The Princess Royal Attends Service For Quintinshill Disaster Centenary

Princess Anne was present today at a service in Gretna Green, Scotland to mark the 100th anniversary of the Quintinshill rail disaster that killed over 200 people.

Laying a wreath during the service held at the Gretna Old Parish Church, the Princess Royal was joined at the event by Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, as well as military veterans and relatives of those who died.

She then attended a short reception at Stormont Village Hall, where she viewed a display on the disaster and listened to poetry specially written for the anniversary. “I’m really astonished at how little is known about Quintinshill. This display is fantastic,” Princess Anne said as she looked at the display.

The Quintinshill rail disaster is the deadliest rail incident in British history, when a train carrying troops about to leave Britain to fight in Gallipoli collided with a local passenger service near the Scottish-English border. A third train crashed into the wreckage minutes later, and a large fire broke out. Over 200 soldiers and 12 civilians died in the crash and resulting fire, with a further 240 injured.

Filed under The United Kingdom
Tagged Anniversary, Military, The Princess Royal.