Stories from Scotland’s oldest Highland regiment shared in new comic book

Secondary school pupils have created a comic which shares some of the unique historical stories of Scotland’s oldest Highland regiment.

For the past three months, a group of 30 Perth Grammar School pupils have been putting pen to paper and bringing history to life, detailing seven stories from within the city’s Black Watch Castle and Museum.

The finished product is a colourful 12-page comic book, which will be made available to visitors through the summer holidays.

First year pupil Holly Harrold told STV News: “We started off by getting a sheet of questions, and we went through them on our phones and laptops and researched (the story).

“Then we sketched out a base idea on some plain paper, then wrote what we were going to say about it.”

Fellow classmate, Josh Goodbrand, added: “We’ve been drawing the Birkenhead Jugs.

“There was a girl on a boat, and she found jugs because they were getting evacuated because the boat crashed into a coral reef.

“So, the woman escaped with jugs underneath her skirt.”

Other stories to feature from the Black Watch’s 300-year history include the lucky penny, that Lance Corporal Smith Cameron kept in his helmet.

In 1917, a bullet struck the helmet and the penny, worn underneath as a good luck charm, saved the soldier’s life.

And Lance Corporal David Finlay’s Victoria Cross. Awarded for bravery during the battle of Aubers Ridge on the Western Front in May 1915.

He carried a wounded man 100-yards across fire-swept ground.

Perth Grammar pupil, Emily White, said: “It was a very fun experience, difficult at times. It’s quite exciting knowing that other people are going to get to read what I put a lot of hard work in to.”

First year pupil, Angus Mitchell, added: “I found it quite interesting that other people will see my ideas, and share it with my family.”

The collaboration between the museum, school and developing the young workforce has been described as “groundbreaking”.

Funded by Museum Galleries Scotland, the partnership is aimed at inspiring the next generation of heritage enthusiasts.

History teacher, Sarah Johnson, said: “The biggest thing that I’ve noticed is the surprise with the pupils, with the local history.

“You go abroad, and you see all these amazing places, but it was quite a surprise the stories that Perth, Dundee and the Tayside area has.

“So, I think it was important learning the local history.”

The comic book, titled, ‘Brilliant Black Watch Stories’, will be available throughout the summer holidays, offering a glimpse into the rich history of Scotland’s oldest Highland regiment.

Madeline Greene from the Black Watch Castle and Museum said: “Previously, they associated this museum with words like war and museum.

“Now they associate it with the people they learned about and the stories they learned about, which has been so much fun to see.”

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