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Reading about the footballers who went into the Great War and gave their lives (for example, a Celtic player received the VC), led me to wonder - how many Bees players fought in the First World War, were there any tales of heroism and so on.
Rebus - over to you (if it hasn't already been covered countless times, that is.)
Hi Paul - your post reminds me of a memorial I'd like to have at Griffin Park or Lionel Road to commemorate our fallen.
In World War Two, Percy Saunders, who signed for us in 1939 from Sunderland, died in action in 1942.
From the First World War, there are at least two but perhaps some more unfortunately - my studies are not complete.
Henry George Purver
Horace Osborne Robotham
Private Henry George Purver, KIA 31.7.1916, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Reg.)Originally Posted by rebus
Private Horace George Robotham, KIA 12.9.1916, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Reg.)
Sgt. G.Littler, Died of Wounds 11.5.1915, Kings Royal Rifle Corps
Cpl Percy Saunders, KIA March 1942 (Malaya), Royal Army Ordanance Corps
These are the ones i know of that died during WW1 and WW2 who played for the Bees.
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry,show life that you have a 1000 reasons to smile
Jack Cock was awarded the DCM & MM in WWI. Played for the Bees before the war and was then part of the Brentford team which won the London Combination in 1918-1919. Plus he played in the 1919 'Victory International' match alongside 'Patsy' Hendren of the Bees too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Cock
Last edited by wanderer paul; 11th November 2010 at 18:46. Reason: 'won' is the wrong word!
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry,show life that you have a 1000 reasons to smile
What did he do to be awarded that?
Isn't it a shame the way our little world has changed
Watched a bit on South Today about the Footballers Battalions in WW1. Apparently footballers were not called up at the start of the war as they were required to carry on playing to keep civilian morale up. They were called up as losses mounted and first saw action on the Somme in 1916 suffering horrific losses.
Brian Mcdermott and some of the Reading team visited the war memorials on the Somme and laid a wreath in honour of the Reading players killed.
Interesting that the Footballers Battalion was incorporated as part of the Middlesex Regiment so maybe a lot of Bees players and supporters fought with and alongside these brave men.
We will remember them.
That may not be known. All DCM's and MM's were announced in the London Gazette, but alot of MM's were awarded where citations weren't kept or lost or just not written. Over 100,000 MM's and 15,000 DCM's were awarded in the First World War alone, so trying to find specific ones will need some digging, I'll ask my dad to check it out as he does alot of genealogy and army career stuff, he sorted out the Brentford war memorials several years ago and got them all placed at the library and added those that were 'missed off' the originals and updated those who fell in more recent 'wars'.
I'll check it out though :sorted:
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry,show life that you have a 1000 reasons to smile
Nice one.
Well played to your dad as well. :sorted:
Isn't it a shame the way our little world has changed
He played three Southern League Division Two matches in March 1914 as an amateur for Brentford, scoring one goal, before signing professional forms with Yorkshire side Huddersfield Town later that year, though the First World War broke out shortly afterwards. He served in the British Army during the conflict, rising to the rank of Sergeant-Major and earning the Distinguished Conduct Medal and later the Military Medal for gallantry. He was reported as 'missing, presumed dead' at one point during the war. During his breaks from military service, he turned out for London sides Brentford and Croydon Common. Cock also played for England in the Victory International in 1919.
from wikipedia
Brentford ARE Back
John 'Jack' Cock was in the "London Gazette" (all gallantry medals awarded were mentioned in this publication), for the 5th/6th January 1917, where he was recognised as being awarded the Military Medal, but the strange thing is there's no record, that i can find at present, of him receiving the DCM. I even have his 'Military Medal Card' showing that he received the War Medal and Star, with MM by his name, but no mention of the DCM.
Will have to dig further :sorted:
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry,show life that you have a 1000 reasons to smile
Brentford FC's only loss during WW2 was Percy Saunders, he is listed on the Singapore Memorial, Kranji War Cemetary. He died between 2/3/1942 - 3/3/1942, i believe his ship was torpedoed and his final resting place is the sea.
