On 20 June 2017 Lieutenant Colonel Andy J Mackay, MBE, returned to his home village in the week before his retirement from the Army after 38 years’ service.

Lt Colonel Mackay had left Maryburgh as a 16 year old to join the Army and worked his way through the ranks without going to Sandhurst for officer training. Another Ross-shire man following in the footsteps of Major General Sir Hector Macdonald.

The event was the opening of a special community garden honouring all war dead. This was the idea of Tom Thomas, a member of Maryburgh Community Council, to turn a neglected piece of ground close to the Amenities Centre into a memorial garden. In this Tom had the practical support of volunteers, including Sean Mackenzie, David Robertson, Ian Gray, Carol Harvey, Eilidh Green and Liz Sinclair. Plants and compost were funded by donations from Dingwall and Beauly branches of the Royal British Legion, as well as Santander.

Villagers were piped to the garden by Neil Mackay, and Lt Col Mackay took the salute during a minute’s silence, prior to Rev Alec Stewart, Free Church minister in Maryburgh, conducting a short service of dedication.