AMID the mud and torment of the trenches, young soldiers caught up in the horrors of World War One wrote letters home to their loved ones.

Honest and emotional, they captured the brutality and pain, comradeship and compassion of life on the frontline for their families, anxiously awaiting news at home.

Many of the writers did not make it home, of course, and as Glasgow prepares to mark the centenary of the end of WWI, an event in the city will ensure their voices are heard once again.

Letters from the Trenches, a performance by young actors from Scottish Youth Theatre, is one of the highlights of Sunday’s day-long commemoration event at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

Exactly 100 years since the end of the First World War, storytellers, musicians, singers and young people -including Saul Davidson and Lauren O’Donnell from SYT - will come together to honour those who fought in the conflict.

From the Somme, Ypres, and Passchendaele, the letters also include details of some of the stranger events soldiers witnessed during the conflict, such as the famous Christmas ‘truce’ of 1914.

“There is something very poignant about young voices speaking the words of soldiers from 100 years ago,” said Scottish Youth Theatre CEO Jacky Hardacre.

“It is a huge honour to be part of such an important event.

“The young performers, from Inverness and Glasgow, have recently completed a year of training as part of the Scottish Youth Theatre National Ensemble 2018 and this is a great platform for them to build and apply the skills they have developed.”

The performance will include readings of two of the most famous poems of the period - Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen and For the Fallen by Lawrence Binyon.

The words will be accompanied by a soundscape specially created for the day by Glasgow composer Michael Hunter, better known for his music for the multi-award winning Grand Theft Auto game series.

Letters from the Trenches is part of a day-long programme of events planned at Kelvingrove this Sunday. The museum will open earlier, at 10.30am, to allow visitors to observe the minute’s silence at 11am.

After Letters from the Trenches, Roddy MacLeod MBE, Principal of The National Piping Centre and one of the world’s most accomplished solo pipers, will play and a male voice choir conducted by William Barr will join with instrumentalists to perform a musical commemoration of the First World War.

Audience members can take part in a singalong featuring some of the best known tunes of the time.

One of the pieces Roddy will perform was written to commemorate one of the worst maritime disasters in UK history.

At the end of the First World War, the ship Iolaire was carrying troops back to the Scottish island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides.

She left the port of Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland late on the evening of Hogmanay in 1918.

In the early hours of New Year’s Day, as the ship approached Stornoway, she hit the infamous rocks The Beasts of Holm, and sank. A total of 205 men perished, including 181 islanders.

Among them was Roddy’s great uncle.

Roddy said: “Many of the tunes I will play are dedicated to and for those who did not return home, including one of my own relatives, so it’s especially moving for me.”

Glasgow’s Lord Provost Eva Bolander said: “This musical commemoration is a fitting culmination to a four year programme of events across Glasgow, which have provided time and space to stop and remember those who gave so much to ensure our freedom.

“We are grateful to all the artists and technicians participating in the day who have given their services free in support of Poppy Scotland.”

The day has been organised by Kelvingrove’s honorary director of music and resident organist, Dr James Hunter.

He said: “It is a great privilege to be responsible for the production of the various activities, and it is especially pleasing that actors and musicians of all ages are joining forces to honour the servicemen and women from all ranks, backgrounds and countries who participated in one of the most significant events in world history.”

Hamilton Caledonian Bowling Club and Lesmahagow and Glasgow Philharmonic Male Voice Choirs will come together to perform songs from the time, and the programme will also include organ solos and bugle calls - beginning with Reveille and ending with The Last Post.

For more information on the event, visit www.glasgowmuseums.com