andrews.

Scottish National Party leader John Swinney said Mr McConnell had shown "appalling judgment".

Jack McConnell said Scottish soldiers fought with courage

"A quarter of the D-Day troops were Scots and this decision is an insult to their heroism," he said.

"Jack McConnell has shown yet again that he does not understand that his role as first minister is to represent Scotland to the world.

"No-one is belittling the importance of the R&A, but no-one - apart from Jack McConnell - thinks they are more important than the D-Day veterans."

Neil Griffiths of the Royal British Legion said he was "appalled" at the decision.

"For the first minister to decide instead of attending Normandy, which is where he should be, that he would rather go to a golf club dinner is beyond belief," he said.

A spokesman for the Conservatives said it was "a pity" that Mr McConnell was unable to represent Scotland.

However, a spokeswoman for the first minister said: "He feels absolutely no shame at paying tribute to veterans this morning and again in parliament.

"The first minister is perfectly satisfied he has paid tribute to the veterans and what happened 60 years ago."

'Genuinely interested'

Prince Charles met three D-Day veterans from Glasgow on a visit to the Albert Halls in Stirling.

They included 80-year-old Gordon Motherwell, who served in the 15th Scottish Infantry Division of the Royal Engineers.

He said: "He seems to be genuinely interested, which is quite something.

"It was D-Day plus four by the time we got across and once we were gathered together we were told to go forward and clear minefields.

'Killed in action'

"On top of that we had bridges to build which is quite a task I can tell you.

"It was quite a dangerous job and from the beaches to Berlin we lost quite a number (of men)."

Roy Edmundson, 79, who served in the Kings Own Royal Regiment said: "We lost a lot of our regiment.

"I was wounded and reported killed in action but I've now had another 60 years of life."