Coming soon to the Drill Hall 18 – 23 May 
We’re hosting the Gretna 111th Anniversary Pop-Up Exhibition, commemorating the Gretna train disaster, which killed over 200 men from the 1/7th Royal Scots.
The Gretna Rail Disaster was a devastating blow to both the Battalion and the people of Leith. It was said at the time that there was scarcely a family in the town untouched by the tragedy.
In the hours after the disaster, the nearby city of Carlisle became the main centre for the wounded. Around 180 injured soldiers were taken there, overwhelming local hospitals, Red Cross facilities, and even hotels, which were requisitioned for beds.
On Sunday 23 May 1915, 107 coffins were returned to Edinburgh and placed in the Battalion’s Drill Hall in Dalmeny Street. The following day, 101 were borne in solemn procession to Rosebank Cemetery, Pilrig Street, for burial in a mass grave. Thousands lined the route; shops closed, blinds were drawn, and traffic halted as the city mourned.
The Drill Hall has been chosen for this exhibition due to its history of being the 7th Battalion’s Drill Hall and its association with the people of Leith.
Central to the exhibition will be the Tree of Life which contains the names of all 216 men who were killed in the disaster. This will be supported by display boards featuring the stories of local soldiers and their families.
Monday 18th – Saturday 23th May
10am – 4.30pm
The Out of the Blue Drill Hall
Free entry
https://outoftheblue.pulse.ly/ujcbebvdb2
Image: (c) The Royal Scots
