|
Additional
comments |
On 13th March 1996, Thomas Hamilton (43 years
old), left his home in Dunblane, Scotland, with only one thing in mind:
murder. At about 9:30 a.m., he drove to the Dunblane Primary School with a
pair of pliers, four handguns and more than 700 rounds of ammunition. Once
there, he cut the telephone wires on a nearby pole and then proceeded with
weapons in hand to a side entrance of the school. Hamilton burst into the
assembly hall, where a class of 5- and 6-year-old children was having gym
lessons and opened fire. He first shot at several of the teachers. Hamilton
then turned his guns on the frightened children and shot at them as they
tried to scramble to safety under chairs and inside closets. Screams echoed
through the gymnasium as tiny bodies sunk to the floor in pools of blood.
Hamilton momentarily stepped outside the gym into a hallway where there were
other classrooms and opened fired again. Several more people were struck
down before Hamilton returned to the gym and began shooting again. He then
put the gun into his mouth and pulled the trigger. He died instantaneously,
leaving behind a ghastly trail of death and devastation. The brutal rampage
left 17 people murdered, including one teacher and 16 children. Another 17
would survive the horrifying incident but be haunted with nightmares for the
rest of their lives. The sleepy, rural town was forever changed by the
horrors of that day. It remains the deadliest single targeted mass homicide
on children in the history of the United Kingdom.
This single is dedicated to the memory of the 16 children and the teacher
who were killed in this tragedy. The clown drawing on the front cover was
made by Emma Crozier, one of the children who were killed. Mark Knopfler
plays beautiful guitar on the track Knockin' on heaven's door.
All proceeds of the single will go to three different charities: Save the
children, Childline and Children's Hospice Association of Scotland. Slimline
jewel case. |
