Celebration of the Centuries - 27

The Celebration (which was held on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary) concluded with an parachute display by the Golden Lions.

The Golden Lions Scottish Infantry Parachute Display Team was formed in 1969 by professional soldiers who wanted to promote the more adventurous side of the Scottish Infantry, and help keep the British Army in the public eye.

The Golden Lions consists of up to 12 soldiers from The Royal Regiment of Scotland, all of whom volunteer to attend a rigorous selection process followed by 12 months of training in freefall, accuracy and display coordination.

Only the best are trained in the canopy formations discipline, where parachutists join their canopies together in formations high above the arena. This is one of the hardest disciplines to perform. The Golden Lions are current gold medal winners in the Scottish National Championships and the Tri-Service Championships for Canopy Formations.

The team is based at Redford Barracks in Edinburgh, and travel all over Scotland providing displays for event organisers and military shows. In recent years the team has entertained crowds at the Inverness Tattoo, the Braemar Highland Games and more recently, the Scottish Rugby Union at Murrayfield Stadium.