Play the Game

08/01/2022  -  10.20

Roger Slater

What follows is a short story by Roger Slater, whose interests and passions include but not exclusively, Wealdstone FC and Football and War history. In this story, he puts himself in the mind of a footballer who has fought in the Great War, who bears the emotional, mental and psychological scars of what he witnessed, endured and took part in but was fortunate to survive to once more play football.

Play the Game: Source: Steve Foster (@aqueoussunphoto) and Roger Slater

I won’t give you a name, because it’s not important. I am one of thousands – and a lucky one as you are here reading my story. There should have been millions like me, but so many were not as fortunate. They will never stand where I stand today, wearing the clothes that I wear and thinking these thoughts. They will never stand here. They will never return home to their lives or their wives, their families, their friends or their jobs. They are cursed to remain on foreign shores with friends they made and lost in those saddening months and years. Some lucky in their death, found where they lay, but at least found. They can be cherished and remembered, their personal belongings returned, and their resting place known.

So many more will never be found, silent in hidden shallows and graves, others spread wide across an explosion strewn landscape, no body or soul for their families to grieve over. These were children that will never know their enemies, their killers or the reasons why. Perhaps one day those left behind may start to understand, but I am here, now, and I do not know.

This is not about race or colour or creed. For each of us, no matter which side, this was someone else’s battle, someone else’s war. Only now, the memory becomes ours. I for one would close the door on the memory if I could. But here I am.

Surrounded again by colleagues and comrades, now teammates, each ready to do battle as we have done so many times before, but now with only the weapons we were blessed with at birth – our senses, our limbs and our wits. Around us, thousands more look on. Men just like us, some we knew and were alongside in those dark days, some who will bear physical and mental scars for the rest of their lives; bloodied and wounded, many leaving their mark on the battlefield with skin, flesh and bone. They, like me I’m sure will have dreamed of this day.

Cramped and wet, under fire in the trenches not even able to realise how cold it was - fearing so much every bullet and shell, or worse still, the disabling gas and its slow painful death. The only solace was to dream of happier times and hope for a day like this, yet even in this reality there is still no brightness in our ‘colours’. The sun may be shining, but as I look around at the thousands of faces, each seems to be etched in grey, the joyless eyes vague and distant, many shedding tears, them and us alike.

We lucky ones now returned to our homes remember our friends, the camaraderie and support and also those that we have lost. We look forward, but if we are to live any sort of life, we have to forget the reasons why and that which we have all suffered. We must share in the hope that we have seen the last of such destruction. Today, now, we must focus on the job in hand, raising our spirits and working hard with our team mates to win our individual battles and to bring victory and colour back to these dark times. Teammate or opponent, each knowing that in a matter of hours this will be resolved, friend and foe sharing a drink before we part to prepare for whatever tomorrow may hold.

On the 30th of August 1919, some of them – the lucky ones - returned to play the game.

Biography

Roger Slater was born in Harrow in the late 1950s and has moved around a bit and retired to Devon with wife of 24 years, Helen. He originally trained as an Electrical Engineer but worked for almost 40 years in Building Services Technologies, primarily HVAC control systems and Electronic Security. Roger retired in 2018 having run his own Engineering Consultancy for almost 15 years.

For relaxation and hobbies, he writes, mainly about his football club, Wealdstone FC and has published eight books including a club history since 2002. (Roger does not class himself as a historian, just an enthusiastic amateur). He also writes for a fanzine/magazine called Where’s The Bar that has just relaunched.

Otherwise, hobbies are upcycling and building ‘strange’ lighting out of people’s rubbish and occasionally painting, though he also buys and sells at auctions and on the internet (mainly football related or antiques). In respect of other sports, he will watch most but follows the Toronto Blue Jays avidly in baseball, as a result of working on and off in Canada in the early nineties.

Roger also reads and collects books on World War 1, in particular personal biographies and war diaries as opposed to battle histories.

All of that could change tomorrow or on any other day if something else takes his fancy as he will give most things a try if they appeal!