AN appeal has been made by the oldest infantry regiment in Britain ahead of the 80th anniversary of World War II.

The Royal Scots Regimental Museum published a roll of honour last year to remember the soldiers who served during World War I.

And the military historians behind the project are now hoping to create a similar online dedication to the Royal Scots of the 1939-to-1945 conflict.

As well as looking for surviving soldiers and artefacts, they are also seeking volunteers to help manage and communicate their proud regimental heritage.

Colonel Martin Gibson said: "We are immensely proud of the Regiment's record in the First World War.

“We are now determined that the unique list of those Royal Scots who died in World War II will help their descendants and others who want to find out about them and enable all visitors to remember their sacrifice, as well as enabling an enduring legacy”.

The Royal Scots was raised by Royal Warrant in 1633 and subsequently served with distinction for almost four centuries through many campaigns across the globe.

The Regiment continued to recruit almost entirely from Edinburgh, the Lothians and Peeblesshire until its amalgamation just over a decade ago.

To mark the close connection with the area the Regiment was awarded the Freedom of Peebles in 1954.

During World War II over 1,200 Royal Scots were killed and many more were wounded or taken as prisoners of war.

They are in currently in contact with two surviving ‘Old Royals’ who served during the conflict and have recorded interviews with them as a permanent testament of their experiences.

There are hopes to reach other survivors out there and get in touch with them and their families.

For the centenary commemoration of the World War 1 armistice they launched an online roll of honour to a huge success.

Descendants of those men and other researchers can access the list, which is believed to be the first to be compiled on a regimental basis, via the Trust's website.

To offer any help to the planned World War II roll of honour visit www.theroyalscots.co.uk/the-royal-scots-need-you/