As is the case yearly, there will probably be respects paid earlier than our residence sport that falls closest to the 11 November date. Therefore, the Premier League match towards Leicester Metropolis on Sunday 10 November would be the 2024/25 sport in query.
Right here, with the assistance of the Manchester United Museum at Previous Trafford, we pay tribute to the boys who performed for our soccer membership after which perished in warfare…
BOER WAR
Driver 12690 Gilbert Godsmark | Military Service Corps (att. seventy fifth Battery Royal Discipline Artillery) | Newton Heath 1900
Though he wasn’t a serving soldier when he joined Newton Heath, Godsmark was known as up simply months later as a former soldier at a time of nationwide emergency. Thought to be fairly a prospect on the soccer pitch, having been noticed by ex-Heathens ahead Bob Donaldson whereas enjoying in Kent, the 25-year-old succumbed to illness whereas serving in Pretoria.
WORLD WAR I
Sergeant 11677 Arthur Beadsworth | seventh (Service) Battalion Leicestershire Regiment | Manchester United 1902-03
One among many gamers signed within the first season after the membership’s title was modified to Manchester United, the ahead from Leicester made 9 league appearances for the Reds – scoring the winner towards Arsenal on his debut. Having beforehand served within the militia, the territorial military of its day, he joined the Leicestershire regiment however died of wounds in 1917 close to Boulogne in France.
Non-public 34893 Thomas Clifford | sixth/seventh (Service) Battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers | Newton Heath 1896-97
The Scotsman, from Ayr, performed for a variety of groups both aspect of the border and represented the Heathens at reserve degree. Mark Wylie, curator for Manchester United’s museum, knowledgeable us: “Thomas was really fairly previous when he joined up so it’s attainable he lied about his age. Most of his service was within the UK and he was solely overseas for a matter of weeks when he was killed on the Somme.” His title is likely one of the 72,000 listed on the Memorial to the Lacking in Thiepval.
Non-public 2289 Bernard Donaghey | 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers | Manchester United 1905-06
An Eire worldwide who performed for the Irish League, Hibernian in Scotland and Burnley however made solely three appearances for the Reds. A Catholic serving within the British military, he was a reservist earlier than the warfare and was in motion quickly after the outbreak in 1914. He served in Gallipoli after which in France, and was killed on the primary day of the Somme. Like Clifford, he’s additionally named on the Thiepval Memorial.
Lance Corporal 18619 George Elmore | fifteenth Battalion (1st Edinburgh) Royal Scots | Manchester United 1902
Given a trial match after becoming a member of from Burton United in December 1902, Elmore was launched later that very same month with out making a first-team look. The ahead represented a variety of different golf equipment in our area, corresponding to Altrincham (then known as Broadheath), Blackpool, Glossop, Northwich Victoria and Witton Albion, earlier than shifting north of the border. In Scotland, he had stints with the likes of Partick Thistle, St Mirren and St Bernard’s, the latter being primarily based in Edinburgh the place he signed up for army service with the Royal Scots. Lacking, presumed killed, in motion on 1 July 1916, he’s commemorated on warfare memorials at Thiepval, Northwich in Cheshire and Edinburgh Citadel.
Non-public 2663 Alfred Griffiths | 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment | Newton Heath 1901-02
Alfred was a goalkeeper and analysis suggests he was registered as a Newton Heath participant on 29 November 1899. He served within the Anglo-Boer Battle throughout 1901 and was again in Manchester a 12 months later, when he had the possibility to play for the Reserves towards Burnley the Lancashire Mixture. A clear sheet was saved and the Athletic Information famous he had been “severely examined” throughout the match. Griffiths’ loss of life was assumed to have occurred on 8 March 1916.
