Report by: Melita Stone, Friends of the Aldershot Military Museum
Report on Aldershot Militaria Society Talk on Thursday 30th July 2015, given to its Members and attended by a good number of our FAMM Members.
The local historian Tim Richardson gave a very interesting talk on the Riot by Canadian Soldiers in 1919 at Epsom. The scenes around the local public house, police station and the nearby holding camp for some hundreds of Canadian soldiers, were well described by Tim, and illustrated with ‘then and now’ photos.
There had been a sluggishness on the part of the British Authorities to provide the necessary repatriation transport for Canadian soldiers. This meant at the end of WW1 in November 1918, there were several Holding Camps for Canadian soldiers around the country, they were cooped up, desperate to get home, and had nothing to do. Unfortunately, this “Riot” in Epsom was sparked by a single incident at a public house which got out of hand. A deteriorating and noisy situation from a public house with the usual one local constable intervening, to the loss of control by the local Police Force at the local station, as well as the British and Canadian Officers at the Camp. On hearing the noise and the news of ‘one of their own’ involved, soldiers from the camp en masse came into town and got embroiled. The outcome was local policeman Sergeant Green, receiving a fatal blow, with seven Canadian soldiers ending up in Court, and a Police Station wrecked –it was the home of the Inspector, his wife and nine children as well. The murder charges were dropped subsequently. Many years later in Canada, one ex-soldier did admit hitting Sergeant Green. However, possibly a factor, with a Royal visit to Canada due, and to avoid repercussions, the outcome was the prompt repatriation of all Canadian soldiers.
News on the Surrey Infantry Museum Collection. Update on the Clandon Park Fire. Tim Richardson then spoke briefly about a positive aspect resulting from the devastating fire and how it affected the Surrey Infantry Museum Collection which was housed there. Here is what he has written in more detail:-
On 29th April 2015 a fire broke out in the National Trust House, Clandon Park in Surrey. The devastating blaze reduced the property to a shell. As well as the treasures lost in the main house, so too, was the collection of the Surrey Infantry Museum displayed in the basement. One of the items held there was the Neville football. An ordinary leather ball purchased with 3 others in Surrey before the battle of the Somme. The balls were bought by Captain Billy Neville of the 8th Battalion the East Surrey Regiment, part of the 18th Division. Neville came up with the idea that if his men kicked the footballs towards the German front line, as they began their assault, it would take their minds off what they faced. The attack was the first day of the Battle of the Somme on Saturday 1st July 1916.
At 7.30 am, whistles blew and the British Army climbed out of their trenches and advanced towards the enemy lines. In the southern section was the Surrey’s target the village of Montauban. Billy Neville kicked off a ball into No Man’s Land. The attack by the 18th Division was one of the few successes that day. Over 60,000 British Soldiers were casualties, 20,000 died. Billy Neville was one of those who fell that day. He lies at rest, the final whistle blown.
Two of the footballs were recovered and returned to the East Surreys Regimental Depot in Kingston on Thames. The British Press lauded the Surreys, the German Press said the English did not take war seriously, it’s not a game.
Of the two balls, one was lost at Clandon, which was, of course, in the best condition, the other is in the National Football Museum in Manchester, a relic.
On 1st July 2015 an Edwardian style replica leather football was purchased. That ball will be carried by WW1 re-enactors marching over two days on the first anniversary of the Clandon fire, the 29th and 30th April 2016 from Guildford, the old depot town of the Queens West Surrey Regiment to Kingston on Thames, the depot town of the Queens West Surrey Regiment to Kingston on Thames, the depot town of the East Surreys.
On Friday 1st July 2016 the ball will be kicked off where Billy kicked the original. Billy and those Surrey footballers of the Somme will not be forgotten.
Copyright © 2015 Melita Stone.