Life Support: Stories from the Royal Regiment of Scotland
Monday 25 April 2016 to January 2017
National War Museum, Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
ADMISSION FREE WITH ENTRY TO EDINBURGH CASTLE
A new exhibition, Life Support: Stories from The Royal Regiment of Scotland, will open at the National War Museum in Edinburgh, on Monday 25 April, to mark the Regiment’s first decade of operations.
Created in association with The Royal Regiment of Scotland, the exhibition will offer a fresh perspective on the combat and peacekeeping work of Scotland’s infantry soldiers, through a selection of stories and interviews from the people, military and civilian, who make up their vital support network at home and on the frontline.
Padre David Anderson’s experiences reveal the importance of spiritual support for soldiers serving in hostile environments far from home. An interview with the Padre and a collection of poignant objects, such as the cross he used in Afghanistan, explore this unique role as an unarmed non-combatant at the heart of the Regiment.
Letters from home and family photographs taken to Afghanistan by Major Nick Calder will be displayed with the Major’s camouflaged combat shirt and medals, a reflection of the tangible links to family life and loved ones maintained during operational tours.
The exhibition will explore further support systems relied upon by soldiers, such as medical provision and lifesaving equipment used in action, alongside the critical support they provide, from peacekeeping missions to humanitarian aid. These stories will be illustrated with a selection of remarkable objects and first-hand reports, including the lifesaving helmet worn by Private Christopher Currie and a Vallon handheld mine-detector used to locate improvised explosive devices (IEDs)
Stuart Allan, Principal Curator of Scottish History at National Museums Scotland said,
“The exhibition offers a fascinating window into the operations of a modern infantry regiment. Over the past 10 years, The Royal Regiment of Scotland has served all over the world fulfilling a wide variety of roles. Life Support: Stories from The Royal Regiment of Scotland reflects this diversity and the support the Regiment both provides and relies on.”
The Regiment’s senior officer Major General (Ret’d) James Cowan CBE DSO said:
“Since the Regiment was formed in 2006 our soldiers have deployed almost continuously on operations around the world, so the Regiment is now building its own proud history as we head into the future. We have been delighted to work with National Museums Scotland on Life Support: Stories from The Royal Regiment of Scotland, a new exhibition providing new insight into our first decade of service.”
Notes to Editors
- National Museums Scotland looks after museum collections of national and international importance and provides loans, partnerships, research and training in Scotland and internationally. Our individual museums are the National Museum of Scotland, the National Museum of Flight, the National Museum of Rural Life and the National War Museum. The National Museums Collection Centre in Edinburgh houses conservation and research facilities as well as collections not currently on display.
- The Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry Regiment forming a core part of the British Army's combat capability. The Regiment comprises six battalions and one independent company of combat infantry soldiers. You can find out more detail about the Regiment at: www.army.mod.uk/scots and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/royalregimentofscotland
Further information and images from Kirsten Cowie or Bruce Blacklaw. Press Office, tel 0131 247 4391 or email k.cowie@nms.ac.uk.