I missed that game as well i was only 20 days old
-
Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.
We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
Aston Villa club history
- Thread starter Old Boy
- Start date
Keith R
master brummie
Blimey collectors items...especially Numbers 0000 and 0001 train tickets...
Teams in 1887 and 1912-13. I expect some, if not all of those in the 1912 team, served during WW1.
Villa players that served during WW1:
J. Bache, T. Barber, A. Dyke, H. Hampton, S. Hardy, B. Morris, F. Moss, C. Stephenson, J. Stephenson, C. Wallace, T. Weston, T. Whittaker, R. Black, L. Bowker, F. Buckley, R. Chandler, S. Doncaster, A. Evans, W. George, A. Green, H. Henshall, G. Hunter, A. MacLachlan, A. Moss, C. Millington, T. Niblo, E. Parsons, L. Skiller, D. Sloley, H. Smart, J. Walters, J. Windmill, E. Woods.
Villa Players who died in WW1:
W. Bowker (Gunner WILLIAM BOWKER RGA was killed in action at Arras), W. Kimberley (Pte WALTER KIMBERLEY was a reservist and went to France soon after the outbreak of war, he was taken prisoner in fighting which preceded the battle of the Marne and sent into Germany, where he remained for many months, contracting consumption of which he died), A. Rogers (Pte ALBERT ROGERS - He enlisted in the Footballers' Battalion and was transferred to the East Surreys. Killed in action in France. ) Dr. L. Roose (Lance Corporal Leigh Richmond Roose - Royal Fusiliers, previously Royal Army Medical Corps. Killed in Action in France/Flanders), J. Watkins (a local amateur of whom Villa had very high hopes. He joined up early in the war and took commissioned rank, but was, Killed in Action in France), H. Dobson (Private H.A. DOBSON enlisted in the 1/5 North Staffordshires and went out to France. He was was quickly in action and within three weeks of his arrival in France he was reported missing. He was subsequently reported missing on March 21 1918., W. Gerrish (Pte WILLIAM GERRISH joined the Footballers' Battalion and was killed in the attack at Guillemont in the battle of the Somme). F. Hargrave (Gunner Joseph Frederick .Royal Garrison Artillery - Killed in Action in France/Flanders).
J. Bache, T. Barber, A. Dyke, H. Hampton, S. Hardy, B. Morris, F. Moss, C. Stephenson, J. Stephenson, C. Wallace, T. Weston, T. Whittaker, R. Black, L. Bowker, F. Buckley, R. Chandler, S. Doncaster, A. Evans, W. George, A. Green, H. Henshall, G. Hunter, A. MacLachlan, A. Moss, C. Millington, T. Niblo, E. Parsons, L. Skiller, D. Sloley, H. Smart, J. Walters, J. Windmill, E. Woods.
Villa Players who died in WW1:
W. Bowker (Gunner WILLIAM BOWKER RGA was killed in action at Arras), W. Kimberley (Pte WALTER KIMBERLEY was a reservist and went to France soon after the outbreak of war, he was taken prisoner in fighting which preceded the battle of the Marne and sent into Germany, where he remained for many months, contracting consumption of which he died), A. Rogers (Pte ALBERT ROGERS - He enlisted in the Footballers' Battalion and was transferred to the East Surreys. Killed in action in France. ) Dr. L. Roose (Lance Corporal Leigh Richmond Roose - Royal Fusiliers, previously Royal Army Medical Corps. Killed in Action in France/Flanders), J. Watkins (a local amateur of whom Villa had very high hopes. He joined up early in the war and took commissioned rank, but was, Killed in Action in France), H. Dobson (Private H.A. DOBSON enlisted in the 1/5 North Staffordshires and went out to France. He was was quickly in action and within three weeks of his arrival in France he was reported missing. He was subsequently reported missing on March 21 1918., W. Gerrish (Pte WILLIAM GERRISH joined the Footballers' Battalion and was killed in the attack at Guillemont in the battle of the Somme). F. Hargrave (Gunner Joseph Frederick .Royal Garrison Artillery - Killed in Action in France/Flanders).
Last edited:
As always, it's desperately sad to see so many young lives cut short. AV seems to have had their fair share of casualties. And so many of them with promising sporting careers.
John you also answered another question for me that there was a Footballers' Battalion. So, thanks.
Does AVFC have a memorial with named casualties/footballers who served ?
John you also answered another question for me that there was a Footballers' Battalion. So, thanks.
Does AVFC have a memorial with named casualties/footballers who served ?
Last edited:
lmr3103
master brummie
I read a story a while back about a young man who had lived a stone's throw from the Villa ground and had worked as a groundsman there. He'd sadly been killed in the First World War.
Not only was it some of the Villa Players that lost their lives in the War but also many of the fans who'd attended the matches before war broke out, and sadly met the same fate.
Not only was it some of the Villa Players that lost their lives in the War but also many of the fans who'd attended the matches before war broke out, and sadly met the same fate.
Last edited:
Villa were actually known back then Vivienne, as a "lucky club" because they lost comparably less players than several other football clubs during WW1. I'm not aware of the club having a memorial, but they do designate the last home match before Remembrance Sunday each year as our Remembrance fixture, prior to which there is a minutes silence and the last post is sounded. Here are photograph below from this year's game against Fulham, the second of which shows the poppy worn on the player's shirts on the day:
