| Scottish Footballers in the Great War |
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| A Brief History of the players of the Heart of Midlothian, Raith Rovers, Kilmarnock, Celtic, Rangers, Clyde, Ayr United and others who served in the Great War of 1914-1918 'Scottish footballers in the Great War' serves as a memorial to the players of the Heart of Midlothian Football Club who enlisted 'en masse' in the British army in November1914, the first football team in the United Kingdom to do so. Very soon players from many other clubs followed suit, they also are commemorated here. The outbreak of the Great War in 1914 was greeted with much enthusiasm. All over Europe crowds gathered to cheer the men rushing to the front. In France and Germany, in Russia and Austria women rushed forward covering their hero's in flowers and kisses as they marched away to a war most believed would soon be over. Not only did they believe it would soon be over, each nation expected they would be victorious! All confidently believed they were in the right! The regular army, supported by the reservists gave most European nations armies of millions, all except the United Kingdom. Britains army was small in comparison to its European neighbours, even when the Territorials and reservists were added the numbers were trifling. Therefore when war broke out a call was made for 100,000 volunteers to come forward to help in the fight Half a million came forward to answer the call! This massive turnout caused headaches for the harassed officers and NCO's of the recruiting offices as it swept up most of the young, and not so young, men of every area of British life. They enlisted together with their pals. From factories and offices, from clubs and societies, everywhere men gathered they would be tempted by the emotion of the time to join in the rush to enlist. The 'Pals' battalions had come into being. Adding to the spirit of comradeship created by being in a great adventure together with friends and colleagues was the desire to beat an enemy regarded as arrogant and overbearing. They had both comradeship and purpose! Scotlands footballers no less than anyone else shared in the popular feeling regarding the conflict, what follows is a very brief history regarding some of them. By November 1914 it was becoming clear that the war would not 'be over by Christmas' as the popular belief had it. The reality of the seriousness of war had also come home to the nation, as returning wounded and an intelligent reading of what information was available, opened peoples eyes to the difficulties and dangers out in the field. The footballers of Heart of Midlothian F.C. had to struggle with opposing desires. They had given themselves the chance of winning the league title, for the first time since 1897. Yet many were asking why football continued when your countrymen are dying a few miles away just over the channel? A poster appeared late in the year showing a wounded soldier standing over the body of a fallen comrade, he is looking to an inset of a crowded football ground and is asking 'Will they never come?' This poster reflected a popular feeling amongst those who opposed the playing of sport during wartime. Those players who saw it could not but be affected also. Understanding these pressures and being fully aware of the danger of serious injury or even death from military service and with their eyes fully open, at the end of November 1914 the entire first team squad of the Heart of Midlothian football club enlisted!Though recruitment had fallen by this time, yet another thousand men came forward to join also. Some were Hearts supporters, some players from other clubs, such as Raith Rovers and Falkirk. These Hearts players were giving up around £4 a week to earn the soldiers wage of one shilling and twopence a day, eight shillings and twopence a week! That's about 42pence in today's money. They joined a variety of regiments, although for most it was the 16th Battalion Royal Scots, and became known as the 'Sixteen.' Fifteen more were to enlist before wars end, most were to be wounded, seven were to be dead. |
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| Heart of Midlothian players who died S/116102 Pte James Hodge Speedie. Born 17 November 1893, St.. George's, Edinburgh. Worked as an insurance clerk and played as an amateur at inside left for Hearts. Played in the first game of the season 1914-15, a 2-0 win over Celtic before an 18,000 crowd. A significant win as Celtic were to be unbeaten until well into the next season! Hearts themselves took first place for 35 out of 37 weeks of the season, finishing a mere two points behind the winners. Speedie joined the 7th battalion the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders soon after the outbreak of war. He was also early in action and took part in the first 'Big Push' at Loos on the 25th of September 1915. Though his regiment swept past Loos and reached as