chris basey Posted 16 December , 2005 Share Posted 16 December , 2005 (edited) When this topic was running I couldn't find this post card. Whilst searching for something else I have come across it and thought people might like to see it. Unfortunately no clue as to where it was taken. (Photo by F.Newton & Co, 19 Fife Rd, Kingston-on-Thames) Sorry - see next post for picture Edited 16 December , 2005 by chris basey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris basey Posted 16 December , 2005 Share Posted 16 December , 2005 And here it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Roberts Posted 17 December , 2005 Share Posted 17 December , 2005 When I first heard about the football incident years ago, it was presented as one of the "all officers were idiots,especially if upper-class, and they really did think the war was just a bit of fun" myths. Generally the media has moved on at least a little way since then, but this kind of thing still creeps in. I'm sure Nevill knew full well that they probably weren't going to make it, and the footballs were a way of taking his men's (boys?) minds off the reality, at least for the first few seconds. I'm sure I've seen one of the balls in Tommies bar in ...what village, Pozieres? I think my guide said there were four balls and three had been found - the two in museums mentioned above and the one in Tommies Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest geoff501 Posted 24 February , 2006 Share Posted 24 February , 2006 Anyone looked up Cpt. Nevill's CWGC entry? The football story is repeated there. Just found it and a search found this thread, so here it is: Name: NEVILL, WILFRED PERCY Initials: W P Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Captain Regiment: East Yorkshire Regiment Unit Text: 1st Bn. Secondary Regiment: East Surrey Regiment Secondary Unit Text: attd. 8th Bn. Date of Death: 01/07/1916 Additional Information: Captain Nevill bought four footballs, one for each of his platoons. The idea being that on the day of the First Battle of the Somme, the footballs would be "kicked into No Mans Land" as far towards the German line as was possible, and the winner would receive a prize from the Captain, who "kicked off" the first ball - the prize was never collected as Nevill died on the day. One of the footballs was inscribed : "The Great European Cup, The Final, East Surreys v Bavarians, Kick Off at Zero". Two examples are now held by National Army Museum and the Queen's Regiment Museum, Howe Barracks, Canterbury, Kent. Casuality Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: E. 28. Cemetery: CARNOY MILITARY CEMETERY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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