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Remembered Today:

Wisden tribute to fallen cricketers of first world war


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Steven:

I got that Amazon email too. I thought they had only sent it to me...

eBay price is best.

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It arrived yesterday, already looking good.

Michelle

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Andrew do you know if the Morkel in the book is any relation to the current South African players? Also, my husband and youngest son play in a team with a man called Du Boulay- has to be a relation to the 2 chaps, as he has Houssemayne as his middle name. I have to say I am thoroughly enjoying reading the book.

Michelle

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Michelle

I will check out the Morkels.

Your Du Boulay must be related so please tell him about the entry in the book and I would like to know any more family history, and if they have a photo of him I need it urgently because I have been asked for one to accompany an article.

Mike Atherton reviews the book in The Times books section today. You have to subscribe to see it, but I will post it up later.

Glad you are enjoying it.

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My book on the St. Luke's College Roll of Honour is almost complete - two chaps, Fishwick (played for Devon) and Leat (Somerset) are in it. Not got the Wisden book yet - are these two men in it?

Edwin

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Andrew will have a look at the Atherton review, my Dad gets The Times. Beautiful day today for cricket.

Michelle

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Edwin

Neither Fishwick nor Leat had Wisden obits.

However, because Leat was one of 89 men who had played fc cricket and did not have an obituary at the time, I wrote this brief entry for my book:

2ND LT EDWIN JOHN LEAT (6 Bn, Dorset Regt) was killed in action near Beaumont Hammel on June 8, 1918, aged 33. He was born at Wellington, Somerset, on April 24, 1885. A middle-order bat, he played for Buckinghamshire (he lived at Slough) in the MinorCounties Championship between 1908 and 1911, and had two games for Somerset, both at Taunton, in August 1908 and August 1910.

I would welcome any more information about him. I can claim that I played a few matches for Wellington, where he was born, in the mid-70s.

Andrew

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The 17th Division decided to mount a strong raid on the German trenches near Beaumont Hamel. These raids were designed to wear down the enemy and stop him concentrating his forces, kill his troops, gather information and give confidence to our own men. The 6th Dorset, along with East Yorkshire, attacked on a 500 yard front. The Dorset men faced a long ravine called “Y Valley”. The raid was carefully planned and well supported. The men, after receiving a tot of rum, advanced at 10.05 p.m. on the 8th June. Fifty minutes later the withdrawal was sounded. The attack was judged a success, but 2 officers were killed, one of whom was Leat.

What I have so far, in addition to the information you have. It is culled from the Dorsetshire's History. I'm going to the NA at the end of the month to look at the 6th Dorset's War Diary.

Edwin

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Edwin

Thank you for this information about Leat's death.

My book has a sub-title: The Lives of Cricket's Fallen 1914 - 1918.

If it is to be successful, it is because it concentrates on the men's lives, truncated as they were, rather than deaths, so any further details on Leat's life will be appreciated.

Schooling certainly: where is St Luke's College? And do you know what he was doing in Slough, e.g. his profession?

Andrew

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My sis has just ordered a copy for my birthday; I will be hanging around the door waiting for the postman over the next few days (in a purely delivery facilitation sort of a way). I don't think I've awaited anything with this level of anticipation since my first date with Eva Longoria...... :whistle:

Pete.

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Edwin

Thank you for this information about Leat's death.

My book has a sub-title: The Lives of Cricket's Fallen 1914 - 1918.

If it is to be successful, it is because it concentrates on the men's lives, truncated as they were, rather than deaths, so any further details on Leat's life will be appreciated.

Schooling certainly: where is St Luke's College? And do you know what he was doing in Slough, e.g. his profession?

Andrew

St. Luke's College, Exeter. A teacher training establishment. He would have been a school teacher. St. Luke's always maintained a high standard at sport. Lintott, 15th West Yorks kia 1st July 1916 probably the most famous ex-student (soccer) to be killed during the war.

Edwin

St. Luke's 1966-70

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There's an excellent article in today's Independent on Sunday:

Mentions Percy Chapman and the Oakham School 1914 team (with pic), and Rupert Brooke, George Llewellyn Davies, Percy Jeeves, the Bradford brothers, Harold Forster and Reginald Edwards (gassed, who died in 1925: I have his well-travelled 1915 Wisden).
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Finally read the Athers review yesterday, as always a well measured well written piece. Am enjoying dipping in and out of the book.

