Wiki English 2024
EnglishJapaneseVietnamese

McCrae's Battalion

McCrae's Battalion was the affectionate name given by the people of Edinburgh to the 16th (Service) Battalion of the Royal Scots in World War I, raised from volunteers in 1914 as part of the New Armies called to the Colours by Lord Kitchener. The unit was named after its charismatic colonel, former Liberal MP for Edinburgh East, Sir George McCrae.

Background

edit

Largely composed of professional and amateur sportsmen, "McCrae's" was the first of the so-called 'footballers' Pals battalions to be raised during the war and was the main inspiration behind the creation of the 17th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment in 1915.[1][2]

16 players from Heart of Midlothian F.C. ("Hearts") enlisted, along with 500 supporters and ticket-holders.[1] Hearts were leading the Scottish League at the time the battalion was raised in November 1914.[3] In addition to the Hearts contingent, players and 150 followers of Hibernian, seven Raith Rovers players and a number of professional footballers from Falkirk, Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife and St Bernard's also enlisted.[1][4][5] Fans were encouraged to follow in their heroes' footsteps and fight alongside the men they cheered on every Saturday afternoon.[1] Rugby players, athletes and a variety of other sportsmen also joined the battalion.[1][6][7][8][9][10][11]

The contemporary Hearts manager John McCartney authored two booklets documenting Scottish footballers in the Great War and those from Hearts who perished.[12][13]

The unit was named after its charismatic colonel, Sir George McCrae, a former Liberal MP for Edinburgh East. It was the subject of a detailed historical account published in 2003 by Jack Alexander.[14] Shortly after the publication of this book, a memorial cairn was constructed in the village of Contalmaison on the Somme. Designed by Alexander, the McCrae's Battalion Great War Memorial cairn now attracts hundreds of visitors every year to the village.[15][16]

In October 2014, the battalion was inducted to the Scottish Football Hall of Fame.[17]

edit
  • Hearts war memorial at Haymarket, Edinburgh
  • detail of Contalmaison cairn (1)
  • detail of Contalmaison cairn (2)
  • Tom Gracie, one of those who lost their lives
  • Raith Rovers players in McCrae's Battalion

