The Coming Storm: Test and First-Class Cricketers Killed in World War Two

me.

Preface

I promised to write a memorial book for each year that commemorates the 100th anniversary of the First World War. So far I have done rugby, Into Touch, first-class cricket, Final Wicket, Olympics, The Extinguished Flame, rowing, Hear the Boat Sing, and football, The Final Season. I have now been persuaded to write two about sportsmen killed in the Second World War, this one and The Final Scrum due to be published next year. The idea behind these two books is the same as for the books on the First World War. I want to put flesh onto the bones of the lost. They were not just numbers on a casualty roll listed in some long-forgotten newspaper, but real people with family and friends, people who loved and were loved. I can’t do all of them so I have selected sportsmen. The lives have filled me with both sadness and interest. Some have been easy to research, others not so much. I am always amazed by people’s lives, some modest, some extraordinary, but all fascinating. Thanks to my father I have always loved cricket, so I suppose I have especially enjoyed writing the two books on first-class cricketers killed in both the world wars. I hope you feel the same. If I have made any mistakes – which I am sure with so many biographies I am bound to have done – please feel free to point them out and if I agree I will amend in the next edition. If anyone has any photographs that are missing from this edition I would be pleased to hear from them too. Some photos are not of the best quality either. My policy on this was better a poor photograph than no photograph. Again if you have a better quality one I would be glad to hear from you. It is my personal belief that cricket played before both the First and Second World Wars was the Golden Age. I know some disagree but for me there will never be ages like them. That we lost so much talent, so much promise, before it could be fully developed is one of the saddest legacies of war, whether sporting talent or any other.

N.B. All people identified in group photographs are as you look at the photograph.

Nigel McCrery

1940

Pilot Officer Michael Herbert Anderson

Cambridge University, Free Foresters

Four first-class appearances

RAF 600 Squadron

Died 10 May 1940, aged 23

Right-handed bat/Wicketkeeper

‘The First of the Few’

Michael Anderson was born on 11 December 1916 at Devonport, Devon. He was the son of John Slone Anderson and was educated at Clifton College, Bristol, where he was in the first XI. He also represented Lord’s School against The Rest at Lord’s Cricket Ground in August 1935. The Rest won by five wickets. On 1 October 1935, on leaving Clifton College, Anderson went up to Trinity Cambridge as a pensioner, obtaining his BA in 1938. He later married Priscilla Ann Troughton and they settled in Kingston, Lewes, Sussex.

A decent right-hand bat and above average wicketkeeper, he made four first-class appearances, three for Cambridge University and one for the Free Foresters against Cambridge. He also took part in two minor county matches both for Hertfordshire in 1936 against Norfolk and Lincolnshire. He made his debut for Cambridge against Northamptonshire on 9 June 1937 at F.P. Fenner’s Ground, Cambridge. Northamptonshire won the toss and decided to bat making 257. Anderson caught the Northamptonshire tailender John Edgar Buswell off the bowling of Norman Walter Dransfield Yardley for eight. Cambridge made 387 during their first innings, John Hanbury Pawle making 105. Anderson made 19 not out. In their second innings Northamptonshire made 174. Anderson caught the New Zealander Kenneth Cecil James off the bowling of Desmond Rought-Rought for zero and stumped Buswell off the bowling of Thomas Fraser also for zero. This left Cambridge 47 to win, Anderson making seven of these as Cambridge won the match by nine wickets.

He played his second first-class match for the Free Foresters against Cambridge on 11 June 1938, once again at F.P. Fenner’s, Free Foresters making 636 declared, Edgar Thomas Killick making 124 and Bryan Herbert Valentine 111. Anderson failed to bat due to the declaration. In reply Cambridge made 533, Paul Antony Gibb making 204 and John Ross Thompson 191. In their second innings the Free Foresters made 223. Anderson, batting second, made 60 (his highest first-class score) before being bowled by Bertram Dudley Carris. Running out of time, the match was drawn.

