LEYTON ORIENT FOOTBALL CLUB
SUPPORTERS' ASSOCIATION'S VISIT
TO THE SOMME BATTLEFIELDS,
JULY 2011.
Available on YouTube
The crates of Shells, shown in the video (above),
are ploughed up every year by farmers on The Somme.
Over a Century later, these Shells continue to explode
and cause death every year.
In July 2011, the Leyton Orient Football Club Supporters' Association went to The Somme Battlefields, France.
They went there to pay their respects, and to lay wreaths of remembrance, to three Leyton Orient (at the time called “Clapton Orient”) Footballers who fell at The Battle of The Somme, whilst serving in the 17th Middlesex Battalion, in
July 1916. The three Footballers, whose names feature on
the Memorial mentioned in this Article, were:
Private William Jonas (killed in Delville Wood);
George Scott (who died of wounds in a
German Military Hospital at Le Cateau);
Company Sergeant Major Richard McFadden
(Military Medal), who was killed near Serre.
Clapton Orient’s ace goal scorer,
Company Sergeant Major Richard McFadden
(Military Medal), who was killed, near Serre.
Illustration: FOOTBALL AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR
“They Took The Lead”.
The story of Clapton Orient’s (now Leyton Orient’s) major contribution to The Footballers’ Battalions in The Great War.
Author: Stephen Jenkins.
Available at
The Supporters’ Association had raised funds for a Memorial to be erected to commemorate all The Fallen from the
17th Middlesex Regiment and the 23rd Middlesex Regiment
(The Footballers’ Battalions) “Who Served their Game and their Country in The Great War”.
“I knew nothing of Professional Footballers
when I took over this Battalion.
But I have learned to value them.
I would go anywhere with such men.
Their “esprit de corps” was amazing.
This feeling was mainly due to Football -
the link of fellowship which bound them together.
Football has a wonderful grip on these men
and on The Army generally”.
Colonel H. T. Fenwick.
Commanding Officer,
17th Middlesex Regiment
1915 - 1917.
THE FOOTBALLERS’ BATTALIONS.
There is an Article on “The Footballers’ Battalions”
on Wikipedia. It can be read HERE
The Story of Clapton Orient in The First World War can be read at FOOTBALL AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR
The Memorial
commemorating “The Footballers’ Battalion”,
Delville Wood, The Somme, France.
Illustration: PINTEREST
