LEST WE FORGET

Today is the Centenary of the start of the battle of the Somme. It marks a hundred years since history's most bloody and desperate battle, fought by British troops. During the early part of the First World War football continued to be played by the professionals in Britain, The FA believed that the game would "relieve the people's sorrow, strain, pain and depression". It also was seen as a recruiting device, which worked. Many objected to this and Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle stated that "if footballers have the strength of limb, let them serve and march in the field of battle". King George V was encouraged to resign as Patron of the FA.

Players selfishly were concerned about their contracts, after all it was their career, club directors were worried about money and the banks and the law. It was early days. Inevitably attendances plummeted and some clubs, like Heart of Midlothian were having their best ever seasons, after playing second fiddle to Rangers and Celtic. The last thing they wanted was to lose their momentum. But the Hearts players joined the 16th (2nd Edinburgh) Service Batttalion, Royal Scots and bravely fought.

In England by December 1914, the 17th Service Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment, infantry, was formed and known as the Football Pals Battalion.
In June 1915 the 23rd Service Battalion was formed known as the 2nd Football Battalion.

William Joynson-Hicks (Viscount Brentford, politician and later Home Secretary) formed the Battalion at Fulham Town Hall and it quickly attracted 30 footballers including the now legendary the international, Frank Buckley, later to be one of the great thinkers of the emerging modern game. He was the first to sign up. Joining him was Northampton's Walter Tull, who won an MC and was the first black infantry officer, fighting for the 17th.

Players were given leave to return to their clubs on Saturdays although the Army was not prepared to pay their fares! By March, 122 professionals out of 1800 contracted professionals were in the 17th Service Battalion. This included all of the then Clapton Orient team (later Leyton Orient). From Scotland all of the Heart of Midlothian club. Officials, referees and others joined the Royal Scots, hoping to be part of the glory!

Old Carthusian, Alan Roderick Haig-Brown was a teacher and officer in the Lancing College OTC, a school on the Sussex Coast. He joined the 23rd on New Year's day 1916 as second in command and later won the DSO before being killed in France on 25th March 1918.
A pupil at Charterhouse and a 1st Xi footballer, he later played for Cambridge University and the Corinthians between 1898-99, then Tottenham briefly in 1901-3, Brighton and Hove Albion (1903) and Clapton Orient (1905).

Alan's father was William Haig-Brown who was responsible for bringing Charterhouse out of London to the Surrey countryside and Godalming, in 1872. Alan's wife was part of the Pope Brewery family from Dorset and son Roderick was only 10 years old when his father perished in the war. He did not get into football, but was inspired by a family friend, Thomas Hardy, to study and write on nature and he became a conservationist.

The battalion fought at Delville Wood, Guillemont and at the Somme losing over a 1000 men and in 1917 there were 464 casualties alone at the Battle of Arras.

"Pals" Battalions formed all over the country based on old boys of schools, artistic interests, various skills, businesses, clubs and from towns. This idea however was changed when the recruiters realised that too many young men from one skill base, talent or region were being lost.

During the war Charterhouse boys played matches against local groups of soldiers station nearby. Aldershot was not far and opposition included the Artists' Rifles, The Scots' Cyclists, 125th Canadian Battalion and the Royal Military College Sandhurst.
What a waste. Below is Gareth Ainsworth at a Footballers' memorial in France. Here's more history!
http://www.footballandthefirstworldwar.org/alan-haig-brown-service-record/