Story Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Football and the First World War

The Story of Wilfred Bartrop

THE STORY OF WILFRED BARTROP Wilfred Bartrop was a popular outside-forward who played in two FA Cup finals for Barnsley before joining Liverpool in the months leading up to the First World War. He would later serve on the Western Front with the British Army, before losing his life just four days before the Armistice in November […]

The Story of Donald Bell VC

THE STORY OF DONALD SIMPSON BELL VC When the British Army launched its great Somme offensive in the summer of 1916, few people could have envisaged the devastation battle would bring. The opening day alone saw British casualties of almost 60,000 and by the time the slaughter had ground to a bloody halt in the […]

The Story of Clapton Orient in the First World War

THE STORY OF CLAPTON ORIENT IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR A recruiting meeting was organised by the FA and the War Office at Fulham Town Hall, Harwood Road, almost five months into World War One, with a view to raising a which would specifically comprise of footballers, club officials and supporters – the 17th Battalion […]

Leigh Richmond Roose – The Story of Football’s First Playboy

LEIGH RICHMOND ROOSE - FOOTBALL'S FIRST PLAYBOY Scholar. Goalkeeper. Playboy. Entertainer. Medic. Soldier. Hero. Leigh Richmond Roose was many things to many people over the course of his 38 years on Planet Earth. Killed on 7 October 1916 during the Battle of the Somme, this proud Welshman was of course just one of millions who […]

Up the Hammers! – The Story of the West Ham Pals

UP THE HAMMERS! - THE STORY OF THE WEST HAM PALS The story of the West Ham Battalion during World War One is one that is well-known to supporters of West Ham United Football Club. In December 1914 the Mayor of West Ham successfully applied to the War Office to raise an infantry unit of local men to serve in the […]

The Story of Walter Tull

THE STORY OF WALTER TULL The story of Walter Tull is perhaps the best known of all the professional footballers to lose their lives during World War One. Believed to be the first black officer to lead British combat troops into battle and the first black outfield player to feature in the top division of […]

The Story of Sandy Turnbull – Manchester Football Hero

THE STORY OF SANDY TURNBULL - MANCHESTER FOOTBALL HERO The noise was deafening, incessant, vibrating through his whole body, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, creating a nervous tension, a feeling surpassing all others. But this wasn’t a familiar arena such as Hyde Road or Ewood Park, nor was […]

The Story of the 1914/15 English Football Season

THE STORY OF THE 1914/15 SEASON Great Britain’s involvement in what would later become known as the First World War began at 11pm on 4 August 1914. Having received unsatisfactory response to its ultimatum demanding the immediate withdrawal of German troops from neutral Belgium, the Foreign Office announced to the country that Britain had commenced hostilities […]