Fifty people will represent West Dunbartonshire at the Drumhead Service at Edinburgh Castle next month, signalling the start of a five-year programme of commemorations.

The multi-faith service on the castle esplanade will replicate those held on the front line 100 years ago when, in a long-held military tradition, neatly piled drums with draped Colours were used in place of an altar.

The Scottish Commemorations Panel has made a further 1,000 places available to those in West Dunbartonshire and across the country who have not already secured tickets through their local authority or been invited by other means. Representatives of the military, veterans groups, charities and civic leaders have also been invited.

Norman Drummond, chairman of the Scottish Commemorations Panel, said: “We want to invite the whole of Scotland – people of all ages in West Dunbartonshire and all corners of the country – to join us in remembering those who served during the First World War, to consider the significant impact the war had on Scotland and Scots around the world and to ask the question ‘What do we learn from all this?’ “Thanks to the support of West Dunbartonshire Council and Scotland’s other local authorities, every part of Scotland will be represented at the Drumhead Service in addition to those from the military, veterans communities, charities and civic Scotland.” The Drumhead Service will start at 10.30am on August 10 and will last approximately half an hour.

The whole event – including the procession down the Royal Mile and memorial at Holyrood Park — is expected to last until 2pm, although the public can remain in the park until 6pm, when the memorial will be closed.

Tickets for the Drumhead Service can be requested online at www.WW100Scotland.com.

Those requiring wheelchair access or with other accessibility requirements should ring 0131 225 1188. Tickets will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and up to ten can be requested by each applicant. All applications must be received by August 4.