M ay, 4 11-ie m e w s o w caziettie
Yüklə 40,8 Mb. Pdf görüntüsü
|
THE QUEEN'S O W N PAST P R E S E N T ASSOCIATION 372, L o n d o n Road, Upper Deal, K e n t , 1st M a y, 1946. The E d i t o r, T h e Queen's O w n Gazette. Dear S i r, A f e w weeks ago I s e n t a c o l l e c t i o n o f Press c u t t i n g s c o n - cerning t h e a c t i v i t i e s o f o u r f o o t b a l l t e a m ( 2 n d E n . , p e r i o d 1886-1896) t h a t h a s b e e n c a r e f u l l y preserved b y m e . I k n e w H. J . Bass, ex-Q.M.S., v e r y w e l l , a s w e l l q u a l i f i e d t o d e a l w i l l s the m a t t e r, b u t d i d n o t expect such, a n extensive c o n t r i b u t i o n . My o l d a c q u a i n t a n c e w a s o f a locaquence t e n d e n c y ( P e n a l t y K i c k ? ) . I f y o u t h i n k p a r t o f t h e l e t t e r m a y be i n t e r e s t i n g , perhaps you c o u l d f i n d a f;Mall space i n t h e Q.O.G. We w e r e v e r y p r o u d o f o u r t e a m i n t h o s e days a n d t h e i r Performances added i n n o small w a y t o t h e En. excellent record In m a n y w a y s , smartness, Ciscipline, t r a d i t i o n , e t c . Yo u r s f a i t h f u l l y, H. C O O K E . 13, G o o d r i c h Road, London, S.E.22. 24th A p r i l , 1946. M y d e a r O l d Comrade, H a r r y, I v e r y m u c h r e g r e t t h a t I h a v e b e e n u n a b l e t o a n s w e r your v e r y w e l c o m e l e t t e r o f t h e 1 9 t h M a r c h b e f o r e n o w , t h i s being d u e t o t h e f a c t I h a v e b e e n , u n f o r t u n a t e l y, " h o r s d e c o m b a t " o w i n g t o , f i r s t o f a l l , a f i l t h y c o l d , f o l l o w e d b y a sharp a t t a c k o f t h a t w r e t c h e d " F l u , " f r o m w h i c h i t i s s o d i ff i c u l t t o r e t u r n b a c k t o a n o r m a l a c t i v i t y, s u c h a s I h a v e so f o r t u n a t e l y enjoyed i n t h e past. I n o t o n l y t h a n k y o u , v e r y m u c h i n d e e d , f o r y o u r v e r y k i n d r e m e m b r a n c e a n d v e r y i n t e r e s t i n g l e t t e r, b u t I a l s o v e r y f u l l y a p p r e c i a t e y o u r k i n d n e s s i n s e n d i n g t h o s e n e w s p a p e r c u t t i n g s w h i c h r e m i n d u s , s o v i v i d l y, o f t h o s e s t i r r i n g b a t t l e s I n t h e f i e l d o f " S o c c e r, " b e t w e e n 5 0 a n d 6 0 years a g o , w h e n the g o o d n a m e a n d r e p u t a t i o n o f t h e 2 n d B n . T h e Q u e e n ' s Own Royal W e s t K e n t R e g i m e n t was never l i g h t l y regarded b y such w o r t h y o p po n e n ts as W o o l w i c h Arsenal, M i l l w a l l A t h l e t i c , Chatham, Sheppey U n i t e d a n d m a n y others, n o t f o r g e t t i n g t h e 2nd B n . S c o t s G u a r d s , w h o a f t e r w i n n i n g t h e coveted A r m y Cup f o r t w o years i n succession, were k n o c k e d o u t o f t h e c o m - p e t i t i o n b y o u r " S o c c e r " t e a m o n t h e 1 8 t h M a r c h , 1893, a t Crewe b y t h r e e g o a l s t o t w o , o u r g a l l a n t l a d s ( a n d w h a t a happy c r e w t h e y w e r e ! ) e v e n t u a l l y w i n n i n g t h e A r m y C u p b y defeating t h e Sherwood Foresters a t A l d e r s h o t o n 3 0 t h M a r c h , 1893, b y o n e g o a l t o n i l a f t e r h a v i n g p l a y e d a d r a w n g a m e o f one goal each t h e previous day, these t w o games being regarded for m a n y years, a s a s p l e n d i d e p i c o f t r u e s p o r t s m a n s h i p i n the f o o t b a l l f i e l d . U n f o r t u n a t e l y m o s t o f t h e m a n y " c u t t i n g s " y o u s e n d m e contain n o dates, a n d e v e n i f t h e y d i d so, I a m m u c h a f r a i d that, n o w b e i n g i n m y 7 9 t h y e a r, i t i s n o t possible t h a t I could d o f u l l j u s t i c e t o t h a t " h a p p y t e a m o f b r o t h e r s " w i t h w h o m I f i r s t p l a y e d f o o t b a l l f o r t h e 2 n d Bn. o n C h a t h a m Lines i n 1887, f i f t y - n i n e y e a r s ago, a n d w h e n " g o a l