Highland police officers who died in line of duty to be remembered

A memorial service to mark the death of two Inverness police officers will take place tomorrow, albeit with only one colleague in attendance.

Former police sergeant Dave Conner plans to mark the 52nd anniversary of the tragic deaths of detective sergeant Evan Lumsden and constable Iain Ritchie by standing in witness at the graves of the two Inverness men.

The serving police officers were the last two to die while on duty in the Highlands. The incident happened in 1968.

Mr Conner, from Inverness, will also be remembering with grateful thanks the life of Andrew Perrie who died on duty in Inverness in 1944.

Mr Conner, branch secretary of the Retired Police Officers Association Scotland (RPOAS) said: "Tomorrow November 3 is the 52nd anniversary of the tragic deaths on duty of detective sergeant Evan Lumsden and constable Iain Ritchie of Inverness burgh police, who both drowned in the Caledonian Canal at Corpach while conducting underwater searches for a missing person.

"Due to the current covid situation, sadly I will not be able to mark this year's anniversary in the company of friends, family and former colleagues, as I have done in previous years.

"I will however be attending on my own tomorrow at Tomnahurich Cemetery, Inverness, to visit the graves of these brave men, and of Special Constable Andrew Perrie who died on duty in Inverness in 1944, and pay my own personal respects to their memory.

He asked: "Whatever you are doing and wherever you are tomorrow, please stop for a wee minute and remember these brave men ,and all other emergency services personnel, who have given their lives in the line of duty."

Mr Conner continued: "It is so important that these brave men are never forgotten. Just so sad that the current covid situation means we cannot have a proper memorial service as in past years."

He added: "It does not take much to bring such an event back into the public eye. Lovely that so many folk do still remember."

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