His next match for Cambridge was against Surrey on 15 June 1938 at the Kennington Oval. Surrey won the toss and decided to bat making 512, Edward Walter Whitfield making 198 and Fred Berry 104 not out. Anderson stumped the Surrey opener Laurence Fishlock off the bowling of Michael Kaye for 27. In their first innings Cambridge made 212, Anderson making zero, being caught by the English test cricketer Laurence Fishlock off the bowling of Edward Watts. Following on, Cambridge made 271, Anderson making five before being caught by Frederick Pierpoint off the bowling of Edward Watts once again. Surrey took the match by an innings and 29 runs.

Anderson made his final first-class appearance on 22 June 1938 for Cambridge against Hampshire at the County Ground Southampton. Cambridge won the toss and decided to bat making 330. Anderson opened the batting and was bowled for a duck by Richard Charles Lucy Court. In reply Hampshire made 333, Richard Henry Moore making 128. Anderson took two wickets. He caught Philip Weaver off the bowling of William Rees-Davies for 37 and stumped Clifford Andrews off the bowling of Michael Kaye for 15. Hampshire only needed 93 to take the match and made those quickly, only losing one wicket, that of Arthur Holt, lbw to William Rees-Davies for three. Hampshire won the match by nine wickets.

Anderson also made two minor county appearances for Hertfordshire in June and July 1936 against Norfolk and Lincolnshire.

Anderson joined the Royal Air Force and was commissioned as a pilot officer in 1936 (London Gazette 15 December 1936) training as a pilot and later joining 600 squadron flying Blenheims. On 10 May 1940 the invading Nazis ignored Dutch neutrality when their armies crossed their borders and invaded the Low Countries. The Dutch army, small and ill-trained, was no match for the Germans and their new Blitzkrieg. In order to stop the German’s rapid advance the RAF carried out several sorties. One of these raids was against Waalhaven airfield by 600 Squadron. Waalhaven airfield played an important part in the German Fall Gelb, their plans for the invasion of the Netherlands. The Germans began their bombardment of the airfield at 4am. An hour later, 500 German paratroopers were dropped in and around the airfield and attacked the Dutch positions. The Dutch troops put up a stiff resistance and when the first aircraft full of airborne troops landed the airfield had still not been captured. However with the arrival of reinforcements the airfield was finally captured, as indeed were the airfields at Ypenburg, Ockenburg and Valkenburg, stopping any chance of a counter-attack by the Dutch Air Force. As a result the Dutch requested help from the RAF to bomb the airfields.

Based at RAF Manston in Kent, B-flight of 600 Squadron (City of London) flying the Bristol Blenheim F1 was selected for the attack. With neither the Spitfire nor the Hurricane having the range to operate over the mainland, the Blenheim was converted as a longdistance fighter and equipped with four .303 calibre machine guns. However it was slow, lacked agility and its armament was no match for the German Messerschmitts. Six Blenheims were selected for the assault. Squadron Leader Jimmy Wells decided to lead the attack on Waalhaven himself. Amongst the other crews selected was Pilot Officer Michael H. Anderson, together with his air gunner, Leading Aircraftman Herbert C.W. Hawkins. They flew Bristol Blenheim L1515.

The squadron took off from RAF Manston at 10.30am without the promised fighter escort. Despite this, Wells pressed on. On reaching Waalhaven airfield the squadron attacked. Wells was the first to attack hitting a number of German aircraft. Pilot Officer Hayes: ‘I followed him [Wells] and picked out a Junkers-52 which I shot to pieces.’ Pilot Officer Haine (in L1517) also claimed he set fire to a number of German aircraft. However before they had a chance to cause real damage they were attacked by twelve Messerschmitt Bf110s of Gruppe 3 of Zerstörergeschwader. The men of 600 squadron were outnumbered, outclassed and quickly picked off.

