First Bus offers free Remembrance Day travel to veterans and military personnel across Glasgow

First Bus, Glasgow’s largest bus operator, is offering free travel for all veterans and UK Armed Forces personnel travelling to Remembrance Day activities of Remembrance Sunday (Sunday 10th November) and Armistice Day (Monday 11th November).

To be eligible for a free return journey, veterans and military personnel can either wear their military uniform or show the bus driver their Service ID card.

First Bus has a strong link with the Armed Forces community, with large numbers of veterans now working for the business. This gesture is First Bus’ way of showing gratitude to all those who serve or have served their country.

First Bus has a war memorial garden at its Glasgow Caledonia depot paying tribute to former tram operators who lost their lives in the First World War. The accessible garden features four memorials including a freestanding monument dedicated to workers from the city’s Whitevale tram depot, surrounded by three plaques in memory of workers from the city’s Newlands, Dennistoun and Langside depots.

All four memorials are originally from Glasgow’s tram depots, which supported the operation of one of the largest tram networks in Britain at the time of the First World War. The first motorbuses were introduced in Glasgow in 1924 and gradually replaced trams until 1962, when the last Glasgow tram service operated.

During the First World War, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, the guns of the Western Front fell silent after more than four years of continuous warfare. Every year, this historic moment is commemorated with a two-minute silence on what is now known as Armistice Day.

Graeme Macfarlan, Commercial Director for First Bus Scotland, said: “Remembrance Sunday is an important and solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by so many in our Armed Forces and we wanted to do something to mark the occasion.

“We have a number of veterans working for First Bus across our Glasgow depots and we’re very proud of their efforts and sacrifice. This is our way of saying thank you to them, as well as honouring all men and women who choose to serve and protect the freedoms our country now takes for granted.”

ENDS