Football Battalion


The 17th Battalion, Middlesex Regiment was an infantry battalion of the Middlesex Regiment, part of the British Army, which was formed as a Pals battalion during the Great War. The core of the battalion was a group of professional footballers, which was the reason for its most commonly used name, The Football Battalion. The 23rd Battalion, Middlesex Regiment was formed in June 1915 and became known as the 2nd Football Battalion. The battalions fought in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 among others. Soldiers who fought in the 17th and 23rd Battalions included Second Lieutenant Walter Tull, who was possibly the first black infantry officer in the British Army.

History

17th (Service Battalion)

During the First World War there had been an initial push by clubs for professional football to continue, in order to keep the public's spirits up. This stance was not widely agreed with and public opinion turned against professional footballers. One soldier, serving in France, wrote to a British newspaper to complain that "hundreds of thousands of able-bodied young roughs were watching hirelings playing football" while others were serving their country. The suggestion was even made that King George V should cease being a patron of The Football Association.
William Joynson-Hicks formed the battalion on 12 December 1914 at Fulham Town Hall after Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener, suggested it as part of the Pals battalion scheme. England international Frank Buckley became the first player to join, out of thirty players who signed up at its formation. The formation was announced to the general public on 1 January 1915.
During training, the players were allowed leave on a Saturday to return to their clubs to take part in games. However, the clubs found themselves having to subsidise the train fares as the Army did not pay for them.
By March 1915, 122 professional footballers had signed up for the battalion, which led to press complaints as there were some 1800 eligible footballers. These recruits included 41 players, staff and supporters of Clapton Orient and 16 Heart of Midlothian players signed up for the 16th Royal Scots. In addition to footballers, officials and referees also joined the 17th, along with football fans themselves. Many football players deliberately chose to avoid the battalion by joining other regiments, causing the War Office to initially have difficulties filling the battalion.
A number of decorations were issued to the soldiers with the battalion. Lyndon Sandoe, of Cardiff City, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal with bar, and the Military Medal. The battalion suffered heavy losses, including at the Battle of Delville Wood and the Battle of Guillemont during the Battle of the Somme. During the First World War, the battalion lost more than a thousand men, including 462 in one battle alone at the Battle of Arras in 1917.
The 17th was assigned to the 6th Infantry Brigade, part of the 2nd Infantry Division.

23rd (Service Battalion)

A second football battalion, the 23rd Battalion was formed in June 1915. Former Tottenham Hotspur and Clapton Orient footballer Alan Haig-Brown was appointed commanding officer in September 1916.
The 23rd was assigned to the 123rd Brigade, part of the
41st Division.

Legacy

A memorial to the Football Battalion was unveiled in 2010 in Longueval, France. It was attended by members of the Football Supporters' Federation and representatives of more than 20 clubs. It had been paid for through donations received from football supporters having been promoted by former professional footballer and SAS soldier Phil Stant. The ceremony was conducted by Father Owen Beament of Millwall and a two-minute silence was initiated by Gareth Ainsworth.
A granite memorial to the three Clapton Orient players who died in the Battle of the Somme whilst members of the battalion was unveiled in 2011, located in the village of Flers, Northern France. Over 200 Leyton Orient supporters travelled for the unveiling, which commemorated the lives of Richard McFadden, William Jonas and George Scott. A second memorial to commemorate the Clapton Orient side that served on the Somme, was installed and dedicated at the National Memorial Arboretum on Sunday, 23 October 2022. The memorial was unveiled by former O's captain Dean Smith and Stephen Jenkins, chairman of the O's Somme Memorial Fund.

Key

  • Players listed in bold won full international caps.

    Playing positions

Soldiers

Officers

RankNameNationalityPositionClub prior to enlistmentBattalionWartime death dateWartime death placeDecorationsNotesRef
Lt ColORClapton Orient23rdNord-Pas-de-Calais, FranceDSO, MiD
Maj'DFBradford City17th———
CptWHCroydon Common17th——MC
CptOFSouth Farnborough17thSomme, FranceMC and Bar
Cpt'CFChelsea17th———
2nd LtIF/HBNorthampton Town17th, 23rdNord-Pas-de-Calais, FranceMiD

Senior non-commissioned officers

RankNameNationalityPositionClub prior to enlistmentBattalionWartime death dateWartime death placeDecorationsNotesRef
CSMFBNottingham Forest17th———
CSMFWClapton Orient17thSomme, FranceMM
CSMHBChesterfield17thPas-de-Calais, FranceMiD
CSMLyndon SandoeFBCardiff City17th——DCM and Bar, MM
CSgtORReading17th———
CSgtFWClapton Orient17th———
SgtWHPlymouth Argyle17thSomme, FranceMM
SgtFBFulham17th———
SgtIFClapton Orient17th———
SgtLBClapton Orient17th———
SgtLHClapton Orient17th———
SgtOLExeter City17th———

SgtCHManchester City17th———
SgtRHPlymouth Argyle17th———
SgtCHNottingham Forest17th———
SgtWHBristol Rovers17th———
SgtIFCroydon Common17th———
SgtWHManchester United23rd———
SgtILStockport County17thDelville Wood, France—
SgtHB/LBSouthend United17th———
Act SgtLBBrighton & Hove Albion17th———
Act Sgt'DFCardiff City17th———
Lce Sgt'CFHuddersfield Town17th———
Lce SgtORNorwich City17th———

Junior non-commissioned officers

RankNameNationalityPositionClub prior to enlistmentBattalionWartime death dateWartime death placeDecorationsNotesRef
CplCHQueens Park Rangers17thBruay-la-Buissière, France—
Cpl|variant=1783Sortname|George|Ford|George Ford ENGSortname|David|Gray|nolink=1SCOSfn|Riddoch|Kemp|2010|p=53sortname|Jimmy|HugallENGSortname|George|Pyke|George Woolston Pyke ENGSortname|Arthur|Roe|Arthur Roe ENGSortname|George|Saunders|nolink=1Sortname|Billy|SpittleENGSortname|Sandy|TurnbullSCODeath date and age|1917|5|3|1884|7|df=y|30Sortname|William|Krug|nolink=1ENGENGSortname|Charlie|Bell|Charlie Bell SCOSortname|Fred|Bullock|dab=footballerENGSortname|Charles|Bunyan, Sr.ENGSortname|Herbert|Dersley|nolink=1ENGSortname|Edward|Foord|nolink=1ENGSortname|Pat|GallacherSCOSortname|Norman|Holmes|dab=footballerENGSortname|Robert|Houston|nolink=1Sfn|Riddoch|Kemp|2010|p=297Sortname|Tom|Pearson|nolink=1Sortname|Henry|PenniferENGSortname|Sidney|WheelhouseENGDeath date and age|1916|9|19|1888|df=y