Bob Coulson Posted 4 January , 2003 Share Posted 4 January , 2003 A recent thread brought up the story of Capt Nevill and the footballs on July 1st 1916. Have just come across a reference to the 16th Northumberland Fusiliers doing the same thing in their July 1st attack on Thiepval. "A football was followed into battle at zero." Does anyone have any further info on this incident.?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conor Dodd Posted 4 January , 2003 Share Posted 4 January , 2003 "From The Somme a day by day account" X Corps 32nd Division 96 Brigade Following a football kicked in advance 16th Northumberland Fusiliers and 15th Lancashire Fusiliers only managed to reach no man's land where the survivors were pinned down by machine gun fire etc. Conor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 5 January , 2003 Share Posted 5 January , 2003 A good proportion of the Newcastle footbool team joined 16/NF in 1914, including their star player 'Tommy' Thompson (aka 'The hero of the Leazes end'). He was a platoon sergeant and killed at the head of his men - commemorated Thiepval Memorial. The London Irish Rifles were the footballers of Loos, as they kicked off on 25/9/15 and the Rifle Brigade drop-kicked a ball into battle near Fampoux on 9/4/17. So it happened more than once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 6 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 6 January , 2003 Paul/Conor, thanks for the interesting info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kate Wills Posted 10 January , 2003 Share Posted 10 January , 2003 Bob, I can find no mention of the incident you mention in their unit history 'Historical Records of the 16th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers', though that wouldn't be the last word on the subject. There is a very brief mention of the battalions sporting activities, which names Ptes Hardy and Goodwill of Newcastle Utd and Pte Dan Dunglinson, an amateur international. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Coulson Posted 10 January , 2003 Author Share Posted 10 January , 2003 Thanks for taking the trouble to look this up Kate, some interesting points. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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