Sunday will be Remembrance Day. I don’t at the moment know exactly what Livingston’s plans will be, but it is my plea to Celtic fans everywhere that if there is to be a period of silence, that they should respect it.
Remembrance Day has been hi-jacked by the victors since 1919, and turned into a flag waving piece of triumphalism with politicians and royalty jumping on band waggons etc. and using words like “serve” “duty” and “patriotic”.
But surely Remembrance should be a commemoration of ALL who died in the obscene folly of a war, brought about when the decadent ruling classes of Europe, each one as despicable as the other, failed to solve a small and localised conflict.
Remembrance Day does not belong to the British Army or the British Empire. They have indeed done things that would shame all the demons of Hell in their time – and not only in Ireland – but Remembance Day must not belong exclusively to them.
It belongs to, among others, our own Peter Johnstone of Glencraig who won three Scottish Cup medals, and four Scottish League medals with Celtic and who disappeared in 1917 and was never found.
Donnie “Slasher” McLeod also failed to return, as did countless less well known Celtic players, and men like Andy McAtee, Willie McStay and Joe Cassidy all served.
Supporters too – the man who wrote to his son that when the war was over, he would take him to see Patsy Gallacher, or the man who entertained everyone in Tripoli by telling them all about Patsy Gallacher, Jimmy McGrory and Jimmy Delaney, and who, two days after being returned to his mother and father, got on another train to visit Celtic Park!
I would also argue most strongly that Padraig Pearse, James Connolly and Joseph Mary Plunkett are war casualties. Do take time on Sunday to remember them, shaking our heads at the folly and waste of it all.
Please remain silent.
Do not give an own goal to Celtic’s enemies.
Remembrance Day, I repeat, is NOT the exclusive possession of the British Army or the British Empire!
David Potter
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