Blenheim L1335 was the first to be shot down, crashing close to Waalhaven airfield; two men died, Moore and Isaacs. Anderson and Hawkins (L1515) were shot down next, crashing at Spijkenisse, both dying in the crash. Squadron Leader Wells’s machine was next (L6616), crashing in the village of Pernis; Wells and Kidd were both killed. Wells’s navigator, Sergeant Davis, managed to bale out and survived, making it to British lines. Another Blenheim crashed at the village of Piershil; Pilot Officer Echlin was killed but Flight Officer Rowe survived thanks to the intervention of Dutch soldiers who got him out of the plane and to hospital where he was later made prisoner of war. Haine crash-landed near the village of Herkingen but managed to evade capture, finally making his way back to England. Only one of the Blenheims made it back to base, that flown by Pilot Officer Hayes and corporal Holmes (L1514); this plane was so badly shot up, it was scrapped. For his part in the raid Anderson was mentioned in despatches.

For many years Anderson and Hawkins lay in unmarked graves, their identities unknown. However in the 1980s, a historian, Hans Onderwater, after extensive research established their identity and headstones were finally placed on their graves at Spijkenisse General Cemetery, grave 26. Every May since the war ended, members of 600 Squadron have travelled to the Netherlands to pay their respects to the seven members of the squadron who died that day.

Batting and fielding averages

Bowling averages

Major Colin Cokayne-Frith

Army

One first-class appearance

15th/19th The King’s Royal Hussars

Died 18 May 1940, aged 40

Right-handed bat

Held the Germans up long enough for the BEF to escape

Colin Cokayne-Frith was born on 27 March 1900 at St Stephen’s House, Canterbury, Kent. He was the son of Lieutenant Colonel Reginald and Pauline Cokayne-Frith. He was educated at Eton where he played in the XI.

On leaving school Firth decided on a career in the Army, going up to Sandhurst. While there he played in the Sandhurst XI against the Royal Military Academy Woolwich.

During the later part of the war Frith served at the front, which he survived. He celebrated the end of the war only forty miles from where he was to be killed during the Second World War.

He made one first-class appearance for the Army against Cambridge University at F.P. Fenner’s Ground, Cambridge, on 7 June 1939. Cambridge won the toss and decided to bat making 411. Frith caught John Thompson off the bowling of Henry Hamilton van Straubenzee for 45. In reply the Army made 537. Frith made 54 before being caught by the England Test player Francis George Mann off the bowling of his brother John Pelham Mann. George Sylvester Grimston made 104 and Charles William Christopher Packe (killed 1 July 1944) 145. In their second innings Cambridge made 149. The match was eventually drawn. Frith played for the Army five times, against the Territorial Army, West Indies, The Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force, but the match against Cambridge University was his only first-class appearance.

Cokayne-Frith is buried in Asse (Mollemsebaan) Communal Cemetery. He is buried next to his crewman 556837 Corporal Kenneth Percival Smith.

Cokayne-Frith was killed together with his tank crew on 18 May 1940 fighting a rearguard action with the 15/19 Hussars during the BEF’s retreat to Dunkirk at a place called Assche. The scene was later described:

As Squadron HQ entered the town, Major Frith’s tank was destroyed by an anti-tank gun and he and all his crew were killed. The rest of the force under Captain Mytton then tried to force a way through Assche and after twenty minutes street fighting they succeeded in retaking nearly half the town and in reaching 4th Troop. By now every AFV of this force had been knocked out and the fighting developed into individual actions by small bodies of survivors. By the end Major Frith and his crew were killed. Captain Mytton and SSM Laing were wounded and taken prisoner, and the main body of the squadron was outnumbered and surrounded.

Before dying Frith managed to warn the remaining squadron that he was surrounded. In the words of Second Lieutenant Guy Courage, Frith ‘never stood a chance’. Frith was the most senior officer of the regiment to be killed that day. He was later mentioned in despatches for his heroic work throughout the retreat.

