Scotland pays tribute to war dead

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Services were held across the country

Scotland paid a silent tribute to those who have died during war as the 91st anniversary of the end of World War I was marked.

A two-minute silence was observed across the country at 1100 GMT.

Veterans of conflicts including World War II, Malaya, Korea, the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan joined members of the public in marking the date.

Relatives of two dead servicemen also stood in silence for two minutes during the inquest into their deaths.

RAF Regiment Senior Aircraftman Graham Livingstone, from Glasgow, died alongside Senior Aircraftman Gary Thompson, of Nottingham, when the Land Rover they were in hit a roadside bomb in Afghanistan on 13 April 2008.

Although we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country our thoughts also turn to those who are currently putting their lives on the line on operations across the world Keith Taylor Erskine

The inquest into their deaths, which is being held in Wiltshire, was briefly adjourned to allow relatives of the two men to observe the silence.

The silence was also due to be observed by mourners at the funeral of Scots Guardsman Paul McGee, who died after being stabbed in Lochwinnoch in Renfrewshire.

In Edinburgh, Erskine veterans and residents of the Army Recovery Centre, held a memorial service at the Erskine Home in Edinburgh, where they laid wreaths and remembered their fallen colleagues.

Keith Taylor, Erskine's director of operations, said: "The 11th of November is a very emotional time of year for everyone at Erskine, be they the veterans we are privileged to care for, their families and loved ones or our dedicated staff and volunteers as well as the supporters on whom we rely so heavily.

"Although we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country our thoughts also turn to those who are currently putting their lives on the line on operations across the world."

Members of the public gathered at the Garden of Remembrance adjacent to the Scott Monument for a two-minute silence, marked by a gun from Edinburgh Castle.

And Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy hosted a reception in Dover House in London for about 20 WWII veterans and the families of those who fought in WWI.

Daring missions

Glasgow's lord provost led a remembrance service at the war memorial in George Square.

Politicians stopped campaigning for Thursday's Glasgow North East by-election in order to attend a war memorial in the constituency's Auchinairn Road.

In Aberdeen, a memorial to the players and staff of Aberdeen FC who died during WWI was unveiled at the club's Pittodrie Stadium.

On Orkney, events included schoolchildren taking part in a service and laying a wreath at the war memorial in Kirkwall.

And Czech veterans of WWII were present to see a war memorial being unveiled in Arisaig.

The Czech freedom fighters who trained in Lochaber for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) carried out some of the most daring missions of the war.

The sculpture depicts a fallen paratrooper with a trailing parachute, and commemorates the sacrifice of 250 Czechs who trained as agents of the Special Operations Executive in Arisaig and other parts of West Lochaber after fleeing their homeland following German occupation.