Freedom of city for war veteran

Lieutenant Colonel Saunders turned 102 on 2 July

One of the best known civic figures in Stirling is set to make history by becoming the first person to be offered the freedom of the city.

Councillors will hold a special meeting in the Great Hall of Stirling Castle to consider a motion to bestow the honour on Lieutenant Colonel Frank Saunders.

The war veteran, who turned 102 on 2 July, has been a mainstay of public life in Stirling for nearly 40 years.

The meeting to consider the motion will take place on 11 July.

In his time, Frank Saunders has been a soldier and politician and served on countless public bodies.

He held the record for being Scotland's oldest political candidate when he stood as an independent in the Stirling Council elections at the age of 94.

Conservative councillor

He was born in 1906, when Stirling MP Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman was prime minister.

As a soldier, Mr Saunders saw action with the Western Desert Force and the 8th Army in North Africa, the 2nd Polish Corps of the 8th Army in the Italian campaign and the 3rd Corps during the civil war in Greece.

In 1947 he was relegated to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and retired in 1961.

He went on to serve as an independent and Conservative councillor for Stirling's Kings Park and Cambusbarron ward and as a member of Stirling Town Council and Central Regional Council.

Stirling was granted city status in 2002. In 2005 the freedom of the city was given to RAF 43 Fighter Squadron.

Before receiving city status, freedom of the burgh was conferred on the Queen, the Queen Mother and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

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