Veterans minister pays tribute to 'bravery' of Battle of the Somme footballers

Scotland's Veterans Minister has paid tribute to the bravery of professional footballers who fought in the First World War.

Professional players from Edinburgh's Heart of Midlothian and their rivals Hibernian were among the men fighting at the Battle of the Somme.

Graeme Dey recognised the men as he took part in the annual wreath-laying ceremony at the McCrae's Battalion cairn in France.

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The footballers were part of the 1,350-strong McCrae's Battalion, led by Sir George McCrae.

While the battle lasted 141 days, the first day of fighting alone resulted in British forces suffering 57,470 casualties, with 19,240 men killed.

In total more than a million men were killed in the battle from both sides.

At the beginning of the First World War, there was a campaign that labelled the professional footballers who stayed at home as "cowards" and "shirkers".

Mr Dey said: "The players who joined McCrae's Battalion proved the critics wrong and demonstrated incredible bravery. Indeed, many of them made the ultimate sacrifice.

"Today, we honour the bravery of those young men and all those who fought and died on the Somme."

McCrae's Battalion also included men from Raith Rovers, Falkirk, Dunfermline, and East Fife, with around 75 clubs of all levels represented, along with other athletes and some football supporters.