Saints at War

22/11/2024  -  8.28

Alex Alexandrou

The second of a series of seminars for the 2024-25 season in partnership with the Army FA, Western Front Association and a number of football clubs took place this month at Southampton FC. It was hosted by Greg Baker and Nicky Asiki on behalf of the club and Saints historians led by David Bull and Barry Webb in the superb Markus Liebherr Lounge.

The talk was accompanied with an exhibition featuring the History of the Army FA and Army Football.

Army FA Exhibition. Source: Author's Collection

Attendees were also treated to free copies of the Western Front Association’s journal – Stand To! and its Bulletin magazine.

Western Front Publications. Source: Author's Collection

The event coincided with the launch of the book entitled – Saints in the Great War by David Bull and Gary Chalk.

Following a welcome from Greg Baker, the first half of the event kicked-off with David Bull giving a wide-ranging presentation entitled – Saints in the Great War.

Greg Baker Welcome. Source: Dave Adlem

It covered many topics ranging from football continuing during the 1914-15 season and the public debate surrounding this decision; interesting club links to the great Charlie Chaplin and the four wartime seasons; as well as what he termed the Irish Paradox with a number of Saints players signing up for Irish regiments such as William Burroughs during this tumultuous period of Irish history. David talked about a number of guest players with two in particular interesting stories. Firstly, about Walter Thompson who was a Special Branch detective who ended up playing a match and would go on to guard Winston Churchill. Secondly, Harold Cockford who was an itinerant imposter who guested for the club, was found out and subsequently banned from playing until 1918. The Footballers’ Battalion and the club’s links to it through players such as Edward Bell were discussed, as was Army football abroad. For example, with Southampton player Bert Shelley playing for the 1/4th Wilts in Egypt and wining the Divisional Cup in Kantara.

David Bull. Source: Dave Adlem

The second half of the event kicked-off with David being joined by his fellow club historian and author Duncan Holley with the pair presenting on the subject of – The Saints in the Second World War. The overarching theme was home and abroad with the key sub-themes being the game goes on, after a fashion; players out and in; most memorable matches; and from Dunkirk and Lamsdorf to Arnhem and Archangel. Issues such as how the club dealt with the curtailment of the 1939-40 season were explained and how a number of players ended up signing up for the Borough Police, whose football team during the period of the conflict could be described as a very able and strong one! 

David Bull and Duncan Holley. Source: Dave Adlem

They talked about famous players and future managers playing and guesting for the club, such as the great Tom Finney of Preston North End and England fame; Bertie Mee, who would go on to be manger the great Arsenal double-winning team of 1970-71; Charlie Mitten, notoriously referred to as the Bogota Bandit; Alf Ramsey, who guested, then was signed by the club and who went on to win the Football League Championship in the 1961-62 season with Ipswich Town as manager, before famously managing England to World Cup glory in 1966. They went on to highlight Ernie Peace and his fascinating story. He was captured by the Germans but managed to escape from his prisoner of war camp with the assistance of a Czech nurse. He then went on to fight initially with the Czech Resistance, then back with the Army, so he had an interesting war to say the least! They talked about Sid Gueran who died at Arnhem; Charlie Sillett who died whilst serving with the Royal Navy; and Billy Bevis, who also served with the Royal Navy but had fortune on his side, as he was torpedoed three times and survived!

Note:

The Saints in the Great War book can be bought directly from the publisher – Hagiology, on its the website: http://www.hagiologists.com and from the Saints Superstore either in person or online.

Biography

Alex Alexandrou is the Co-Founder and Chair of the Football and War Network.