Batting and fielding averages

Bowling averages

Captain Patrick (Pat) William Rucker

Oxford University

Seven first-class appearances

D Company, 7th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment

Died 20 May 1940, aged 40

Left Arm, Medium Pace

Had the honour of bowling the first, first-class ball following the 1918 Armistice

Patrick Rucker was born on 5 May 1900 at Chislehurst, Kent, the fourth son of Edward Augustus Rucker, sugar broker, and Mary Emmeline (née Farmer). He was educated at Charterhouse, Girdlestoneites House. A decent batsman and fielder he was also a fine leftarm medium bowler and turned out for the first XI playing against Winchester, Harrow, Westminster, Wellington, The Rest against Lord’s School, Eton and Public School’s against P.F. Warner’s XI. He went up to University College, Oxford and made seven first-class appearances all for Oxford University in 1919 and took the honour of bowling the first, first-class ball following the 1918 Armistice.

Rucker made his debut first-class appearance for Oxford against the Gentlemen of England on 12 May 1919 at the University Parks, Oxford. The Gentlemen of England won the toss and decided to bat making 169. Rucker bowled 18 overs and took no wickets for 37. In reply Oxford made 152, Rucker making 17 before being caught by Philip Havelock Davies off the bowling of Humphrey Adam Gilbert. In their second innings the Gentlemen of England made 100, Vincent Price taking eight wickets for 30 runs. This left Oxford needing 120 to take the game, which they did with the loss of only two wickets, Frank William Gilligan for zero and the England test cricketer Donald John Knight for ten. Oxford won by eight wickets.

His second first-class appearance was against the Australian Imperial Forces, once again at the University Parks, Oxford on 29 May 1919. Rucker scored zero in his first innings, bowled Charles Kelleway (who took seven wickets during the innings) once again failing to bat in the second. He also took no wickets for 60 off 17 overs. The match was eventually drawn.

Rucker next turned out for Oxford against P.F. Warner’s XI on 5 June 1919 at the University Parks. Rucker scored one not out in his first innings, and 13 in his second, bowled Michael Falcon. He also took one wicket, Michael Falcon (sweet revenge) for 45 runs off 18 overs in the first innings and no wickets for 17 off four overs in the second. He also had the privilege of catching the famous Pelham (Plum) Warner off the bowling of Frank Naumann for 11. Oxford finally won the match by 30 runs.

On 26 June 1919, Rucker made his first appearance against a county side, Surrey, at the Oval. Rucker scored eight before being run out in his first innings and was one not out in his second. He also took four wickets for 107 off 35 overs. The England test cricketer Andrew Sandham caught Gerald Vyvyan Pearse for 14, Henry Starr Harrison for 13, Frederick Charles William Newman lbw for 19, and Walter Hodsoll Gordon Heath for a duck. Surrey won by 47. The match was also noted for the England test cricket Andrew Ducat’s 306 not out in the first innings.

Rucker next turned out against the MCC at Lord’s on 30 June 1919. Rucker scored five in his first (and only) innings before being bowled by George Cartwright. He also took three wickets for 71 runs off 17 overs during the first innings, the England test cricketer Lionel Tennyson lbw for 30, Harold Marriott for 24 and George Rubens Cox caught Frank Gilligan for 14. In the second innings he took two further wickets, the Surrey opener Lionel Tennyson (once again) stumped Frank Gilligan for 81 and another England test cricketer Nigel Esme Haig lbw for 20. He also caught a further England test cricketer, Ernest Smith, off the bowling of Vincent Price for 27. The match was drawn.

On 3 July 1919 at the Saffrons, Eastbourne, Rucker turned out for Oxford against H.D.G. Leveson-Gower’s XI. He scored zero not out in his only innings. He also bowled 8 overs for 23 runs and took one wicket, that of Basil Frederick Clarke, for 16. The match was noted for the two centuries made by Miles Howell, 115 in the first innings and 102 in his second. The match was eventually drawn.

His final first-class match came against the old rivals Cambridge University at Lord’s on 7 July 1919. Oxford won the toss and decided to bat making 387, Rucker being caught and bowled by Gordon Armytage Fairbairn for zero, Miles Howell the Oxford opener making 170. Cambridge replied making 280 runs, Rucker bowling 12 overs for 50 runs and taking no wickets. In their second innings Oxford made 168, Rucker making three not out. In reply Cambridge made 230, Rucker bowling a further three overs for 12 runs for no wickets. Oxford won by 45 runs; a nice conclusion to his first-class career.

