First seats allocated for locals at Jutland commemorations

The first allocation of seats has been made for people in Orkney to join the Battle of Jutland commemorations in Kirkwall and Lyness next month.

A special Service of Commemoration at St Magnus Cathedral, marking 100 years since the battle, will be held on Tuesday May 31.

On the same day, a commemorative event will also take place at the Royal Naval Cemetery at Lyness.

Descendants of those who served at sea in the First World War have been invited to take part in the commemorations in Orkney.

In addition, in the first allocation of seats for local residents, 75 people living throughout Orkney will be invited to the cathedral service.

A further 75 residents of Hoy, Graemsay and Flotta will receive letters inviting them to join the Lyness event.

“We expect more invitations to both events to be issued to local residents in the near future,” said the OIC’s Karen Greaves.

“Jutland was the most significant naval engagement of the First World War. The focus of the commemorative events is to honour the many thousands of sailors who fought for their countries at Jutland and during the wider war at sea.

“The intention is to give as many descendants as possible the opportunity to travel to Orkney, take part in the commemorations and remember the sacrifice of those who lost their lives a century ago.

“Once final numbers are known, more seats will be allocated to local people who applied to take part in the events.”

Earlier this year, people throughout Orkney were invited to apply to join the cathedral service. Residents of Hoy, Graemsay and Flotta had the opportunity to apply for seats at the Lyness commemorative event.

To ensure the seats were allocated as fairly as possible, all applications were entered in a ballot, with successful applications drawn at random. The invitation letters will be from the UK Government’s Department of Culture, Media and Sport.