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry,show life that you have a 1000 reasons to smile
Henry Purver (died 31/7/1916) is listed on the Thiepval Memorial (Pier and Face 8 C 9 A and 16 A) this memorial is commemorated to those with no known grave (over 70000 listed), the main battles were around the Somme area.
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry,show life that you have a 1000 reasons to smile
George Littler, he played some SOuthern Alliance games for the Bees in the 1913 season, is buried in the Bethune Town Cemetary in France. He died of his wounds on the 11/5/1915.
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry,show life that you have a 1000 reasons to smile
A little more found. Jack Cock was 'mentioned in despatches' for "gallant conduct in the field 30.4.1916" and The Military Medal was for "bravery in the field". Nothing about the DCM..........still looking!
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry,show life that you have a 1000 reasons to smile
The battalion war diaries at the PRO at Kew could be helpful here. I've looked at maps and read the diaries there for my grandfather's battalion and company for the first morning of the Somme. It's weird being able to trace his precise footsteps with map references etc. He was machine-gunned but survived and his battalion, 9th. London, had massive casualties on that day.
Much depends on how thorough the adjutant of Jack Cock's battalion was in recording events.
Mi equipo, mi corazon
He was onboard the SS Rooseboom (approx 500 military and civilian personnel onboard), a dutch steam ship, being evacuated from Padang, in Singapore, when it was torpedoed by a Japanese submarine (I-59) the 'story' is here on wiki.....http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Rooseboom
Horace Robotham is also on the Thiepval Memorial (Pier and Face 12 D and 13 B). Another soldier with no known grave.
Re Jack Cock, IMO he didn't receive the DCM but was possibly citated for one, but it seems that if too many soldiers were put forward for a DCM, the lower ranks got the MM and the higher ranked got the DCM, so I believe, IMO, he received the MM instead of the DCM.
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry,show life that you have a 1000 reasons to smile
I've updated, on here We Will Remember Them, the players, who played at some time in their career for Brentford FC, that gave their lives in the 2 World Wars.
Any more then please let us know.
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry,show life that you have a 1000 reasons to smile
I think it is great , Paul, that you and others are doing this.
Let us all pay tribute , and remember, the courage, hardships and sacrifices made by these chaps, to help keep us all free...
We remember too, all the Brentford supporters who also served, and sometimes perished, in these wars.
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Given the club's foundation date, were there any from the Boer War?
When the wind of change blows some build walls, others build windmills...
Totally agree Geoff.
I also think it is great that Paul is taking the time to keep the awareness of the the sacrifices of these brave men in the public eye. Especially on this website regarding the ex Brentford players who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
Regarding your last line about the Brentford supporters who would also have served and sometimes perished.I posted something similar on this thread 2 years ago. Lots would have been in the Middlesex Regiment and you only have to look the Regimental History to see that the Diehards were involved in almost every theatre of action in both World Wars. In fact units of the Middlesex were the first to engage the Germans in August 1914,
We will remember them.
Great research. Possibly the club could include these names and a tribute in the Carlisle programme on Saturday week.
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It's because of Mark Chapman & the late Graham Haynes, to name two club researchers, that these players are known. They highlighted the names, in the clubs history books, I just added the extra info to what has been printed, they take the credit. I would hope as Mark has researched, & maybe still is! Players from the clubs earliest years, that he would include those already known for the upcoming Carlisle United game/programme on the 10.11.12.
As I said, there maybe more players still waiting to be researched, a number of players did serve and survived.
As for the Boer War, 1899-1902, again there may well be players who were called up to serve. I believe Pat Hagan possibly served, in the Boer War, I just need to check the online records on ancestry...
When life gives you a 100 reasons to cry,show life that you have a 1000 reasons to smile
They were all volunteers at that time; my Father was one, Northumberland Fusiliers. The 1901 census should help with research. Anyone who was 'in theatre' will have received the Queen's/King's South Africa Medal; see www.angloboerwar.com.
When the wind of change blows some build walls, others build windmills...
Well said Geoff.
Also, of course, we must pay respects to those who continue to make the ultimate sacrifice to bring freedom to other areas of this troubled world.
The utmost respect to all of them, past and present.
Very well said Geoff. Wanderer Paul deserves praise for his unstinting efforts to make sure the memory of those associated with BFC are held in the steem they deserve.
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