Chelsea Pensioners mark Remembrance in Moray
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DUFFTOWN played host to two special visitors over the Remembrance weekend.
The Royal British Legion (RBL) branch welcomed Chelsea Pensioners Alan Rutter and Tony Bendry, who had a packed weekend lined up for them, including laying wreaths at the Cabrach War Memorial and joining the town's parade.
The visitors were taken on a bright and bracing trip to the Cabrach to attend the Remembrance service there on Saturday morning and warmed up with a tour, tasting and blending experience at Keith's Strathisla Distillery later.
As well as the tour, Chivas Brothers provided accommodation for the duo at the Dowans Hotel, in Aberlour, where the men had dinner with Legion members on Friday night, and presented each with a bottle of whisky as a memento.
Mr Rutter and Mr Bendry attended a Sunday service at Mortlach Kirk before joining the Remembrance parade as marchers stepped off from Dufftown Clock Tower at noon to the war memorial, led by the pipe band, the Colours, a contingent of Royal Engineers from Kinloss, the Legion and Dufftown locals.
A squad of Royal Engineers from Kinloss and Deputy Lord Lieutenant Brigadier Hugh Monro also attended the wreath-laying while the children of Mortlach Primary School choir sang a moving rendition of two wartime songs.
The visitors spent the afternoon at the Legion Hall chatting to locals about the Chelsea Hospital and the work carried out there to support veterans.
The Royal Engineers at Kinloss hosted the visitors before a farewell dinner with Legion members at the Ugie House Hotel, in Keith, before they set off home.
Alastair Combe, president of RBL Dufftown, said: "Credit for the visit has to go to Claire Porter, RBL Dufftown secretary, whose idea this was, for liaising with the Chelsea Hospital and setting this up.
"Also thanks must go to Chivas Brothers at Strathisla for arranging accommodation as well as the Dowans and the Ugie House Hotel for their kindness, not forgetting all the local folk who were so welcoming to Alan and Tony throughout – a fact they made frequent mention of."