Battalion members

edit
See also: Heart of Midlothian F.C. and World War I

Footballers

edit
RankNameNationalityPositionClub prior to enlistmentBattalion(s)Wartime death dateWartime death placeDecorationsNotesRef
CptJames Logan  ScotlandCFRaith Rovers16th———[18]
CSMAnnan Ness  ScotlandLHHeart of Midlothian9th, 16th———[nb 1][19]
SSgtJimmy Frew  ScotlandLBHeart of Midlothian16th———[nb 2][19]
SgtDuncan Currie  ScotlandFBHeart of Midlothian16th1 July 1916(1916-07-01) (aged 23)Somme, France—[20]
SgtGeorge McLay  ScotlandRHRaith Rovers16th22 October 1917(1917-10-22) (aged 27–28)Passchendaele, BelgiumMM[21]
CplAlfie Briggs  ScotlandWHHeart of Midlothian16th———[nb 3][19]
CplNorman Findlay  EnglandGKHeart of Midlothian16th———[nb 4][19]
CplTom Gracie  ScotlandCFHeart of Midlothian16th23 October 1915(1915-10-23) (aged 26)Glasgow, Scotland—[22]
LCplAlex Henderson  ScotlandLBFalkirk16th———[11]
PteJimmy Boyd  ScotlandGKHeart of Midlothian16th3 August 1916(1916-08-03) (aged 20–21)Somme, France—[23]
PtePaddy Crossan  ScotlandFBHeart of Midlothian16th———[nb 3][19]
PteErnest Ellis  EnglandRBHeart of Midlothian16th1 July 1916(1916-07-01) (aged 30)Somme, France—[24]
PteMick Gibbons  ScotlandIFFalkirk16th———[11]
PteBob Godfrey  ScotlandCHFalkirk16th———[nb 3][25]
PteJimmy Hawthorn  ScotlandHBHeart of Midlothian16th1 July 1916Somme, France—[26]
PteJimmy Hazeldean  ScotlandOLHeart of Midlothian16th———[nb 3][19]
PteAndy Henderson  ScotlandCHFalkirk16th———[11]
PteDavid Izatt  ScotlandHBDunfermline Athletic16th1 July 1916(1916-07-01) (aged 23–24)Somme, France—[27]
PteWilliam Lavery  ScotlandRBRaith Rovers16th———[28]
PteTeddy McGuire  ScotlandIRHeart of Midlothian16th———[nb 3][19]
PteJohn Morrison  ScotlandFWFalkirk16th———[11]
PteJimmy Morton  ScotlandILKilmarnock16th1 July 1916(1916-07-01) (aged 22)Somme, France—[29]
PteWillie Porter  ScotlandCHRaith Rovers16th———[28]
PteBob Preston  ScotlandHBHeart of Midlothian16th———[nb 5][19]
PteJock Rattray  ScotlandIFRaith Rovers16th———[28]
PteFrank Reilly  ScotlandCHFalkirk16th———[11]
PteJames Scott  ScotlandFWRaith Rovers16th1 July 1916(1916-07-01) (aged 20–21)Somme, France—[30]
PteWattie Scott  ScotlandCHHeart of Midlothian16th———[19]
PteHarold Sparkes  EnglandCFGlossop3rd, 11th, 16th3 June 1917(1917-06-03) (aged 20–21)Pas-de-Calais, France—[31]
PteJimmy Todd  ScotlandOFRaith Rovers16th12 March 1916(1916-03-12) (aged 20–21)Nord, France—[32]
PteHarry Wattie  ScotlandFWHeart of Midlothian16th1 July 1916(1916-07-01) (aged 23)Somme, France—[33]
PteWillie Wilson  ScotlandOFHeart of Midlothian13th, 16th———[nb 6][19]
PteBobby Wood  ScotlandOFFalkirk16th———[11]
n/aSandy Grosert  ScotlandRHHibernian16th——MM[nb 7]
[nb 8]		[34]
n/aJames Low  ScotlandOFHeart of Midlothian16th———[nb 9][19]

Other sportsmen

edit
RankNameNationalitySportClub prior to enlistmentBattalion(s)Wartime death dateWartime death placeDecorationsNotesRef
LtArthur Flett  ScotlandRugby unionEdinburgh Wanderers16th9 April 1917Pas-de-Calais, France—[35]
CptNapier Armit  ScotlandCricketGrange CC16th4 August 1916Somme, France—[35]
SgtFinlay MacRae  ScotlandField hockeyn/a16th26 August 1917 (aged 30)Somme, FranceMM and Bar[35]
PteArthur Grant  ScotlandGolfLe Touquet16th———[36]
PteHarry Harley  ScotlandAthleticsEdinburgh Northern Harriers16th1 July 1916Somme, France—[35]
n/aNed Barnie  ScotlandSwimming—16th——MM[nb 10]
[nb 8]		[37]
n/aJohn Dallas  ScotlandRugby unionRetired16th———[35]
n/aJim Davie  ScotlandRugby unionStewart's Melville16th——MC[35]
n/aMurdoch McLeod  ScotlandBodybuilding—16th1916Somme, France—[35]

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Commissioned into the 9th Battalion, Royal Scots.
  2. ^ Transferred to the Royal Garrison Artillery.
  3. ^ a b c d e Medically discharged.
  4. ^ Discharged to trade in September 1916.
  5. ^ Transferred to the Highland Light Infantry.
  6. ^ Transferred to the 13th Battalion, Royal Scots and later returned to the 16th Battalion.
  7. ^ Transferred to the Machine Gun Corps in 1915 and was later commissioned into the Gordon Highlanders.
  8. ^ a b Decoration won while serving with another unit.
  9. ^ Commissioned into the Seaforth Highlanders.
  10. ^ Transferred to the Royal Engineers.

