During a school visit to the battlefields in Belgium, around 50 students from Aberdeen Grammar School travelled to some of the locations where the fiercest fighting took place.

They laid wreaths in memory of former pupils who died in the 1914-1918 conflict.

They were accompanied by Callum Stuart, from St Peter’s Heritage Trust in Culter, who has written two books about the men featured on the war memorials in Peterculter and Maryculter.

The youngsters, who were S3 and S4 pupils, were shown several sites including Tyne Cot memorial, the Menin Gate in Ypres and Hill 60, where one of the first major battles took place.

The trip was led by history teacher Sinde Astrea, who said it would prove a valuable learning experience for the pupils – as well as giving them the chance to pay tribute to the school’s alumni.

She said: “The battlefields trip provided pupils with an insight into the conditions the soldiers of the First World War had to endure.

“Many of the pupils said they were moved by the individual stories of soldiers as well as by the sheer numbers of those who died.”

Mr Stuart said: “I think this will be one of those things the children will really appreciate in the years to come.

“Our guide, Andrew, was really good and explained a lot of things to them about what would have happened during the war.

“I think it was a bit of an eye-opener for a lot of them.

“There were quite a few who said they hadn’t realised the sheer scale of the number of men who had died.

“It was also quite poignant for them because they got to see the grave of the youngest soldier, who was only 15.

“The pupils were 14 and 15 so it really hit home that some of the men who never came home were around the same age as them.”

Mr Stuart said the trip had been beneficial, teaching the teenagers what it was like to be on the site during the war.

Pupils also had the opportunity to pay tribute to members of their own families who had lost their lives abroad.

Mr Stuart added: “We were primarily there to pay tribute to former Aberdeen Grammar School pupils who had died but it was also a chance for the children to reflect and learn about their own personal stories.

“Quite a few of them had relatives who had died in the war so it was good that they were able to see their resting places.

“The pupils enjoyed it a lot, and many of them said they would be really keen to go back again in the future.”

Mr Stuart believes it is vital youngsters continue to be educated about the sacrifices made during the war and wants them to teach future generations what they learned.

He said: “I could see a lot of the pupils were visibly moved by what they had learned, especially the personal and individual stories.

“It’s good they have been learning about it because one day it will be down to them to educate future generations about what happened.

“The fact they were so interested and focused on what they were learning about was great to see.”