far as Hill 70 he himself was killed during the battle. His body was never found. He was twenty one. He is commemorated on the Loos Memorial, panel 119 or 124. His brother, a lieutenant, was also killed in the war. 19024 Cpl Tom Gracie. Born Glasgow 1889, a meat salesman to trade, he had played for several clubs beginning with the Juniors and progressing through Airdrie, Arthurlie and Greenock Morton before joining Everton in 1910. A year later he moved to Liverpool from where Hearts bought him in May 1914 to replace Percy Dawson. This high scoring forward had joined Blackburn Rovers for £2500. Gracie cost Hearts a mere £400 and scored a club record 28 goals in his first season. A bargain buy! His scoring skill earned him a international cap against the Irish league in 1915. He was one of The Sixteen and endured military training along with his teammates. During this time he was frequently ill, yet continued to rise from his sick bed to play, and score for the Hearts. While the battalion was stationed at Ripon he was sent home to Glasgow because of his ill health. He died in Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow on 23rd October 1915. He was twenty six, and had the football world at his feet. His great goalscoring success was even more remarkable when the truth came out, Gracie had been suffering from leukaemia! No one but his manager McCartney knew. The Battle of the Somme was the greatest disaster in the history of the British army. In spite of massive preparations, including a bombardment of over one and a half million shells, when at 07:30 hours the troops 'went over the top' the enemy was waiting. For the most part the shells used were inefficient at destroying the enemy wire and the Germans, deep underground in well made shelters, had been well protected from the worst of the shelling. 'Shaken but not stirred' they emerged gratefully from their lairs and took up their strong defensive positions. By the time the attackers began to make their way through their own wire German artillery opened up on them accompanied by heavy machine gun fire. Of the 57,000 casualties that day, including approximately 20,000 dead, most probably became casualties within the first ten minutes of the action The 34th Division, of which 'C' Company, the 16th Royal Scots were part, suffered 80% casualties. Despite the devastation the survivors pushed on, 'bent double as walking through heavy rain.' The remnants of the 16th eventually joined with the survivors of the11th Suffolk's, 10th Lincoln's and 15th Royal Scots, some 100 men, and managed to keep control of the 'Scots redoubt' some way into the enemy line for the next 24 hours. During the night they were joined by McCrae himself and soon afterwards the remnants were relieved to lick their wounds. These for the most part were the men who had volunteered so eagerly in 1914. This massive army which took over a year to build had taken ten minutes to destroy! 19112 Pte Henry Wattie who was born in Edinburgh on 2nd June 1893 was the youngest of five brothers. His brother John was to become chaplain to the fleet. Henry himself became one of 'The Sixteen.' Wattie was considered by some to be capable of replacing the great Bobby Walker, some compliment as Walker had played against England eleven times. As an inside forward Henry managed to score against all comers including a double at Ibrox in a two goals to one victory. Later a tackle by two Aberdeen players left one with a broken leg and the other unable to continue until half time! At the Somme they say he was seen to fall but his body was never recovered. His was a great loss for all of Scottish football. 18999 Serjeant Duncan Currie. Born Kilwinning, Ayrshire 13th August 1892. Born into a football family, his father being a goalkeeper and his brother Robert playing for Hearts and Bury while another brother played for Leicester Fosse. He himself was a full back. His name is found among too many others on the Kilwinning Memorial. http://mysite.freeserve.com/kilwinningmemorial. 19009 Pte Ernest Edgar Ellis. Born at Sprowston, Norwich, on the 30th November 1885 on St. Andrews Day. His parents were Harry and Marie Ellis, 236 Sprowston Road, Norwich, and by trade he was a boot operator. Having played for Norwich and Barnsley he signed in time to join Hearts on their successful summer 1914 tour of Denmark. His regiment left for France on 8th January 1916 which meant that he was never to see the daughter born to him after his embarkation. On the first day of the Somme he advanced with 'C'company to the edge of Contalmaison itself. As they attacked he was killed near the enemy wire. Sometime later his body was discovered and buried. His wife Isobel lived at 25, Tarvit Street, Edinburgh. She, ignorant of the reality of the fighting, wished to 'see his grave,' an impossibility then, and later his burial place was lost. He is commemorated on the Theipval monument. Ellis was thirty years old. The last