McCrae's Battalion Great War Memorial, World War I memorial cairn in Contalmaison, France

McCrae's Battalion Great War Memorial is a commemorative cairn in the village of Contalmaison, designed by the historian Jack Alexander and unveiled in 2004. It honours the dead of the 16th Royal Scots, the volunteer battalion raised by Sir George McCrae and known as 'The Sporting Battalion', who fought in the First Battle of the Somme in July 1916.

The battalion was formed in 1914 by Sir George McCrae with volunteers from Scottish football clubs and sports organizations, then fought at the Somme. The memorial itself was not completed until 2004, following original designs proposed by surviving battalion members back in 1919.

Players from Hearts of Midlothian, Hibernian, Raith Rovers, and other Scottish football clubs volunteered for the battalion during World War I. This connection between sports and military service remains central to how people remember this place today.

The memorial can be visited year-round and sits in the open countryside of Contalmaison where walkers and history buffs regularly explore the battlefield. Comfortable clothing and sturdy shoes are recommended, as visiting involves some walking across uneven ground in an rural setting.

The cairn was designed by historian Jack Alexander and unveiled in 2004, making it the last of the original Great War memorials to be built. Its construction fulfilled a proposal first made by battalion survivors in 1919, so the monument closed a gap of 85 years.