This year as we approach Armistice Day there is added poignancy and focus with the tragic death of Craig Hodgkinson whilst playing rugby for the Royal Navy and with one of his best friends and fellow Hawk Neil Mitchell serving in Afghanistan

The next time that the players from Anniesland visit that well known West End watering hole Oran Mor which was formally a church they should take a pause as they enter and reflect that high above them in the steeple of the old Kelvinside Church hangs a peal of bells installed in the memory of 327 former pupils of Glasgow Academy and the 131 former pupils of Kelvinside Academy who lost their lives in the 1914-18 War.Combine this figure with almost 500 from Glasgow High School, who also fell it tells the enormous price paid by that generation most of whom played rugby either at school or with the former pupil clubs that through the passage of time evolved into Hawks.
Many of the pavilions that we change in and the pitches that we play on are dedicated to that same purpose and memory

Few of these young players who played their last matches in March 1914 knew what lay ahead. Only two members of Glasgow Accies team of 1914 who played and beat West of Scotland at Hamilton Crescent 27 -3 on the 28th March came through the War unscathed, six were wounded and eight were killed. The secretary of West wrote to his players on the 7th September that same year in the following terms
"As so many members owing to the war are not available for football the Committee have decided that all fixtures for the coming season will be cancelled.The Committee also strongly urge upon all members, who are eligible to promptly offer their services to some branch of His Majesty's Forces"

No fewer than 27 Academicals Glasgow and Kelvinside fell on the one day the 28th of June 1915 serving with the British 52nd Lowland Division at Gallipoli in the action at Gully Ravine.This Division was a Territorial Division and included the Cameronians, Kings Own Scottish Borderers,Highland Light Infantry,Royal Scots and the Argyles.
The connection with the Cameronians saw Glasgow H.S.F.P playing in their colours green,blue and white in the seasons from 1903 until 1912 and this tradition is now carried on by GHK

A common story from that dreadful period is of the Christmas Truce of 1914 when a soccer match were played in no mans land between the 133rd Royal Saxon Regiment and the Seaforth Highlanders,apparently the Saxons won 3-2
Not so well known is the informal rugby international that took place on a levelled coal bing during the battle of Mons when the 51st Highland Division's machine gun battalion, which had several Scottish rugby internationals and trialists in its ranks. played a challenge match against a similarly star-studded London Division. After the War one of the players Sammy McQeen of Waterloo was capped four times for Scotland

."They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them"

This article was originally posted on 10-Nov-2006, 09:11 by Hugh Barrow.
Last updated by Hugh Barrow on 10-Nov-2006, 09:20.