67th Anniversary of the Auchengeich Mining Disaster

That the Parliament marks with deep sympathy and solemn reflection the 67th anniversary of the Auchengeich mining disaster, which occurred on 18 September 1959; acknowledges the disaster as one of the darkest tragedies in Scotland’s industrial history; remembers with profound respect the 47 men who lost their lives underground at Auchengeich Colliery, each of whom left home that morning to earn a living for their families and never returned; recognises the devastating consequences of the disaster, which left 41 women widowed and 76 children without their fathers; acknowledges the lasting impact of that loss on families and generations across Moodiesburn and the surrounding communities; pays tribute to the men who died, remembering them as fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, relatives, friends and colleagues, whose lives and contributions remain an important part of Scotland’s mining heritage; acknowledges the courage, dignity and solidarity shown by the Moodiesburn community in the aftermath of the disaster and throughout the 67 years since; commends the Auchengeich Memorial Committee and all those who continue to ensure that the memory of the 47 men is preserved through annual acts of remembrance; recognises the importance of the Auchengeich memorial and annual commemorative service as places and occasions where families, friends and the wider community can come together to remember those lost, and affirms that the stories of Auchengeich and Scotland’s mining communities must continue to be remembered and passed to future generations, so that the human cost of Scotland’s industrial heritage is never forgotten.