FOR KING AND COUNTRY

In this week of remembrance it is perhaps fitting to recall the service to their country of Rangers' players during the two great conflagrations of the 20th Century.

The following is mainly adapted from 'THE SPIRIT OF IBROX' by Robert McElroy, published 1998 (permission kindly granted). I've also added some extra info which I've picked up along the way since then.


THE GREAT WAR

"In 1914, as 'the lamps were going out all over Europe', the Government were only too happy for a new football season to proceed as normal. Football grounds packed with spectators were prime recruiting opportunities, there being no conscription until the final year of the war. Both Queen's Park and Hearts saw their first-team players almost to a man sign up for active service, many of them never to return home. At the onset of the European conflict Army recruiting sergeants would attend football grounds on match days, imploring all able-bodied men to 'take the Kings' shilling'.

"Restrictions were imposed on professional footballers - henceforth they would be required to either enlist or to find employment in a war-related industry, and no player would be allowed to play on a Saturday unless they had completed a full week's work.

"At Ibrox, Manager William Wilton and Trainer Bill Struth both immersed themselves in voluntary work at the nearby Bellahouston Hospital where many wounded soldiers were cared for. Club business took second place to the overwhelming voluntary work, frequently carried out late at night or in the early hours of the morning. Indeed Wilton's contribution was such that he was offered a full-time position at the hospital, but chose to remain with the club.


CALLED TO THE COLOURS

"Rangers' players, past or present, who served with distinction during the Great War included:


Dr. James Paterson - Captain - 14th Battalion - London Regiment - London Scottish

Andy Cunningham - 2nd Lieutenant - Gunner - Royal Field Artillery

Jimmy Gordon - Sergeant - Highland Light Infantry

Willie Reid - Gunner - Royal Field Artillery - 52nd Lowland Division

Fred Gray - 2nd Lieutenant - 9th Battalion -Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)

James H. Speirs - 2nd Lieutenant - 7th Battalion - Cameron Highlanders - 15th Scottish Division

Jimmy Galt - 2nd Lieutenant - Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders

John Fleming - Corporal - 8th Battalion - Cameron Highlanders

John Clarke - Rifleman - 16th Battalion - Royal Irish Rifles (36th Ulster Division)

Tommy Muirhead - 2nd Lieutenant - 1st/2nd Battalion - King's Own Scottish Borderers -

David B. Murray - Private - 8th Battalion - Seaforth Highlanders - 15th Scottish Division

Tom Gilchrist - 1st/2nd Battalion - Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

Finlay Speedie - Private - Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

Scott Duncan - Signalling Instructor - Royal Field Artillery

Jimmy Low - 2nd Lieutenant - 6th Battalion - Seaforth Highlanders

Tom McDonald - Royal Horse Artillery

John McKeown Bovill - Rifleman - Royal Irish Rifles

Dr. William F. Kivlichan - Lieutenant - Royal Army Medical Corps - attached King's Own African Rifles

Alex Bennett - Cameronians - Scottish Rifles

John Bertram Jackson - Royal Scots Fusiliers

George Turner Livingstone - Royal Army Medical Corps

David Taylor - Royal Field Artillery

Walter Daniel Tull - 2nd Lieutenant - 5th Battalion - Middlesex Regiment

John Rankin - Royal Army Medical Corps

R. Smith - Mechanic - Royal Flying Corps

Sandy Archibald was stationed at the Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare.



Tom Sinclair, James Young, David Brown and Jock Buchanan all served in the British Army - the latter two rising to the rank of Sergeant - although their regiments are unknown.

George Dickson, Jimmy Lister and John McCulloch also served in the Armed Forces during the Great War.

"The above list should not be considered all-inclusive, and it is regrettable that full service details are not available for every player.


DECORATIONS GRANTED

Jock Buchanan was awarded the 'Distinguished Conduct Medal',

Finlay Speedie and James Speirs the 'Military Medal',

Dr. James Paterson and Fred Gray the 'Military Cross',

and Walter Tull the 'British War and Victory Medal' and the 'Military Cross'.



THE FALLEN AND THE WOUNDED

"John Clarke, Tommy Muirhead, Finlay Speedie, Jimmy Low, John Bovill, Willie Kivlichan, James Paterson, John McCulloch and James Galt were wounded in action, whilst sadly four Rangers who made the final sacrifice - David Murray (killed in action 6 October 1915), James Speirs (20 August 1917), John Fleming (died on 21 March 1916 of wounds received during the Battle of Langemarck), and Walter Tull (the Second Battle of the Somme 25 March 1918).

"The loss of life of those with Ibrox links extended beyond the playing staff, for the sons of Directors William Craig and William R. Danskin were also killed in action, and the son of Director Walter Crichton was wounded.


Rangers played games for Red Cross Beneficiaries as follows:

v Glasgow Highlanders (Ibrox) September 1915 6-1

v Ayr United (a) August 1916 3-1

v British Army (Ibrox) April 1917 3-1

v Renfrewshire Select (Paisley) May 1918 1-4

"Following the cessation of hostilities in November 1918, Rangers played Everton at Goodison Park on 3 May 1919 in a benefit match for Blinded Servicemen (lost 3-4), and also played two games for the benefit of War Memorial Funds."


