footballsinthegreatwar

[Henk de Groot]

Hi,to all members

I,m from the Netherlands and very interested in footballhistory in wartime.

I read the story of Frank Edwards and the"match" he and his fellow soldiers played on the first day of the Battle of Loos.

The ball (or what's left of it) is preserved in a museum in London, according to Paul Reed, a military historian.

I've found conflicting stories about the kick-off on 1july 1916 ("the first day on the Somme")

One school of thought claims there were two balls involved, another source says there were four balls.

Can anybody of you explain the truth?

A lieutenant Wilfred Nevill was in charge of the 1 july kick-off. Are these balls still preserved ? If so, in what museum?

Another reason why I'm asking this, that not many people in my country are interested in World War I history, simply because

my country was neutral. The only real war casualties were merchant marine personnel.

My friends, who are also football freaks, don't take these "war football stories" very serious.

They've promoted me to a warm hearted- cold blooded- world-war-I-full-fanatic freak!

Kind Regards, Henk.

 

 

[Fattyowls]

Hi Henk, I've just looked back at your previous post and realised that you'd posted a second one that I missed. Apologies. I need to have a search of the forum and the wider internet to check my facts but I think that an eyewitness account talks of two balls on 1st July 1916, both of which survived, but one was destroyed when the East Surreys' museum burned down in 2015. The Loos football you know about and we discussed the one kicked into the Hyderabad redoubt at Arras in 1917. There is a lot of information around about football being played but not in no man's land, it took place behind the lines; Two battalions were formed which included professional footballers and many other players joined up too. There is also a very long thread about the legendary Christmas truce football matches and if they took place if you have a search around.

 

Pete.

 

P.S. Who do you and your friends support in the Netherlands?

[GreyC]

Here is a team photo (obviously behind the lines, the German´s at that)

1st eleven German forces football assoc. of Douai in July 1918. The one marked with the cross is my grandfather.

GreyC

[Henk de Groot]

To Major-General "Pete" Fattyowls: posted Friday at 00:11

I can't answer your PS, about what club me and my friends are supporting, because KeithmRoberts

disapproved and removed(!) my answer.

I'm sorry,but that's the way it is.........

Yours, Henk