Steve Cardownie: We will remember them again on Sunday – down at Haymarket

For many years I was privileged to lay a wreath at the memorial on behalf of The City of Edinburgh Council but now attend as a private citizen and I am heartened to see that the event continues to attract a fair number of people, young and old, not just Hearts supporters, but representatives from some other Scottish football clubs as well.

The Heart of Midlothian Football Club Haymarket Memorial

The memorial was paid for by the club and its supporters and around 40,000 people turned up on 9 April 1922 to witness its unveiling and, apart from its temporary removal for much needed cleaning and maintenance work a few years ago, it has held the annual service ever since.

It was designated “C” Listed Structure status and is “dedicated to the memory of the club’s players, members and the people of Edinburgh who fell in the Great War and World War Two.”

I was also privileged to attend the unveiling of another war memorial back in 2004 in the village of Contalmaison in France, a cairn, it commemorates the fallen of the 16th Royal Scots volunteer battalion formed by Sir George McRae.

Also known as ‘The Sporting Battalion’ it took part in the First Battle of the Somme in July 1916 and was given its nickname as the battalion comprised of a significant number of professional sportsmen and fans from, Hearts, Hibs, Raith Rovers, Falkirk, Dunfermline Athletic, East Fife and St Bernard’s.

Hearts, who were sitting at the top of the Scottish League at the time, saw several of their players enlist, joined by around 500 Hearts supporters in November 1914 along with rugby players, athletes and a variety of other sportsmen and in 2014 the battalion was inducted to the Scottish Footnall Hall of Fame.

At the unveiling ceremony in Contalmaison we were joined by the Mayor of the picturesque village and after some speeches and a lament by the piper, we repaired to the village hall for a light refreshment of tea, coffee and sandwiches.

As I remember the hall was not that big, but some of the 700 attendees who were there managed to squeeze in and after the Mayor gave a short welcoming speech, she made her way around the hall to speak to supporters.

It was then that one fan started up ‘The Hearts Song’ under his breath, only for it to be taken up by those around him and soon the assembled throng joined in which left the Mayor speechless and visibly moved.

It was a solemn occasion, but one that was entirely fitting as we stood in the same village that the battalion’s soldiers fought in all those years ago and one that will last long in the memory of those in attendance.

The cairn was built using traditional Scottish Moine stone shipped directly from a quarry near Inverary by Scottish stonemasons.

The men told me that they had only just completed the monument the night before the service was due to take place, not that you would notice – it is a wee bit of superb Scottish craftmanship nestling in the French countryside.

The service this Sunday is another opportunity to pay our respects. We shall remember them.