Two rival military celebrations delivered shock and awe to the thousands who turned out to support them yesterday.
Bannockburn LIVE and Armed Forces Day both took place near Stirling, delighting families from all over Scotland.
There had been fears Bannockburn LIVE would be marred by poor ticket sales.
And while yesterday saw 10,000 people flood through the gates with a similar number expected today it was originally hoped 45,000 tickets would be sold over the weekend.
Armed Forces Day, similarly, was a pageant of colour, noise and pomp.
And while both events marked different chapters in the country’s military history albeit separated by hundreds of years the poignancy of what they stand for was not lost on organisers, participants and revellers.
Young Caitlin George, six, from Giffnock, East Renfrewshire, summed up the emotion of the day.
She managed to attend both events with dad Karl, 38, an airport worker, and mum Maisy, 30, a housewife, and said: “They’ve both been brilliant. I loved going to both of them. I’m very proud to be Scottish.”
Mum Maisy added: “We wanted Caitlin to experience both. We’re the only country that can do this kind of thing.”
One of yesterday’s Bannockburn LIVE high-lights was the re-enactment of the 1314 battle by educational group the Clanranald Trust. However it provided some unfortunate laughs when it was hit by a microphone error.
At one point “Robert the Bruce” was even overheard asking “where his car keys were” as more than 100 men in chainmail, wielding axes, maces and swords geared up for battle!
Armed Forces Day was established in 2009 to honour the country’s servicemen and women and their families across the Army, Navy and RAF.
This year’s event saw tanks and military vehicles combine with demonstrations by Sea King, Apache and Puma helicopters. Plane enthusiasts were also thrilled by the Second World War Lancaster bomber and Spitfire and Hurricane fighters in flight.
The estimated cost of hosting Armed Forces Day was about £524,000, but organisers suggest it will earn about £1m for the local economy as well as boost Stirling’s profile as a tourist destination.
Among revellers enjoying the day was lovestruck Chris Brown, who borrowed the event’s loudspeaker system to propose to girlfriend Amy Hawins.
Ex-soldier Chris, 52, and Amy 22, from Airth, near Falkirk, have been going out for a year after meeting at Airth Parish Church.
“I could not think of any better place to get down on my knees and propose,” he said.
Both Prime Minister David Cameron and First Minister Alex Salmond attended last night along with other senior politicians from Westminster and Holyrood and the Princess Royal.
Poppyscotland chief executive Ian McGregor said: “As Stirling is the host city, the event gives us an excellent opportunity to highlight both the wide range of vital support provided by ourselves to those in the Armed Forces community living north of the border and the complementary services of the Royal British Legion throughout the rest of the UK.”
Despite the flood of people into the area for both events, there were very few transport problems.
Roads were busier than usual, but police reported no major problems. Many families are believed to have taken advantage of the 6,000 extra rail seats provided to help people in and out of the area.
Additional reporting by Janet Boyle
Opinion An unfortunate clash
The decision to pitch Bannockburn LIVE and Armed Forces Day against each other was unfortunate.
There have been mutterings the events with their distinct leanings towards the Yes and No camps have been used as political pawns in the run up to the September referendum. If that is the case, then the people responsible should be ashamed of themselves.
Families will have had to pick and choose between the two events unable to attend both. Our children deserve the opportunity to revel in history and mark the anniversary of events like Bannockburn because that bloody battlefield, seemingly lost in history, helped shape all our lives.
Equally, there are no finer role models to all of us than the brave men and women of our armed forces. Past and present, they too deserve honour.
When it comes to matters as important as this, politics should play no part.
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