n e t s " w e r e u n - known, t h e " c r o s s b a r " o f t h e g o a l b e i n g a p i e c e o f f l i m s y tape, s t r e t c h e d f r o m goal p o s t t o goal p o s t , t h e tape f l u t t e r i n g up a n d d o w n i n t h e w i n d , a n d w h i c h l e d t o m a n y a d i s p u t e as t o w h e t h e r a " s h o t a t g o a l " h a d passed u n d e r o r o v e r t h e l i n e w h e r e a " c r o s s b a r " w a s i n v a r i a b l y f i x e d i n l a t e r years. I n t h o s e d a y s , w i t h t h e b a l l a t y o u r f e e t , t h e r e w a s n o t h o u g h t o f " p a s s i n g t h e b a l l " w h e n t a c k l e d b y a n o p p o n e n t , the " d r i b b l i n g c o d e " t h e n b e i n g m u c h i n f o r c e , " O l d M a c " and " D a n " Pedley being expert masters o f t h e " d r i b b l i n g code," being f o l l o w e d b y " B e n " S h a r p l a t e r o n b e f o r e t h e B n . l e f t C h a t h a m f o r P o r t l a n d i n F e b r u a r y, 1888, a n d w h e r e , b e f o r e we l e f t P o r t l a n d t h r e e years a f t e r w a r d s , t h e E n . w e r e t o h o l d such t r o p h i e s a s t h e Dorset C o u n t y C u p ; t h e F r i s b y six-a-side cup; a n d t h e D o r s e t six-a-side s h i e l d , t h e l a s t n a m e d h a v i n g been w o n t h r e e y e a r s i n succession, n o w b e i n g t h e p r o p e r t y of t h e 2 n d E n . , a s I l a s t s a w i t , h a n g i n g o n t h e w a l l o f t h e Sergeants' Mess a t A l d e r s h o t o n t h e e v e n t u a l d a y o u r beloved Colonel-in-Chief, t h e l a t e D u k e o f K e n t , p r e s e n t e d a S i l v e r Bugle t o t h e E n . a t S h o r n c l i f f e o n 2 2 n d M a y, 1937, a n d i n commemoration o f w h i c h I w r o t e s o m e verses e n t i t l e d " A Silver B u g l e , p u b l i s h e d i n " T h e Q u e e n ' s O w n G a z e t t e " f o r A p r i l , 1937. Yo u w i l l , n o d o u b t , r e m e m b e r t h a t i t w a s d u r i n g t h e season 1891-92 ( I f o r g e t t h e a c t u a l d a t e ! ) t h a t o u r f e l l o w s defeated W o o l w i c h A r s e n a l a t P l u m s t e a d b y t w o goals t o one, THE QUEEN'S OWN GAZETTE. 1 3 1 the A r s e n a l t h e n b e i n g t h e o n l y p r o f e s s i o n a l t e a m i n t h e South o f E n g l a n d . H o w e v e r t h e A r s e n a l w e r e t o h a v e t h e i r revenge, w h e n , a l s o a t P l u m s t e a d o n 6 t h O c t o b e r, 1892, t h e y defeated o u r f e l l o w s b y t h r e e g o a l s t o n i l , t w o o f o u r b e s t players b e i n g a b s e n t f r o m o u r t e a m , v i z . , L i e u t . ( " P o n g o " ) B u r b u r y a n d C p l . ( " M i c k " ) S p o o n e r. T h i s d e f e a t i s n o t t o be w o n d e r e d a t , seeing t h a t o n l y o n 3 r d O c t o b e r, 1892, o u r team d e f e a t e d t h e R . A . Sheerness a t Sheerness b y f i v e g o a l s t o t h r e e , a n d t h e n , o n t h e f o l l o w i n g d a y, 4 t h O c t o b e r, 1892, they also defeated Sheppey U n i t e d a t Sheerness b y n i n e goals t o o n e . Tw o d a y s a f t e r t h e m a t c h w i t h t h e A r s e n a l , o u r t e a m t h e n w e n t o n t o d e f e a t t h e N o r t h u m b e r l a n d F u s i l i e r s i n a K e n t C o u n t y C u p t i e b y n i n e goals t o o n e , a n A r m y C u p t i e w i t h t h e same E n . being w o n b y o u r fellows b y 12 goals t o t w o . D u r i n g t h a t same m o n t h o f October, 1892, t h e r e w a s also those t h r e e r e m a r k a b l e E n g l i s h C u p t i e s w i t h C h a t h a m : w h e n after p l a y i n g t w o d r a w n games a t C h a t h a m o n t h e 1 8 t h a n d 22nd October. 1892, o u r fellows defeated C h a t h a m a t M a i d s t o n e on 2 6 t h O c t o b e r, 1892, b y t w o g o a l s t o n i l , e v e n t u a l l y b e i n g knocked o u t o f t h e E n g l i s h C u p c o m p e t i t i o n b y M i l l w a l l A t h l e t i c a t M i l M a l l . o n 2 9 t h O c t o b e r, 1892, b y t w o g o a l s t o nil.