In 1927 Rucker married Betty Stuart Fairweather in Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

In 1939 he was commissioned into the 7th battalion Royal Sussex Regiment joining D company. The battalion was formed in late 1939 and based at Dyke Road Barracks, Brighton. It was sent to France on 18 May 1940, travelling to Abbeville then Lens before moving on to Amiens. While still on their troop train the battalion were subjected to attacks from German dive-bombers, losing around 60 men, 25 of which were killed. At 2pm on 20 May the battalion were attacked by a motorcycle battalion of the 1st Panzer Division under the command of Major von Wietershiem. The 7th battalion were only lightly armed with rifles and fifty rounds per man, three Bren guns, one anti-tank gun with ten rounds, and two mortars equipped with smoke bombs. The battalion held out as long as it could, destroying an enemy tank and slowing the German advance, but with ammunition almost spent and casualties mounting the battalion were ordered to surrender at 7.15pm. It was during this action that Captain Pat Rucker was killed. Although at first reported missing in action his death was later assumed to have taken place on that day. Casualties were so high the battalion was disbanded.

Pat Rucker is commemorated on the Dunkirk Memorial, column 63, and at Charterhouse School; 340 Carthusians lost their lives during the Second World War). As a long time member of the MCC, Patrick is also one of the 282 members who are commemorated on a memorial at Lord’s, which was unveiled by Field-Marshall Lord Bramall KG GCB OBE MC on 9 August 2005.

His brother Lieutenant Robin Sinclair Rucker was killed serving with the RAF on 12 October 1918. He also went to Charterhouse and was in the first XI. He played an innings of 122 and headed the batting averages in 1915.

Survivors of the 7th battalion made commemorative trips to France up to 2000. Later a memorial to the battalion was erected by the City of Amiens authorities at the site of the battle.

Batting and fielding averages

Bowling averages

Charterhouse First XI, 1917.

Pilot Officer Reginald Edmund Compton Butterworth

Middlesex, Oxford University, Sir J. Cahn’s XI, H.D.G.

Leveson-Gower’s XI

Thirty-eight first-class appearances

13 Squadron RAFVR

(Air-Gunner)

Died 21 May 1940, aged 33

Right-hand bat/Right arm fast medium

‘And all the brothers were valiant’

Reginald Butterworth was born on 16 August 1906 at Samarang, Java. He was the son of Reginald Butterworth, a merchant and broker, and Cornelia Gertrud Wellenstein. He had an older brother, John, born in 1905 and a sister Dorothy born in 1910.

He was educated at Harrow and was soon playing for the first XI. During the annual match against Eton on 11 July 1924 at Lord’s he took five wickets for 66 off 26 overs in the first innings and three wickets for 41 off 23 overs in the second. He also made 42 before being caught by David Fortune Landale off the bowling of Ralph Cobbold during the first innings and 17 not out in the second. Despite Butterworth’s best efforts the match was eventually drawn (there is a video of this match on YouTube). Butterworth eventually became head of school.

After leaving Harrow he went up to Christchurch Oxford and was quickly in the University XI. Between May 1926 and May 1939 he made thirty-eight first-class appearances, his debut being against H.D.G. Leveson-Gower’s XI on 19 May 1926 at the University Parks, Oxford. Oxford won the toss and decided to bat making 300 in their first innings, Butterworth making the highest score with 79 before being bowled by John Mercer. In reply Leveson-Gower’s XI made 202. Butterworth bowled 16 overs for 27 and took two wickets, Robert Lyttleton Lee Braddell for six and John Mercer for seven. He also caught Francis Peter Ryan off the bowling of John Wilfrid Greenstock for zero. In their second innings Oxford also made 202, Butterworth making one not out. In their second innings Leveson-Gower’s XI made 132. Butterworth bowled 12 overs for 29 and took no further wickets. Oxford took the match by 168 runs.

