Edward_N_Kelly Posted 3 February , 2004 Share Posted 3 February , 2004 Following the release of McRae's Battalion on Hearts FC and World War One - and I have a friend who wishes to get a copy - I wonder if there were similar "pals" batallions for other football clubs (particularly Scots) ? What do the people here think of McRae's Battalion ? Edward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Chap Posted 3 February , 2004 Share Posted 3 February , 2004 Edward, The Liverpool pals had a few Sealand Road ( Chester City) and Fleetwood Town footballers in their ranks. Have you tried the football museum at Preston? Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward_N_Kelly Posted 4 February , 2004 Author Share Posted 4 February , 2004 Edward, The Liverpool pals had a few Sealand Road ( Chester City) and Fleetwood Town footballers in their ranks. Have you tried the football museum at Preston? Bill Thanks for that - but will try them.... (I have an ulterior motive or two. My current boss played for Motherwell (reserves grade) and a friend of mine tried out for Hearts (interesting conversations between them !) so I looking for books to suit their club loyalty and my interest in WWI) Edward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcderms Posted 5 February , 2004 Share Posted 5 February , 2004 The entire Lanarkshire FC team joined the Glasgow Pals and played with the 15th and 16th Battns. Just bfore the Somme, an inter battn game was stopped when a German long range shell (or possibly a British short) landed mid-match and killed the goalie! A number of Birmingham City (hurrah!) and Aston Villa (boo! hiss!) also joined the Birmingham Pals (Royal Warks). If you're looking for teams who joined en masse, their are plenty of examples in the northern Pals battns. Good footballers and sportsmen in general were prized by their regts due to the use and frequency of inter regt and battn competitions. These were used as part of training. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Shaw Posted 6 February , 2004 Share Posted 6 February , 2004 This picture is of the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers, only one name on the back , that of John Brownlee (middle row, centre) who was killed on the first day of the Somme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HERITAGE PLUS Posted 6 February , 2004 Share Posted 6 February , 2004 Not WW1 related however this Motherwell F.C. book may be of interest to your colleague. I have no connection with the seller. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...7&category=2885 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edward_N_Kelly Posted 9 February , 2004 Author Share Posted 9 February , 2004 Not WW1 related however this Motherwell F.C. book may be of interest to your colleague. I have no connection with the seller. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...7&category=2885 Thanks for that pointer - will have a good look at it. Edward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moonraker Posted 22 May , 2005 Share Posted 22 May , 2005 Today's Sunday Times Magazine has an article about British sportsmen who died in WWI; includes details & pic of entire Hearts of Midlothian 1st X1 and sveral individuals: Tony Wilding (tennis, Royal Marines & RNAS); Ronnie Poulton-Palmer (rugby, Royal Berkshires); Donald Bell (football, West Yorkshire Reg & Green Howards); Percy Jeeves (cricket, Royal Warwickshires); Gerard Anderson (hurdler, Cheshire Reg); Walter Tull (football, 17th Middlesex); and Frederick Kelly (sculler, RN Division). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMcNay Posted 9 June , 2005 Share Posted 9 June , 2005 What do the people here think of McRae's Battalion ? Edward <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I thought it was an excellent book. The author is giving a talk about it to the Scottish Genealogy Society in November, and I am very much looking forward to hearing more from him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malcolm Posted 9 June , 2005 Share Posted 9 June , 2005 Jack Alexander is on the Forum and is working on a sequel to McCrae's Battalion that tells what happened to the survivors in 1917, 1918 so I believe. It is a great book IMO and even if you are not interested in football it gives a vivid account of what action in WW1 must have been like. Aye Malcolm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradley Posted 11 August , 2005 Share Posted 11 August , 2005 absolutely fantastic....................get it!!! ive read it 3 times allready,and as a proud hearts supporter,ive shed many tears for the boys.so brave and in a bygone age that i would have been happy to be part of..jack deserves a medal himself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glesga Highlander Posted 3 July , 2008 Share Posted 3 July , 2008 The entire Lanarkshire FC team joined the Glasgow Pals and played with the 15th and 16th Battns. Just bfore the Somme, an inter battn game was stopped when a German long range shell (or possibly a British short) landed mid-match and killed the goalie! The 15th and 16th Battalions of the Highland Light Infantry were never referred to as 'Pals' Battalions...the goalie in question who was killed during the football game was playing in goals for the 17th Battalion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick D Posted 3 July , 2008 Share Posted 3 July , 2008 I thoroughly enjoyed the book, was unaware of the sequel, can't wait for that. Mick D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glesga Highlander Posted 3 July , 2008 Share Posted 3 July , 2008 I thoroughly enjoyed the book, was unaware of the sequel, can't wait for that. Mick D Likewise...a thoroughly good read and Jack Alexander has done magnificent work on his book. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len Trim Posted 4 July , 2008 Share Posted 4 July , 2008 Great book. Have had very interesting time reading it with a copy of Linesman digital trench maps running on laptop and plotting flags on the trench maps as each of the lads gets killed or wounded. Will be using the maps on a PDA to do a wee walk in commemoration next time I am at Contalmaison etc. Len Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest cjandrews89 Posted 1 July , 2013 Share Posted 1 July , 2013 This picture is of the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers, only one name on the back , that of John Brownlee (middle row, centre) who was killed on the first day of the Somme. Hi - I appreciate this thread is several years old now, but I was wondering if someone out there can help. I am keen to understand which photograph Andy is referring to. Pte John Brownlee is my great-great-grandfather. We do not have any photographs of him. The only one we as a family thought existed was destroyed in flooding in the 1970s. I came across this post by chance, and we would love to track down this image if it's out there. I have also sent Andy a person message in the hope he may remember this. Pte Brownlee was born in Lurgan, Co. Armagh, he was a Bangalore Torpedo Specialist with 9th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers. He was killed on 1st July 1916 at Beaumont Hamel. Thanks for your help, Chris Andrews Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick D Posted 2 July , 2013 Share Posted 2 July , 2013 Did the sequel ever get published ? Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick D Posted 25 March , 2014 Share Posted 25 March , 2014 Any update ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 22 August , 2015 Share Posted 22 August , 2015 This picture is of the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers, only one name on the back , that of John Brownlee (middle row, centre) who was killed on the first day of the Somme. Hey there andy I was hoping you would allow me to see the photo of the Royal Irish Fusiliers 9th battalion as my great grandfather was most likely in it. Any help with getting to see it would be much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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