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e "The Sporting Battalion". McCrae's Battalion Trust. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  2. ^ "How the Football Battalions kicked off their war". Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  3. ^ "21 November 1914 (showing League table)". www.londonhearts.com. London Hearts Supporters' Club. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Wear These Shirts With Pride – Raith Rovers FC". raithrovers.net.
  5. ^ "Soccer Soldiers: Footballers go to war". The National Army Museum. Archived from the original on 6 October 2007. Retrieved 19 March 2007.
  6. ^ Purdie, Tom (2014). Hearts: The Supreme Sacrifice to Hearts at War. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 9781445633343.
  7. ^ "History 1914-1924". official website. Heart of Midlothian FC. Archived from the original on 20 March 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  8. ^ "Heart of Midlothian & the Great War". Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  9. ^ "Dunfermline Athletic & the Great War". Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  10. ^ "Raith Rovers and the Great War". Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g "Falkirk FC & the Great War". Archived from the original on 10 April 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2017.
  12. ^ "Sport In War booklet, 1930" (PDF). ScottishSportHistory.com. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  13. ^ "The "Hearts" and the Great War booklet, 1918" (PDF). National Library of Scotland. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  14. ^ "How Hearts players made the supreme sacrifice". Scotsman.com. The Scotsman. 29 June 2006. Retrieved 9 April 2017.
  15. ^ "Poignant 1914 Edinburgh derby to be commemorated on French soil". Scotsman.com. The Scotsman. 12 April 2011. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  16. ^ "Contalmaison pilgrimage". Hearts News. Heart of Midlothian F.C. 26 November 2010. Archived from the original on 29 December 2010. Retrieved 7 October 2011.
  17. ^ Halliday, Stephen (27 October 2014). "McCrae's Battalion inducted into SFA Hall of Fame". The Scotsman. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  18. ^ "Man behind the scenes at Stark's Park". Evening Telegraph. Dundee. 9 February 1932. p. 8.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "The Heart of Midlothian FC Players' Roll of Honour" (PDF). Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  20. ^ "Duncan Currie | Service Record | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  21. ^ "George McLay | Service Record | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  22. ^ "Thomas Gracie | Service Record | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  23. ^ "James Boyd | Service Record | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  24. ^ "Ernest Edgar Ellis | Service Record | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  25. ^ "Robert Godfrey signs up for McCrae's Battalion 1914". www.falkirk-football-history.co.uk. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  26. ^ "Casualty". www.cwgc.org. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  27. ^ "David Heron Izatt | Service Record | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  28. ^ a b c "Wear These Shirts With Pride | Raith Rovers FC". www.raithrovers.net. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  29. ^ "Casualty". www.cwgc.org. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  30. ^ "James Scott | Service Record | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  31. ^ "Harold Sparkes | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  32. ^ "James Colin Todd | Service Record | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  33. ^ "Henry Benzie Wattie | Service Record | Football and the First World War". Football and the First World War. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
  34. ^ "Hibernian in the Great War" (PDF). Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  35. ^ a b c d e f g "The incredible George McCrae and his sporting battalion". Archived from the original on 24 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  36. ^ Alexander, Jack (18 March 2011). McCrae's Battalion: The Story of the 16th Royal Scots. Random House. ISBN 9781845968212.
  37. ^ "Dr William Edward Barnie | King of the Channel". www.kingofthechannel.com. Retrieved 24 July 2018.
edit
Retrieved from "https:https://www.how.com.vn/wiki/index.php?lang=en&q=McCrae%27s_Battalion&oldid=1216576531"
🔥 Top keywords: Akademia e Shkencave e RPS te ShqiperiseAlexandria Ocasio-CortezBilderberg GroupCristiano RonaldoDong XiaowanMinecraftOperation GladioPrimal cutRiot FestStrictly Come Dancing (series 7)Main PageSpecial:SearchDonald SutherlandWikipedia:Featured picturesUEFA Euro 2024Kiefer Sutherland2024 Copa AméricaCleopatraTimothy MellonDeaths in 2024Copa AméricaDonald Sutherland filmographyUEFA European ChampionshipReggie JacksonJJ RedickChappell RoanRumpelstiltskinShirley DouglasRickwood FieldRossif SutherlandInside Out 2Taylor WilyFrancine RacetteHouse of the DragonSherri Papini kidnapping hoaxYouTubeWillie MaysThe Boys season 4The Boys (TV series)Sarah SutherlandAngus Sutherland (actor)Sabrina CarpenterNico WilliamsAntoine GriezmannThe Bikeriders2024 ICC Men's T20 World CupChristine ChubbuckOpinion polling for the 2024 United Kingdom general electionProject 2025