Hearts man to die on the Somme was 18976 Lance Cpl James Boyd. He was born in the small mining village of Seafield in West Lothian. After being educated at West Calder Public School he became an underground oncost worker in the shale mines. His brother Archie had been the Hearts goalkeeper for some time and James signed for the club on 24th August 1914. Another of 'The Sixteen' and also in the 16th Royal Scots. He was killed on a 'quiet day' on 3rd of August 1916, following yet another faied attempt to take an enemy trench in full daylight. A not uncommon tactic then. He was twenty one years of age. Boyds Home town memorial is found on an excellent 'must see' site, visit it now :- www.westcalder.co.uk The burial place of these men is unclear and their names are engraved on theThiepval Memorial Pier or face 6D or 7D. This famous memorial contains the names of over 72,000 missing men. |
| The Battle of Arras has for some unknown reason been seen as less important than either the Somme or Paschendale, nevertheless it ranks alongside these great military events as one of the major moments of the war. Here in 1917 saw the death of the last Hearts player to be killed in action, 351268 Serjeant John Allan. Born at Greenlaw in Berwickshire on 2nd March 1887 he and his family moved to Edinburgh at a time when huge numbers of folk moved from the country to the big towns and cities for the prospect of a better life. He was a joiner by trade with J. Duncan & Sons of Grove Street, Edinburgh, and enlisted early in the war with the 9th Royal Scots. This was a distinctive battalion in that is was the only R.S. battalion to wear kilts. Thus he found himself as part of the 51st Highland Division, the 'Shock Troops' of the British army. As always, casualties during the battle of Arras were very high, this being very much an infantrymans battle, with a great deal of hard fighting involving the many tunnels that are found in that region. The early stages went well, some 13,000 German prisoners being taken, nevertheless it soon became a prolonged slog slowly making headway against a determined enemy. During the battle a patrol of the 9th Royal Scots, including John Allan were sent to reconnoitre a wood near Rouex. Following a path further than intended they were caught in deadly crossfire and John became another name on the Arras memorial to the missing. He was thirty years of age. Other Hearts men in the Great War Pte. Patrick James 'Paddy' Crossan. Gassed, and possibly wounded, at the Somme Paddy's wholehearted attitude would have been of great encouragement to all those around him in the trenches. This robust and popular player, twice wounded, returned to play for several more seasons. He earned two testimonials and later opened a pub in Rose Street Edinburgh. Died suddenly in 1933 not yet forty years of age! His bar survived under his name until the late nineties. Pte. Willie R. Wilson. Wounded, returned to playing until 1923 though constantly troubled with a dislocating shoulder. He often played on though his shoulder would sometime come out during a game. It was reset, and he played on! They were different in those days ! He was the first, but not the last, Hearts player to score three goals at Ibrox in 4-0 win over the Rangers. He died in 1956, another great year for the Hearts. Other members of the 16th Royal Scots ; Lieutenant A.B. Ness. Twice wounded, promoted from C.S.M. in the field. Snt N. Moreland. Three times wounded. Serjeant. G.P. Miller. Cpl. N. Findlay. Lance Cpl. J. MacDonald.Pte. J. Martin. Wounded and discharged. Wattie Scott. Was hailed as Heart of Midlothians oldest surviving player in 1974. He died the foloowing year. Pte. J. Hazeldean. Severely wounded, discharged. Pte. Jock Wilson. Twice wounded, returned to the Hearts side after the war. Alfie Briggs Recovered from wounds but never played again. Scouted for Partick Thistle occasionally. Suffered 'Black depression' around July 1st and Remembrence Day. Died in 1950 still with two machine gunbulets lodged near his spine. Pte. E. M. M'Guire. Wounded. Ted Leaves the scene in 1918 and is not seen again. Lieutenant Jimmy Low. Seaforth Highlanders. Twice wounded, discharged. Turned down by the Hearts directors in 1919 Jimmy played instead for the great Newcastle team of the twenties, alongside Hughie Gallagher amongst others. He died in 1960. Pte. R. Malcolm. Machine Gun Corps. Bob played for Airdrie for a while and then returned to mining. He died 1979. Sapper. C. Hallwood.Royal Engineers. Pte. R. Preston.Highland Light Infantry. Pte. Harry Graham.R.A.M.C. Dentist. Gloucester Regiment. As a dentist he he could have avoided service, but enlisted to serve in France and Russia. Afterwards returned to Tynecastle but failed to hold down a regular place. Went on to play for Leicester City and Reading. Pte. J. Whyte. Gloucester Regiment. Driver George L. Sinclair. Royal Field Artillery. Quickly into the fray as he was a reservist.Thought to