I thank the many members from different parties who have signed my motion and I thank those members who have stayed behind in the chamber for the debate.

I take the liberty of expressing thanks, on behalf of the Parliament, to the local authorities and communities of Passchendaele, Wytschaete and Messines, and to the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917, for their work and planning of year-long events in 2007 to commemorate the 90^th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele. I am sure that, during the debate, other members will join me in expressing our thanks to them.

It is appropriate also to record my thanks to Dr Jean Turner, who lodged a motion in the summer of 2006 that praised the work and effort of the people of the municipality of Zonnebeke, in Flanders, for raising funds to build a Celtic cross there to commemorate Scottish and Scotland-related soldiers who fought in the great war.

The battle of Passchendaele—also known as the third battle of Ypres—was launched on 31 July 1917 and continued until the fall of Passchendaele village on 10 November in the same year. The battle saw the greatest loss of life of any battle in the first world war. Almost 500,000 British, Commonwealth and German troops were killed, wounded or went missing. The whole of my allotted time this evening could be taken up describing the importance of the battle and the treacherous conditions in which the soldiers fought. It is hard for us, today, to explain or imagine what those men had to go through during the great war. However, I will concentrate on what is happening in Flanders in 2007 to mark the events of 90 years ago.

The Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917, in conjunction with a number of local communities, organisations and Governments, is planning events to commemorate the 90^th anniversary of the battle. As part of the commemorations, a monument will be erected as a memorial to all Scottish soldiers who took part in the battle—and, indeed, in the great war. As my motion sets out, several Scottish regiments played a pivotal role in the battle: they include the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, based in Stirling, and the Black Watch, based in Perth.

The Celtic cross is to commemorate not only Scottish soldiers, but also Commonwealth regiments and units that are linked to Scotland. For example, it will also be a memorial to the Canadian Seaforth Highlanders, who were based near Passchendaele, and the Nova Scotia Highlanders, who were on Passchendaele ridge. It is entirely fitting that the memorial is not just for Scots, but for soldiers of other nations, as it will symbolise the struggle that those men of different nations had to face together.

The unveiling of the Celtic cross at Passchendaele will be the climax of the Scottish memorial weekend of 25 and 26 August. A weekend of events and activities is planned specifically to commemorate the Scottish soldiers, such as a highland games, a tattoo and visits to the battlefields on which Scottish soldiers fought. The cross will be of Scottish granite and set on a plinth of original bunker stones. It is intended to be an impressive monument: it will be roughly 3m high and on a plinth that will also be roughly 3m high. It will be located at Frezenberg, which is strongly connected to the role that Scottish soldiers played during the battle. It was there that the Scottish 15^th Division launched an attack on 17 August 1917. Only weeks later, the Scottish 9^th division took over that sector.

It is estimated that the cost of the memorial will be £21,000 and that the cost of the plinth will be £7,000. By September, around £14,000 had already been raised, primarily through the local communities where the memorial will stand. The Flemish Government has also contributed to the cost of the cross, through a structural grant. In the motion that I lodged at the end of last year, I asked the Scottish Executive to mark the 90^th anniversary of the battle of Passchendaele and to contribute to the commemorations. It is envisaged that the memorial will be a landmark for the 400,000 visitors who come to the front each year to view the battlefields of the great war.

I would be interested to learn whether the Executive intends to be represented at the Scottish memorial weekend and whether it will consider contributing to the commemorations. I am sure that the Minister will agree that it is an excellent opportunity to emphasise the bond between Scotland and Flanders and to share in the links of our past. I understand that the Executive's office in Brussels has recently been in contact with the campaign. I would be interested to learn whether the Executive is aware of that contact and the outcome of that dialogue.

I hope that the Parliament will agree that it is time to express our gratitude to the people of Flanders for the work they are doing to commemorate Scotland's fallen. It is certainly a worthwhile project and I am honoured to have the opportunity this evening to congratulate them in this chamber. I have particularly to record my thanks to Erwin Ureel, the co-ordinator of the Scottish memorial in Flanders campaign.

Even during members' business, this Parliament does not often debate motions that have support from Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, Scottish National Party, Green and independent MSPs. I hope that the Executive will recognise the work that has been carried out in Flanders and will contribute to the commemorations because this was a battle in which Scottish soldiers played a central role. We should not forget them, nor should we forget the horrors that they had to endure during the battle of Passchendaele.

I would like to end by repeating Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae's famous poem, "In Flanders Fields", which remains to this day one of the most memorable war poems ever written. It was written only a few kilometres from where the Scottish monument will stand. Although it was written some time before the battle of Passchendaele was fought, it encapsulates extremely well some of the horrors of the great war.

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep,

though poppies grow

In Flanders fields."