Almost 50 years after it was unveiled, a memorial to a leading Black Watch soldier has enjoyed its first-ever makeover.
The Earl Wavell Gate has stood within the grounds of Balhousie Castle in Perth since 1966.
It pays tribute to Field Marshal the Rt Hon Archibald Percival Wavell, who spent 43 years as a soldier with the historic regiment, with four of these as a colonel.
Despite its prominent position, the gate had fallen into a state of disrepair and several pieces of the intricate iron work had been broken off.
This year however, members of The Black Watch Association, which is also funding part of the recently-announced memorial wall project, backed plans to fund a complete overhaul of the memorial.
Secretary of the organisation, Major Ronnie Proctor, told The Courier what sparked the project.
He said: “The gates were installed in 1966 and they have not had any maintenance work done except the odd lick of paint.
“Part of the association’s charter is to look after any regimental memorials and because the gate is a memorial to Field Marshal Wavell, we decided to get involved.
“The association felt the gate should be refurbished after all the work that has gone into the castle.”
They recruited two local experts Perth firm James Meddicks Blacksmiths and Welders and Sandy Gibson, of Almondbank to carry out the repairs.
The gate was removed and taken to a workshop, where the team painstakingly replaced the lost decorations and repainted the metalwork.
It has now been returned to The Black Watch Castle and Museum, where it once again stands as a reminder of the bravery and determination of one man.
Although he led the regiment through some tough exploits during the Second World War, Field Marshal Wavell failed to gain the respect of the country’s leader.
He fell foul of Prime Minister Winston Churchill after questioning his decision to send troops to the frontline in North Africa.
Major Proctor said: “He knew he didn’t have the manpower or resources to beat the Germans. He told Churchill he didn’t want to have a lot of casualties with nothing to show for it.
“He was sent out to India soon after that.”
Field Marshal Wavell was appointed viceroy of India, a post he held until 1947, when he was made an earl.
He died in London on May 24 1950 and was buried in Winchester.