McCrae's Battalion has special place

A PLAQUE to commemorate McCrae's Battalion is to be incorporated in the Hearts "Wall of Fame" which is being built in the Gorgie Suite at Tynecastle.

The artwork, which is being put together by engraver Nicola Welsh, already features 27 Hearts heroes past and present but, by the time it's finished, the number will total 51.

The initial 27 inclusions were given to Welsh by the club with the remaining names to be suggested by supporters following an article highlighting the display in the Evening News recently.

And the members of McCrae's Battalion, nicknamed after Sir George McCrae who led them, will now feature in the lasting memorial after fans insisted they be included for volunteering for service in the First World War.

Thirteen Hearts players volunteered for duty despite the fact they were leading the Scottish First Division (now SPL) at the time and their selfless act inspired 500 of the club's fans and hundreds of other local men to follow suit including players from Hibs, Raith Rovers and East Fife. Many ended up paying the ultimate sacrifice in the ill-fated Battle of the Somme.

Hearts players Duncan Currie, Harry Wattie, Jimmy Boyd and Ernest Ellis all died in the battle which claimed 20,000 lives on the first day alone.

A lasting memorial, the Contalmaison Cairn, has already been erected in the small French village near to where the battle occurred but Welsh believes it would be a fitting tribute to the men to be etched into Tynecastle's history as well.

"It will be nice to create something a little closer to home, at a stadium these men all played at," she said. "It's clear that Hearts supporters are very proud of what these men did."

Meanwhile, a long list of former players have also been put forward for a place on the Wall but one of the most popular suggestions was goalkeeper Gilles Rousset, who helped the club to win the Tennent's Scottish Cup in 1998.

The Frenchman was signed by Jim Jefferies, himself suggested for the Wall by a number of fans, on a free transfer from Rennes in October 1995 and quickly established himself as a cult figure in Gorgie.

His Tynecastle career ended up spanning more than five-and-a-half years during which time he made 133 appearances and he is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers to have pulled on the Hearts jersey. Now a coach with Lyon, Rousset told the Evening News that it would be a huge honour to be included. "If people have suggested my name for such a thing then I am very happy," he said. "I loved my time in Edinburgh and Hearts will always be very special to me.

"If the fans still think of me that is very nice to know and it would be an honour to be included with so many Hearts legends. I always tried my best when I wore the Hearts jersey and it's good to know that after so many years all the Jambos appreciate that."

Other names to feature prominently in fans' suggestions were former Austrian internationalist Thomas Flogel who, like Rousset, lifted the Cup in 1998.

Farther back in the club's history, John Cumming, Jim Cruickshank and Barney Battles were popular choices while current midfielder Paul Hartley was also named by numerous fans.

The full list of players Welsh has already started working on are: Alex Young, Alfie Conn, Andy Webster, Antti Niemi, Colin Cameron, Craig Levein, Dave Mackay, Dave McPherson, Donald Ford, Drew Busby, Freddie Glidden, Gary Locke, Gary Mackay, Henry Smith, Jim Cruikshank, Jimmy Wardhaugh, John Colquhoun, John Robertson, Mark de Vries, Paul Hartley, Rudi Skacel, Sandy Clark, Stephane Adam, Steven Pressley, Tommy Walker, Wayne Foster, Willie Bauld and Wallace Mercer.

Taken from the Scotsman