A SPOT made famous by the stirring First World War recruitment speech by Sir George McCrae has been named in his honour.

A ceremony outside the Usher Hall renamed the area McRae's Place and marked 100 years since McCrae encouraged 800 men to sign up to what became the 16th Battalion: The Royal Scots.

A flagstone was unveiled as a tribute to McCrae's battalion, also known as The Sportsman's Battalion, as the first volunteers included footballers from several clubs including Heart of Midlothian.

Edinburgh's Lord Provost, Donald Wilson, who led the ceremony, said: "The story is a huge part of Edinburgh's local history and it seems appropriate to me that it should be remembered in this way."