have served at Mons, the first great battle the British army fought Continued playing after the war and was running a pub in Abbeyhill in 1958. This was the year the great Hearts won the league scoreing a record 132 league goals. For George and the other remnants of the 'Sixteen' this was a welcome result, but it had taken the team forty four years to get their just reward! Royal Garrison Artillery: Staff Serjeant J. H. Frew. Farrier. Played for Leeds United after the war Became a coach and helped Jack Charlton and many others in thern career. He died in 1967. Bombardier J. Gilbert. Gunner C. D. Blackhall. Gunner J. Mackenzie. Gunner Robert Mercer. Big Bob Mercer was a centre half of distinction before the war and famed for his 'scientific' football. As a gunner he saw action at the Somme and was gassed there it seems. Returned to hearts at wars end but was discovered to have a weakened heart. Played instead for Dunfermline for two years. Joined Hearts for a friendly at Selkirk, his first club, and sadly died after only ten minutes due to heart failure. He was 37 years of age. It is impossible to say how many other men died long after the war because of the physical suffering and mental trauma they had endured. In those days there was no Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, each was left to just get on with their life! How many men even today carry the effects of the wars they have participated in? Why is so little done for such men after they have given their all? League Positions During War Years Played - Goals For - Against - Points - Position 14/15 38 83; 32 61 2 15/16 37 66 45 46 6 16/17 38 44 59 32 14 17/18 34 41 58 32 10 18/19 34 59 52 37 6 Heart of Midlothian Official site www.heartsfc.co.uk |
| www.poppyscotland.org.uk Home site of the earl Haig fund |
| Lochnagar crater. To the right of this massive crater the Hearts players fell, shortly after the beginning of the Somme offensive. At 7.28 a.m. 60,000lbs of amonal explosive sent the earth hundreds of feet into the air two minutes later the troops went 'over the top' to their fate. |
| AYR BOOKS CELTIC CLYDE COW-PUNCHERS DUNFERMLINE FALKIRK FOOTBALL LINKS HIBERNIAN KILMARNOCK POETRY of WW1 PHOTOS RAITH RANGERS MISCELLANEOUS MOSSEND BURNVALE THIRD LANARK TRAUMA VICTORIA CROSS WINNERS WW1 LINKS |
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| Dulce et Decorum est Pro Patria Mori? This is one of many photographs on these pages from the Imperial War Museum collection. As such they cannot be copied without permission of the Imperial War Museum |
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| Contalmaison Cairn The cairn commemorates all those who served. Click on the link for more details. www.heartsgreatwarmemorial.org.uk Lest we forget |
McCrae's Battalion The story of the ordinary men, players and fans alike, from many club sides in Scotland, who served their nation during the Great War. A story forgotten for far too long now recovered by Jack Alexander. It must be remembered that 'McCrae's Battalion was NOT a Heart of Midlothian Battalion, but an Edinburgh one. While the Hearts men and several hundred fans did enlist inthe 16th Royal Scots so did well over one hundred Hibernian fans, and one player, Sandy Grosart. Players from Rath Rovers, Dunfermline, Falkirk and elsewhere did not hesitate to enlist as did players from all clubs throughout the country, usually in local regiments. Many died, all suffered. This was Scotsmen responding to the call, not just the Hearts! |
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| Copyright Jack Alexander |
| Visitors So Far |
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| The memorial to the 16th R.S. In St Giles Kirk. |
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| The memorial to the 9th Battalion, 'The Kilties Of which John Allan was a member.' |
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| The Heart of Midlothian memorial at the Haymarket, Edinburgh. Situated on the main road to Tynecastle Park ensuring those heading for the ground would never fail to be reminded of the actions of those who served. Memorials such as this were being erected throughout the land, and thousands turned up for the emotional occasion. Over twenty thousand came to watch the unvieling of this memorial. Thousands of the dead still lie undiscovered under french soil. For those left behind these memorials were the only way of commemorating their lost relatives. On November 11th Officials, players and fans from the Heart of Midlothian gather here to commemorate the actions of those who served in the Great War. Also remembered will be the fallen of the second World War and every conflict since 1945. It must be remembered that as they gather servicemen may be in action in Afghanistan or Iraq. While the Great War began the process of remembrence we see today it remains ongoing. We will remember them. |
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