Butterworth went on to represent Oxford University against the Australians, Army, Free Foresters, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Harlequins, Surrey, Essex, and MCC, making his final university match against Cambridge on 4 July 1927 at Lord’s. Cambridge won the toss and elected to bat making 178. Butterworth bowled 11 overs for 42 runs, taking one wicket, that of Ralph Hamilton Cobbold lbw for three. In reply Oxford University made 149, Butterworth making zero before being bowled by Longfield (Longfield took five wickets during the innings). In their second innings Cambridge made 349, Arthur Kenneth Judd making 124. Butterworth bowled 18 overs for 89 runs and failed to take a wicket. Oxford made 262 in their second innings, Butterworth making 12 before being caught by the England test player Robert Walter Vivian Robins off the bowling of Leonard George Irvine. Errol Reginald Thorold Holmes, another English test cricketer made 113.

A good all-round sportsman Butterworth also played golf for Oxford.

It wasn’t until 2 July 1930 that Butterworth played his next first-class match, this time for the MCC against Cambridge at Lord’s. He made three and zero and failed to take a wicket. Cambridge took the match by ten wickets. He went on to play for the MCC against the Army, Surrey, and being selected for the MCC tour of Ireland played against Ireland on 4 August 1934 at College Park, Dublin (he played in several other matches but they were not first-class).

Selected to play for Middlesex he made his debut first-class county appearance against Warwickshire at Lord’s on 15 May 1935. Warwickshire won the toss and decided to bat making 164. In reply Middlesex made 112, Butterworth, who opened the innings, being caught by Frederick Santall off the bowling of Robert Elliott Storey Wyatt for a duck. In reply Warwickshire made 253 declared, Alfred John William Croom making 101. In their second innings Middlesex made 161. Once again Butterworth opened the innings, being bowled by Joseph Herbert Mayer for two. Warwickshire won by 144 runs. Butterworth went on to play for Middlesex against Kent, Somerset, Yorkshire, Sussex, Northamptonshire, Sussex, Gloucestershire, Lancashire, New Zealand and Nottinghamshire. Butterworth also made three first-class appearances for Sir J. Cahn’s XI against Leicestershire, Glamorgan and Ceylon during Sir J. Cahn’s XI tour of Ceylon and Malaya between in 1937.

Butterworth made his final first-class appearance for the MCC against Yorkshire. The match took place from 6 May 1939 at Lord’s. Yorkshire won the toss and decided to field. The MCC made 92, Butterworth making 11 before being bowled by Ellis Robinson (who took seven wickets in the innings). In reply Yorkshire made 148. In their second innings the MCC made 114, Butterworth making two before being caught by the England test cricketer Arthur Wood (Wisden cricketer of the year 1939) off the bowling of the famous England test cricketer Hedley Verity (who was also to lose his life during the war). Verity took no less than nine wickets during the innings. Yorkshire now only had to make 59 which they knocked off quickly for the loss of only one wicket, that of another famous English test cricketer, Herbert Sutcliffe. Yorkshire won by nine wickets.

Butterworth also made fifty-two appearances in matches that were not first-class, playing for G.B. Legge’s XI, the Free Foresters, Sir J. Cahn’s XI, and others. During his first-class career Butterworth made 1,189 runs including two centuries and six half centuries. He also bowled 3,502 balls taking fifty wickets for 2,079 runs, his best figures being three for eleven. He also made 15 catches.

Living in Chelsea, he married Elisabeth Werner, of Putney.

On 5 March 1940 he was commissioned into the RAF as a pilot officer on probation and posted to 13 squadron RAF Volunteer Reserve as an air gunner flying in Lysanders. During the early stages of the war Lysanders were used as spotters and light bombers. Lightly armed, they made easy targets for the German Luftwaffe. The squadron moved to France on 2 October 1939. Flying with Flight Lieutenant (Pilot) Richard H.N. Graham on a liaison flight he was shot down and killed over St Omer and crashed in St Martin-au-Laert on 21 May 1940.

