Armistice Day honour for Perthshire student Andrew

Nov 13 2009 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

PERTHSHIRE pupil Andrew Orr Ewing was at Westminster Abbey this week to read a lesson before royalty in the Armistice Day service.

Marking the passing of the fallen in the Great War represented a great honour and privilege for Andrew, who attends Glenalmond College, and continued his family’s link of service.

Andrew’s great-grandfather joined up aged 16 and was present at the Battle of Jutland during the First World War, while his grandfather was a naval officer and his father is currently serving in Afghanistan.

The service was attended by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, together with senior politicians, military commanders, the families of ex-servicemen and people from all over Britain who paid their own tributes.

Poignantly, the UK’s three remaining First World War military veterans all died earlier this year -William Stone (108) in January, 113-year-old Henry Allingham at the end of July, and lastly, 111-year-old Harry Patch.