Commando Courage: The Leaping Salmon Memorial.

The aim of the project committee is to recommission Scott Sutherland's 'Leaping Salmon' statue at Achnacarry and dedicate it to the killed and injured during Commando training.

The Leaping Salmon Memorial Statue will be dedicated to the 27 training fatalities and countless injured trainees during the exacting conditions of wartime training. There is no memorial for these brave men. Your donations will ensure that their sacrifice is honoured and remembered.

Salmon returning to their Scottish spawning grounds are required to demonstrate extraordinary resiliance and determination. They all have to overcome natural and man made obstacles, not all reach their destination. There is an unmistakeable parallel between their journey and Commando training and operations.

Photo courtesy of DC Thompson.

The Leaping Salmon Memorial Statue will be located at Achnacarry, overlooking the site of the first Commandos’ training camp in the grounds of 'Castle Commando'. With your support, understanding and generosity, we will recreate Sutherland's lost work into a lasting testament of courage, dedication and sacrifice.

Donate now and secure your place in the commando constituency . Please share our campaign on social media and within your own community - every share counts! Engage with us on this journey as we honour the bravery and sacrifice of those who served their country when the storm clouds of war gathered. Together we can honour Scott Sutherland's legacy and create a lasting tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for the greater good of freedom and democracy.

The dedication plaque will faithfully mimic the layout, text and font of the commemorative plaque on the Commando Memorial. The statue will rest on a stone plinth that also mirrors the design and style of the Commando Memorial.

'THIS COUNTRY WAS THEIR TRAINING GROUND.'

How did this all begin?

In August 2021, prompted by members of the Royal Marines Association and the Commando Association an informal gathering of the Commando brotherhood convened at Dunkeld House Hotel in Perthshire. Attendees were briefed on Scott Sutherland DA, RSA, FRBS, the Scottish artist behind the Commando Memorial near Achnacarry, Spean Bridge, Lochaber in Scotland.

Recognising the declining public recognition of Sutherland and his association with the creation of the Commando Memorial, the group unanimously agreed to take action. They formed a representative committee comprising four members from the Royal Marines Association (RMA) and the Commando Association (CA). Committee members representing various regions and branches of the RMA and CA, including Scotland, Northern Ireland, Central Office, East of Scotland Branch, and Highland Branch.

What has been achieved since the group first met?

In 2022 the first plaque in the Commando Heritage Trail was established. A further five bespoke commemorative plaques have been installed at notable locations linked to the life of Scott Sutherland and the Commando Memorial.

The first plaque was unveiled on at Spean Bridge on the 27th September 2022. The 70th anniversray of the unveiling by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the widow of King George VI. She was accompanied by the widows of Commandos killed on operations in World War II.

Why The Leaping Salmon?

The Leaping Salmon Memorial Statue recreates one of Sutherland's lost works, reflecting the spirit and values of Commando-trained men. Originally commissioned for the Norrie Miller Gardens in Perth, the monument was tragically vandalised in the 1970s and never replaced. The Sutherland family generously offered its original maquette for use in this restoration.

This campaign is a joint project between the Royal Marines Association, Commando Association, and with the kind permission of the Sutherland family. The project is also receiving direct support from sculptor Alan Beattie Herriot. Alan is one of Scotland’s most successful figurative sculptors with works throughout the UK and further afield in France, Holland, Belgium and Norway. His work is considered to be among the most eclectic, evocative, and enduring sculptures in Scotland. Alan was a student of 'Scotty' Sutherland and will bring the Leaping Salmon back to life as a tribute to his teacher and mentor.

The Leaping Salmon Memorial Statue will be dedicated to the 27 training fatalities and countless injured trainees during the exacting conditions of wartime training. There is no memorial for these brave men. Your donations will ensure that their sacrifice is honoured and remembered.

Graphic courtesy of Alan Beattie Herriot