He is buried in the St Martin au Laert churchyard, grave 2. His name also appears on the MCC Roll of Honour, the Christchurch Oxford Memorial and the Harrow School memorial.

His brother John, a well-known and talented cricketer, also played for Oxford. He was killed at Shooter’s Hill, London on 18 March 1941 when serving as a 2nd Lieutenant with the Royal Artillery 160 Battery. He is buried in Greenwich Cemetery, section G, collective grave 74, screen wall panel 1

Batting and fielding averages

Bowling averages

Heverlee War Cemetery, Leuven, Belgium.

Corporal Alec Douglas Howie

Army (India)

One first-class appearance

1st Battalion East Surrey Regiment

Died 22 May 1940, aged 26

Right-hand bat/Left arm medium

Died defending Dunkirk

Alec Howie was born on 3 September 1913 in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. He was the son of Charles Thomas and Ethel Muriel Howie. After finishing his education, he enlisted into the ranks of the 1st Battalion East Surrey Regiment.

Howie made one first-class appearance playing for the Army against Northern India in the Ranji Trophy. The match was played at the Lawrence Gardens, Lahore, on 4 December 1934. The Army won the toss and decided to bat making 203. Howie made 16 before being caught by George Edmond Brackenbury Abell off the bowling of Mubarak Ali. In reply Northern India made 459 with Abell making 210 and Agha Ahmed Raza Khan 101. Howie bowled three overs for 14 and took no wickets. In their second innings the Army made 204, Howie making 33 before being bowled by Ahmed Khan. Northern India won by an innings and 52 runs.

By the outbreak of the war in September 1939 the 1st Battalion East Surrey Regiment had returned to England. In October they were sent to France with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) as part of the 11th Infantry Brigade (which also included the 2nd Battalion East Surreys, Lancashire Fusiliers and the 1st battalion Ox and Bucks Light Infantry) attached to the 4th Infantry Division.

In May 1940, the 1st Battalion advanced into Belgium but were driven back by the force of the German Blitzkrieg. Although they managed to hold a line at the River Escaut (the Scheldt) it was only a temporary defence and the battalion was eventually withdrawn to the coast at Dunkirk to be withdrawn back to England. It was during the fighting around the River Escaut on 22 May 1940 that the brave Alec Howie was to lose his life. He is buried in Heverlee War Cemetery, grave reference 3.D.1.

Batting and fielding averages

Bowling averages

Lieutenant William Mark Welch

Free Foresters

Four first-class appearances

1st Battalion Rifle Brigade

Died 25 May 1940, aged 29

Right-handed bat/Right arm medium, right arm off break

‘Died so the BEF could escape’

William Welch was born on 12 August 1911 in Brisbane, Australia. He was the son of William Alfred and Jessie Isabella (née Mark) of Brisbane. At some point he was sent to England by his parents to be educated at Harrow. A good all-round sportsman he quickly established himself with the Harrow first XI. In the Eton Harrow match at Lord’s on 13 July 1928 Welch almost won the day, the first time Harrow would have beaten Eton since 1908 (most matches were drawn). Winning the toss Eton elected to bat making 126. Welch bowled five overs for three and took two wickets, Cecil Henry Gosling, caught and bowled for 22, and Ian Archibald de Hoghton Lyle, clean bowled for nine. In reply Harrow made 234, Welch making 70 not out, the highest score of the innings. At this stage things were looking good for a Harrow win. In their second innings however, Eton made 415, Ian Stanley Akers-Douglas knocking up an impressive 158. Welch bowled 13 overs for 77 and failed to take a wicket. In reply Harrow made 279, Welch making 36 before being stumped by John Mayhew off the bowling of Arthur Hazlerigg who cut through the Harrow batsmen taking five for 73. Eton finally took the honours by 28 runs (after six draws).