Michelle

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What level of new information is in the new book compared to the contemporary obituaries published in Wisden at the time?

Regards,

Jonathan S

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I don't think I've awaited anything with this level of anticipation since my first date with Eva Longoria...... :whistle:

Pete.

On the bright side ... the postman will turn up eventually.

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On the bright side ... the postman will turn up eventually.

Ms Longoria's lawyers have been in touch about my fantastical claims; I made the point that the Eva Longoria I was referring to was a hard faced woman who used to run the tripe stall on Ormskirk market in the late 70's. They sounded sceptical. If that doesn't wash I was going to fall back on the multiverse argument; there is a parallel universe where I have been out with Eva Longoria, it's just not this one.....

Pete.

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I am saving up for a copy of the Wisden obits, as my birthday is nearly at Christmas and I cannot wait !

Is either of the following included?

J.C. Coker, an early casualty?

C.K. Merewether, kia 1917?

Daggers

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What level of new information is in the new book compared to the contemporary obituaries published in Wisden at the time?

Regards,

Jonathan S

Original obits are about 80,000 words with some editing. All names are now verified (Wisden made a lot of errors) with first names and ordered by year of death. About 80,000 new words. So Jack Poole who had a few lines now has five pages (since he lived another 50 years).

County by county guide at start of book. Definitive list of 289 men who played f-c cricket, of whom 200 had Wisden obits so 89 new obits now included. List of 407 f-c men who won gallantry awards.

Most importantly, as the reviews point out, many remarkable stories about the men.

About 35 illustrations, but alas, not Eva Longoria so some I fear may be disappointed.

Regards,

Andrew

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I am saving up for a copy of the Wisden obits, as my birthday is nearly at Christmas and I cannot wait !

Is either of the following included?

J.C. Coker, an early casualty?

C.K. Merewether, kia 1917?

Daggers

Both had Wisden obits so are here but I would welcome more new information about them. Coker killed 1915 but appears in Wisden 1918 (which is why I have ordered them by year of death).

LT CADWALLADER JOHN COKER (Welsh Regt), killed June 22, aged 23. Wellington College XI, 1911. Oxford Freshmen, 1912. Oriel (Ox) XI. {W1918}

No new info in this edition

CAPT CHRISTOPHER KEN MEREWETHER (Wilts Regt) born at North Bradley Vicarage, 1890; died of wounds December 20. Oriel College (Ox) XI; Oxford Authentics. An Old Wykehamist. Hockey halfblue for Oxford.

New info:

He played two matches for Wiltshire in the Minor Counties Championship in 1912.

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About 35 illustrations, but alas, not Eva Longoria so some I fear may be disappointed.

Other photos are available; I will survive. My copy should arrive next week; I really am looking forward to it's arrival with almost schoolboy like anticipation.

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Ms Longoria's lawyers have been in touch about my fantastical claims; I made the point that the Eva Longoria I was referring to was a hard faced woman who used to run the tripe stall on Ormskirk market in the late 70's. They sounded sceptical. If that doesn't wash I was going to fall back on the multiverse argument; there is a parallel universe where I have been out with Eva Longoria, it's just not this one.....

Pete.

Pete

I'm reminded of the Big Bang Theory episode where Sheldon is invited to dance. He replies that he subscribes to the theory of an infinite number of Sheldons in an infinite number of universes, but that in none of them is he dancing. I think we could replace "...is he dancing" with "...is Pete dating Eva Longoria".

Back on topic - I am also eagerly looking forward to this book as my birthday present and fortunately that means I only have to wait until July.

David

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I'm reminded of the Big Bang Theory episode where Sheldon is invited to dance. He replies that he subscribes to the theory of an infinite number of Sheldons in an infinite number of universes, but that in none of them is he dancing. I think we could replace "...is he dancing" with "...is Pete dating Eva Longoria".

W B Yeats, that's all I'm saying. Actually thats not all I'm saying. I disagree; there is a universe in which Eva is crazy about me. Unfortunately it will be the Eva that worked on the tripe stall......

I can remember reading the original collection of obituaries and being disapointed that there wasn't more information about these young subalterns. Having read Andrew's explanation of Benny Green's approach I can see why, so when Andrew's book arrives it will complete a kind of circle from a Christmas day many years ago. It's one of the reasons I'm beside myself with anticipation.

Pete.

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