The timing of a service to mark the centenary of the deaths of Middle East-based First World War soldiers has been criticised by historians.

The military experts say the Scottish Government has shown a lack of respect after timing the event for April 25 2015, a date which falls before the period when Scottish troops arrived in the region.

The service will coincide with the day when Australia and New Zealand, who also sent troops to the conflict, mark the occasion.

But researchers and archivists say that the bulk of the soldiers did not arrive until weeks later and that those who chose the date are guilty of a "schoolboy error".

The Government has created a Commemoration Panel which has drawn up a list of dates to mark the centenary of the First World War and the Scottish contribution to the conflict. The row follows similar complaints from amateur historians over the recognition given to soldiers who fought in the Middle East instead of the Western front in France after Education Scotland omitted all reference to their efforts on its website.

Men of the 52nd Lowland Division, which was mainly drawn from the Central Belt and Scottish Borders, saw action during the failed Allied offensive at Gallipoli, in Turkey, and also Egypt during the defence of the Suez Canal and then Palestine.

John Duncan, military historian and webmaster of the online archive Newbattle at War, said: "I would agree that there is a problem with combining Scottish remembrance events with ANZAC day, which, quite rightly, is forever associated with the Australian and New Zealand contingent.

"This date makes the 25th of April next year look very odd when it predates their [the Scottish troops] departure for Gallipoli with the bulk of the Scots involved.

"We will only get one chance to commemorate the centenary, let's not make schoolboy errors and muck it up.

He added that he had tried to contact the Commemoration Panel over the mistake, but had not received a response.

He said: "We felt it a matter of honour that we did not forget our fellow Scots simply because they didn't fight on the Western Front."

The 52nd Lowland Division made up the bulk of the Scottish contingent at Gallipoli and went ashore on June 6, 1914. The regiment saw action at Gully Ravine on June 28-29 and took heavy casualties.

The King's Own Scottish Borderers were also part of the conflict, and suffered exceptionally heavy casualties in the same battle, and at Achi Baba on July 12.

Yvonne McEwen, director of the Scotland's War 1914-1919 project at Edinburgh University, said: "Regarding Mesopotamia, tragically it is the much-forgotten theatre of military operations. "

A Government spokesman said: "The Gallipoli Campaign impacted on several countries, with the international day of recognition being April 25.

"On this day the Scottish servicemen are remembered alongside those from nations around the world. June 4 is significant to the 52nd Lowland Division and remembrance activity may also take place on this date."