Welch was also first string at racquets, received his colours for rugby, and was a firstclass athlete. He was also a sergeant in the Harrow army cadets and later with the Officer Training Corps, being commissioned first into the 28th Battalion London Regiment (Artist’s Rifles) before joining the 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade.

Welch made four first-class appearances, all for the Free Foresters, between 1935 and 1939 and all against Cambridge University.

Welch made his debut for the Free Foresters against Cambridge on 8 June 1935 at F.P. Fenner’s Ground. Cambridge won the toss and elected to bat making a decent 265, Hugh Tryon Bartlett making 100. Welch did well, bowling 18 overs for 43 and taking five wickets. Hugh Dinwiddy caught Spencer Block for 24; Grahame Wilshaw Parker, lbw for 23; Hugh Bartlett caught John Stephenson for 100; James Grimshaw (KIA 26-9-44) caught Arthur Judd for 11; and finally Frank King clean bowled for a duck. In reply the Free Foresters made 389, Welch making 37 before being caught by James Grimshaw off the bowling of Robert Hunt. In their second innings Cambridge were all out for 195. Welch bowled 15 overs for 49 but failed to take a wicket. This time it was Frederick Brown that did the damage, taking six Cambridge wickets for 67. Welch did however catch the England test cricketer, Norman Yardley, off the bowling of Frederick Brown for a duck. This left the Free Foresters 72 to win, which they did for the loss of three wickets, taking the match by seven wickets.

Welch had to wait a year to make his second first-class appearance, once again against Cambridge, played on 13 June 1936 at F.P. Fenner’s. Cambridge won the toss and elected to bat making 228, Hugh Bartlett making 129. Welch took one wicket, that of John Cameron, lbw for 11. The real damage was done by the English test cricketer Frederick Brown (awarded MBE in 1942 for his work in the evacuation of Crete and CBE in 1980 for his services to cricket), who took seven wickets for 88. The Free Foresters made 335 in their first innings, Welch making three before being bowled by Duncan Smart Carmichael (Carmichael took six wickets for 103 during the innings). Cambridge only managed 132 in their second innings before they ran out of time and the match was drawn. Welch bowled four overs for six and failed to take a wicket.

A year later on 12 June 1937 Welch once again represented the Free Foresters against Cambridge, once again at F.P. Fenner’s. Cambridge won the toss and this time decided to field. The Free Foresters made 231, Welch making 26 before being caught by Norman Yardley off the bowling of William Michael Eastwood White. In reply Cambridge made 292, John Pawle making 115 not out. Welch bowled ten overs taking one wicket for 27, Allan Frederick Tinsdale White, caught Spencer Block for three. In their second innings the Free Foresters made 257, Welch being run out for zero. Batting again, Cambridge made 105 before running out of time. Welch bowled ten overs for nine and took the wicket of Norman Yardley caught Geoffrey Cuthbertson for 19. The match was drawn.

Welch made his final first-class appearance two years later on 10 June 1939 against Cambridge at F.P. Fenner’s. Free Foresters won the toss and decided to bat making 287. Welch made an impressive 104, his highest first-class score before being caught by John Mann off the bowling of Derek Gillespie. In reply Cambridge made 339. Welch bowled ten overs but took no wickets for 58. In their second innings the Free Foresters made 202; Welch failed to bat. The match was once again drawn.

Welch also represented the Harrow Wanderers, the MCC and H.M. Martineau’s XI. Welch bowled 476 balls and took eight wickets for 221 runs, his best figures being five for 43; he made 170 runs, his highest score being 104 against Cambridge; he also made one catch.

The 1st Battalion Rifle Brigade was moved to France quickly as reinforcements to help in the defence of Dunkirk and Calais. On 21 May 1940 they were being dispersed in Suffolk villages to help with the defence of England when they received orders to travel to Southampton, boarding SS Archangel and disembarking at Calais. Heavy fighting quickly ensued. Lieutenant Welch with B Company was originally posted at the Dunkirk exit. However on 23 May the British, faced by the elite 10th Panzer