Lockerbie paid a poignant tribute on Saturday to the 270 victims of the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over the Dumfries and Galloway town 36 years ago – as well as those who helped in the wake of the disaster.
There was a large turnout for the community celebration of “remembrance and gratitude” held at Lockerbie’s Tundergarth Parish Church which included a service, poetry and music by local performers.
Locals, families of those killed, and members of the various emergency services and organisations who helped, were in the congregation.
At 7.03pm on December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 exploded as it reached cruising altitude at 31,000 feet just 42 minutes after taking off from London’s Heathrow Airport.
The Clipper Maid of the Seas – which had 259 passengers and crew on board from 21 countries, and aged from two-months-old to 82 – crashed into the town and surrounding countryside with no survivors. Fire and wreckage descended on the community and the world watched in horror as the town was turned into a burning hell. Eleven Lockerbie residents also died that night.
Inside the church, sited close to the field where the nose cone of the jumbo came crashing down, were 270 candles – each representing one of the victims – and their names were also read out as part of the commemoration organised by Tundergarth Kirks Trust and the Pan Am 103 Lockerbie Legacy Foundation.
A spokesperson for Tundergarth Kirks Trust said: “We’d like to thank all of those who attended our special Community Celebration of Remembrance and Gratitude at Tundergarth Church. Alongside our partners, the Pan Am 103 Lockerbie Legacy Foundation, we were overwhelmed by the response with people travelling from as far away as Southampton, the Highlands, Wales and the USA.
“To have family members of the victims say what a wonderful service it was, means the world to us all.”
Key speakers were: Dumfriesshire Lord Lieutenant Fiona Armstrong; Victoria Cummock of the Pan Am 103 Lockerbie Legacy Foundation – who lost her husband, John, to the disaster; John Palser; Mike Thomson and Drene Lee.
Performers were: Rose Byers, Cameron Colville, Anna Newbould, as well as Max Clark, Seth Byers and Robbie Spencer, and Fiona Rivière and Colin Dunbar.
A key part of the service was “recognising and expressing gratitude for the extraordinary service and humanity shown by the hundreds of responders, volunteers, and locals impacted”.
A new wall of honour display was unveiled featuring the official coats of arms of all the responder organisations who dealt with the aftermath of the attack.
It has been described as “a collective tangible representation of what was an historic and unparalleled multi-agency operations”.
First responders also took the opportunity to add an item – shield plaque, flag or other insignia – to the display which represents their organisation.
It will all become a permanent exhibition in the upcoming Pan Am 103 Lockerbie Heritage Museum within the Tundergarth Kirk Ruins.
Thanks were also given to the many local businesses and people who sponsored the service: Pan Am 103 Lockerbie Legacy Foundation; RH Youth Organisation; Marchbanks Bakers; GLS Fencing; Muirhall Energy; Irvings Homestyle Bakery;
Dianne Thomson Floral Designs; Houston’s Coaches and Moffat Taxis.
