Hibernian Football Club in The Great War

[Hibs History]

New article from the Hibernian Historical Trust

Discussing the the involvement of the club, players and members of the Leith community during The Great War.

Hibernian Football Club in The Great War

Link

Please discuss and leave any comments below

GGTTH

[Phil D. Rolls]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

New article from the Hibernian Historical Trust

Discussing the the involvement of the club, players and members of the Leith community during The Great War.

Hibernian Football Club in The Great War

Link

Please discuss and leave any comments below

GGTTH

Great article, nice to see that relations between Hibs and Hearts were so strong that we were able to participate together to raise money for their war memorial.

[Tom Hart RIP]

Fantastic article, well researched and very interesting. Well done to the HHT for bringing this to out attention.

[DAVE1875]

Wait we went to war? I thought it was well documented that Hearts won the Great War all by themselves?

[brog]

Superb article, well done to all at HHT.

[Jonnyboy]

Fantastic article

[Pat 0-7]

Great article.

[pontius pilate]

Excellent article I enjoyed reading that. Thanks for sharing

[Tinribs]

Thanks for the link, bloody terrible war that one. But so are they all i suppose.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Any Hibs links to the Gretna Junction disaster - my mum told me that incident set back Leith generations...

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Every life lost regardless of side or team for that matter is tragic.

Imagine to think they'd be at it again not much over a generation later... We talk all to easily these days about feeling cheated what a burden these generations had to bear.

[CentreLine]

The bravery of every last one of these men and boys, regardless of which club they played for or supported, is quite rightly recognised by every right minded person. And let's not stop there, my wife's grandfather, Hibs' prolific striker Pat Donohue, was killed in action as a rear gunner with the RAF in WWII.

Please let's not allowed this to become a ridiculous game of oneupmanship with supporters of other clubs but it would be nice to see a thread that recognises these truly heroic men. My own grandfather, resident in the Cowgate in 1902, was a military driver in WWI and my father served with the 7th Argyles and was shot in Sicily in 1943 WWII. Two more heroes but only one of them saw the Scottish Cup paraded by Hibs in Edinburgh

[Pray4Marc]

We were all told Heart of Midlothian FC saved us from German occupation, I am in shock.

[green day]

Martin geissler has just tweeted some ITV story about "the team that went to war". Apparently they made a film about it.

As a hint.....Its not about hibs.

Can't wait for this years remembrance Sunday. Anyone else think a massive meal will be made of this?

P.s. at least two of my male relatives died in that war, but I don't get all dewy eyed about it. Sad though the great war was, I have a lot more immediate problems to concern myself with.

[.Sean.]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Wait we went to war? I thought it was well documented that Hearts won the Great War all by themselves?

Time and a place for that 'banter' and this thread ain't it. Decorum and decency cost nothing.

[Pretty Boy]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Time and a place for that 'banter' and this thread ain't it. Decorum and decency cost nothing.

Well said Sean. No need for cheap digs or oneupsmanship when it comes to such a subject, from either side.

The thing with WWI that gets me is it was just such a waste of life. Rich and poor, young and old. A huge chunk of a generation torn apart for the sake of politics and imperial games.

[FranckSuzy]

"As a species, the human race is often tribal, many of us taking great pride in supporting our own particular side, but perhaps what matters most when facing the enemy, is not what particular football team takes your fancy, but whether or not the man beside you is reliable."

[AndyM_1875]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Any Hibs links to the Gretna Junction disaster - my mum told me that incident set back Leith generations...

That's the one thing that is missing from the article which itself is hugely interesting.

Many Hibs supporters (& also Leith Athletic fans) signed up in 1914/1915 and would have gone straight into the Royal Scots. Many serving soldiers from Leith and North Edinburgh were on the train at Quintinshill.

More information here
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quint..._rail_disaster

[Dashing Bob S]

Sad to think that we were almost as gullible as them in supporting this carnage, designed to further fill the pockets of aristocrats and capitalists. My own grandfather perished as a result of injuries sustained from combat in this abomination on humanity. Let's not fall into their trap of glorifying and fetishising this atrocity. I'm embarrassed that any of us took part in it.

[skipster7]

Great article, great work by the trust.

[AndyM_1875]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Sad to think that we were almost as gullible as them in supporting this carnage, designed to further fill the pockets of aristocrats and capitalists. My own grandfather perished as a result of injuries sustained from combat in this abomination on humanity. Let's not fall into their trap of glorifying and fetishising this atrocity. I'm embarrassed that any of us took part in it.

I don't think we are anything like as guilty Bob.
There is a big difference in how we look at it and how they are viewing it. For us Hibs fans the catastrophe of the a Great War is a matter of historical fact and immense sadness to be viewed in the wider context of society shattered by the carnage.

There's no misty eyed romanticism in remembering my great granny in Drum Terrace closing her curtains sadly at night trying to put the war and its impact on her family (3 sons sent, 1 killed, 1 maimed) and others out of sight & mind to the degree where it was just not talked about.

[Turkish Green]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Wait we went to war? I thought it was well documented that Hearts won the Great War all by themselves?

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

We were all told Heart of Midlothian FC saved us from German occupation, I am in shock.

It would appear that there are ignorant people in all fan bases.

It is well documented by Jack Alexander that McCrae's Battalion comprised young men from many Scottish football clubs (including Hibs). The significance of why Hearts' name is so prominent is that their entire team enlisted en masse in 1914 and most lost their lives in the Somme.

IMO, this is not a subject for banter.

[HappyAsHellas]

Shortly before the forming of the battalion this letter was printed in the EEN;

Parliament debated the question. Letters were written to the press - the Edinburgh Evening News published one, signed 'A soldier's daughter', which suggested that 'while Hearts continue to play football, enabled thus to pursue their peaceful play by the sacrifice of the lives of thousands of their countrymen, they might accept, temporarily, a nom de plume, say "The White Feathers of Midlothian".'

Sir George McCrae, a popular figure in the city, announced that he would raise a battalion himself - the 16th Royal Scots - and boasted, furthermore, that it would be full within seven days. The Hearts players led the way. Sixteen enlisted immediately and a further five were declared unfit to serve. 'McCrae's Battalion', as it came to be known, was the original sportsman's battalion. At least 30 professional footballers enlisted, including players from Hibernian and Raith Rovers as well as Hearts.

The propaganda surrounding this sad piece of history is quite appalling. If you can be bothered, have a read of "The forgotten voices" books, all reports are from the people who served which makes it particularly poignant.

* letter from an article in The Observer.

[jdships]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

New article from the Hibernian Historical Trust

Discussing the the involvement of the club, players and members of the Leith community during The Great War.

Hibernian Football Club in The Great War

Link

Please discuss and leave any comments below

GGTTH

Many thanks for that link
My uncle who took me to ER for the first time in December 1940 is in the team photograph and had signed up to serve 1n the early days of the war.
Lovely article tastefully written with a BIG to the author

THANK YOU !!!!!

[Bristolhibby]

A very good well written article.

It does bother me that the hoards over the road seem to see the 16th Bn Royal Scots as somthing to beat us up over, rather than taking a solem dignified approach to remembering their past dead, wounded and ordinary men who served.

J

[Bristolhibby]

A very good well written article.

It does bother me that the hoards over the road seem to see the 16th Bn Royal Scots as somthing to beat us up over, rather than taking a solem dignified approach to remembering their past dead, wounded and ordinary men who served.

J

[Ozyhibby]

It's Hearts decision to commercialise the First World War that rubs people up the wrong way. I can't think of anyone else making money from it all these years later.
Still, probably best just to let them get on with it.