Hawks’ home pitch at Balgray stands at the heart of a war memorial — a tribute to a generation of young players who left these same fields in 1914 to die on very different fields in Flanders and on the beaches of Gallipoli.

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A Legacy in the Fields We Play On

Since 1997, Hawks have had the privilege of playing at Old and New Anniesland, and now at Balgray.
In the years following the Great War, both Glasgow and Kelvinside Academies became War Memorial Trusts, while the Glasgow High School Pavilion at Old Anniesland was opened in 1927 as a War Memorial.

A generation of young men and boys went to school together, played sport together, signed on together, served together — and, in many cases, died together.
Four players from one Anniesland team were killed on the same day, in the same action, at Gully Ravine, Gallipoli.

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The Pals Battalions

These “Pals Battalions” formed the backbone of the Scottish Regiments — the 51st Highland and 52nd Lowland Divisions — which saw action in many of the defining battles of 1914–18.
Many of these young players also served across other branches of the armed forces, but the heaviest toll fell on those two divisions of the British Expeditionary Force, made up entirely of volunteers.

The Glasgow Academical team of 1913–14 had six wounded and eight killed by Armistice Day, 1918.

So many former pupils fell — in numbers unimaginable today — on far-off fields whose names are etched in history: Ypres, Gully Ravine, the Somme, Cambrai, Arras, and Loos.
Their legacy lives on in the very fields we play on today.

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The Cost at Home

The price paid by former pupils of our three associated schools — Glasgow High School, Glasgow Academy, and Kelvinside Academy — was enormous.
From this distance in time, it is hard to imagine the atmosphere in the terraces and tenements of Glasgow as the War Office telegrams arrived, breaking the terrible news.

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Oran Mór and the Bells of Remembrance

A peal of bells hangs in the steeple above Òran Mór (the old Kelvinside Church), raised by public subscription to honour the fallen — particularly the 27 who died in a single day, 28 June 1915, at Gallipoli.

The brunt of the attack fell on the 156th Brigade, and in particular the 7th/8th Cameronians, whose colours are still seen today each time GHK take the field.

To mark the centenary of that dreadful day, a simple cross was placed on the battlefield by Hawick Rugby Club on behalf of Glasgow Accies.
The Borders regiments, too, suffered terrible casualties in that same action.

This year, Hawks held their Annual Awards Night at Òran Mór, beneath that very steeple, with Franco Smith as guest speaker — a poignant choice, given that the South African Brigade was attached to the Scottish 9th Division during its heroic stand at Delville Wood.

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Delville Wood

The 1st South African Brigade suffered immense losses at Delville Wood in July 1916 — only 140 men emerged when they were relieved on 20 July.
Of the 3,150 who went in, 763 were killed and 1,709 wounded.

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In Numbers

These memorials record stark figures relative to their school rolls:
• 480 former pupils of Glasgow High School
• 316 Glasgow Academicals
• 131 Kelvinside Academicals — our hosts at Balgray — made the ultimate sacrifice.

“Some were decorated and died heroically; others fought and fell quietly.”