"… the problems Rangers faced on the occasion of a League visit to Brockville on 20 November 1915. Already short-handed because of injury, illness and Government work, the visitors arrived three players short, Andy Cunningham, Joe Hendry and goalkeeper John Hempsey having missed their rail connection in Glasgow due to fog. Rangers were therefore obliged to take the field with just nine men, veteran inside-forward Alex Bennett - who had not played at all that season - being drafted in to play in goal. To make matters worse, winger Scott Duncan was injured in the first-half and consequently missed the entire second, leaving the Ibrox men with just eight players. Not surprisingly, Falkirk won 2-0."

"Rangers were honoured on 18 September 1917 by the presence of His Majesty King George V at Ibrox Stadium for the holding of an investiture."

"Midweek football had been banned, in order to discourage absenteeism from essential services, leading inevitably to fixture congestion. In April 1917 many clubs agreed to play two games on the one day. Rangers duly lined up at Douglas Park, Hamilton on the afternoon of 21 April (3.30pm kick-off) and lost 1-3, whilst that evening Queen's Park (who had won 2-0 at Firhill that afternoon) were defeated 1-0 at Ibrox. Seven players played for Rangers in both games - how many fans were present at both is unrecorded."



NOT SHOT BY BOTH SIDES!

On 25 September 1915 a remarkable event took place when a man received standing ovations at Parkhead and Ibrox on the same day!

Willie Angus won the Victoria Cross four weeks earlier and was presented to the crowd at Celtic Park before a Glasgow Cup game with Third Lanark. He rightly received a warm reception - as indeed he also received later that same day when presented to the crowd at Ibrox Stadium where Rangers faced Partick Thistle in the other Glasgow Cup semi-final.

Celtic propagandists have attempted to rewrite history with regard to Willie Angus. This brave man would have been appalled by the way in which he is now treated as a legend by a club that discarded him. The plain and unpalatable fact is that Willie Angus played a single game - a trial - for Celtic on 28 September 1911. It was a bounce game at Dumfries - he was never signed. By the outbreak of war in 1914, Willie Angus was playing for Wishaw Athletic. Willie Angus was a courageous man who would be sickened by the propagandists of today.



WORLD WAR TWO

"Rangers' outstanding success during World War Two has led to many misinformed and outrageous accusations that Bill Struth deliberately placed his players in reserved occupations in order that they might avoid active service - accusations which have no basis in fact whatsoever and which in any case are an insult to the vital contribution made towards the war effort by such work. People envious of the Ibrox club's success during this and all other eras have promoted such falsehoods. A study of the Rangers players on active service during World War Two is enough to dissolve such a myth:


BRITISH ARMY

Willie Thornton (Trooper - Scottish Horse Regiment)

Donald McLatchie (Gunner - Royal Artillery)

Thomas Souter (Captain - Royal Scots Fusiliers)

Sammy Cox (Gordon Highlanders)

David Gray (served in Middle East)

Archie Macauley (Army Physical Training Corps)

Willie Paton

David Marshall

David Kinnear

'Torry' Gillick

Dr. Adam Little

Eddie Rutherford

Jimmy Galloway

Alex McKillop

Tom McKillop

Joe Johnston

Willie Knox

R. Cowan

P. Grant

A. Beattie

GDF Mackay

(NB - for some reason (perhaps security?) newspaper reports in the Second World War normally didn't report the name of the regiment players were serving in when they noted their departure to the front)



ROYAL AIR FORCE

Chris McNee - Flight Lieutenant

Ian McPherson

Eddie Rutherford

Jimmy Simpson

Alex Stevenson



ROYAL NAVY

Jimmy Parlane

Billy Williamson

Bobby Brown - Petty Officer - Fleet Air Arm


"As with the 'Great War' the above list should not be regarded as exhaustive, and again it is to be regretted that full service details are not available on every occasion."

Willie Thornton - MM

DECORATIONS
"Ian McPherson was awarded the 'Distinguished Flying Cross', Willie Thornton the 'Military Medal' for valour in the field in Sicily on 18 November 1943. McPherson incidentally flew on the first RAF bombing raid on Germany."

RESISTANCE
"Former Rangers player Carl Hansen was arrested and imprisoned in his native Copenhagen in 1943. A member of the Danish Resistance during the German Occupation…Hansen was later sentenced to four months' imprisonment."

OLYMPIC HERO AND RANGER
"Olympic athlete Eric Liddell - a lifelong Rangers supporter and member - was detained in China whilst working as a missionary, and died as a result of inhuman treatment in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp in 1945."



"Rangers' on-field support for the war effort was considerable:

20.04.41 v RAF (Ibrox) 3-2 (Clydeside Air Raid Disaster Fund)

27.08.41 v British Army (Ayr) 2-2 (War Fund)

01.09.41 v Preston North End (Ibrox) 3-1 (Lord Provost's Central Relief Fund)

25.09.45 v Newcastle (Ibrox) 3-2 (King George V1 Navy Fund)


"On 17 October 1945 Rangers flew to Hanover, Germany for a game against the Combined Services in order to entertain the British Army in occupation of the Rhine."