Canadian soldiers the truth revealed
there is a legendary story that goes around Ibrox about two Canadian soldiers who knocked on the front door of ibrox late one evening. The door was opened by the rangers manager Bill Struth who was told by the soldiers that they were going off to war and asked if they could have a blade of grass from their beloved ibrox as a keepsake. The great man struth is said to have told them to make sure and bring it back safely although sadly they never returned. There are a few versions of the story but almost all the same and a recent investigation and "confession" has brought what we think is a new twist to the tale. The story is in fact true but differs slightly from the version above.
Corporals James O'leary and Francis Mcateer of the first Canadian special reserve battalion were indeed in scotland before being shipped of to villeneuve-loubet on a recon mission. They were in Glasgow to meet cpl O'leary's relatives but when they got to Glasgow they found out that the family was in fact from Croy and they did not have enough time to get there and catch their train back to Edinburgh and cutting their losses they decided to have a few drinks. Frank Mcateer had his camera with him to take some snaps of his time in scotland and they decided to get a picture taken outside nearby Ibrox holding up cpl O'leary's Celtic scarf which accompanied him everywhere.
Arriving at Ibrox slightly the worse for wear they were in the process of trying to take photographs when the door opened and out stepped mr Struth. The Celtic scarf was quickly hidden and mr Struth and an unknown companion asked what they were doing. To stop a possible confrontation which would lead to them missing their train and being reported awol they did indeed tell mr Struth that they were Rangers supporters going to war and they really were invited onto the pitch. Mr Struth left them alone for five minutes saying they were welcome to walk around and truthfully did make them welcome.
However things changed slightly when cpl Mcateer was caught urinating in the home dugout and singing a national anthem which was clearly not canadian. The two soldiers were ejected from ibrox without ever seeing mr Struth who did not return. So there is some truth to the legend although the soldiers did indeed return to Ibrox to once again sing their songs. Cpl Mcateer died in 1974 after a short illness but Jim O'leary remains alive and well and is now living in Valleystream New York and remains a proud Celtic supporter. He never did manage to get that blade of grass.
Cybertims