There w a s a l s o t h a t o t h e r r e m a r k a b l e c o n t e s t w i t h Chatham i n t h e f i n a l f o r t h e C h a t h a m a n d Rochester C h a r i t y Cup w h e n a f t e r t w o - a n d - a - h a l f h o u r s ' p l a y o n t h e l a s t d a y of t h e 1891-92 season t h e g a m e s t i l l e n d e d i n a d r a w, b o t h sides h o l d i n g t h e c u p f o r six m o n t h s each, t h e medals f o r b o t h side b e i n g o f a s i m i l a r c h a r a c t e r. I t i s a l s o a r e m a r k a b l e f a c t t h a t d u r i n g t h e season f r o m 10th September. 1802, t o 30th M a r c h 1893. i n a l l t h e 39 matches played o u r f e l l o w s w e r e n e v e r f o r t u n a t e e n o u g h t o p l a y o n t h e i r o w n g r o u n d , e i t h e r a t S h o r n c l i ff e o r i n I r e l a n d . a l l t h e 39 m a t c h e s b e i n g p l a y e d o n n e u t r a l g r o u n d o r t h e g r o u n d o f t h e i r o p p o n e n t s , a n d w h e n o n e r e m e m b e r s t h a t o u r f e l l o w s finished t h e season o f 1892-93 b y w i n n i n g t h e A r m y C u p a t Aldershot o n 3 0 t h M a r c h , 1893, i t m a k e s o n e f e e l v e r y p r o u d of a g a l l a n t b a n d o f G o o d Comrades w i t h w h o m I h a d b e e n so closely associated s i n c e 1 f i r s t p l a y e d f o r t h e 2 n d E n . o n C h a t h a m L i n e s since 18137. A n d w h a t a h a p p y b a n d o f comrades t h e y w e r e ! A l w a y s cheerful, w e t o r fine; f u l l o f courage a n d d e t e r m i n a t i o n u r d e r all c o n d i t i o n s ; a n d w i t h s u c h a h i g h a n d v e r y k e e n sense o f h u m o u r t h a t n o t h i n g c o u l d d a u n t t h e m — w i n o r lose. I t h a s a l w a y s b e e n a m a t t e r o f s i n c e r e r e g r e t v d t h m e t h a t I w a s n o t a m e m b e r o f t h e t e a m w h i c h d e f e a t e d t h e Arsenal a n d w o n t h e A r m y C u p , t h i s b e i n g d u e t o t h e f a c t t h a t 1, u n f o r t u n a t e l y, h a d been - c r o c k e d " b y a b a d l y dislocated knee w h i l s t p l a y i n g f o r t h e E n . a t P o r t l a n d a g a i n s t S o u t h Dorset. However, b e f o r e w e l e f t Dorset, I h a d t h e s a t i s f a c t i o n o f playing i n a f a r e w e l l m a t c h a t D o r c h e s t e r, w h e n w e defeated We y m o u t h College, t h e C o u n t y C u p f i n a l l i s t s , b y t w o g o a l s to n i l . Later I a l s o h a d t h e s a t i s f a c t i o n o f h e l p i n g t h e D e p o t t o become C h a m p i o n s o f t h e M a i d s t o n e a n d D i s t r i c t League, a s also I h a d t h e privilege a n d h o n o u r o f p l a y i n g i n t h e o p e n i n g m a t c h o n t h e n e w r e c r e a t i o n g r o u n d o n t h e L o n d o n R o a d a t Maidstone. To f o l l o w t h e career o f t h e 2 n d E n . F o o t b a l l Te a m f r o m the d a t e t h e y p l a y e d t h e f i r s t m a t c h , a g a i n s t t h e L a n c a s h i r e Fusiliers a t C h a t h a m o n t h e 1 6 t h J a n u a r y. 1886, u n t i l t h e glorious c u l m i n a t i o n o f career, b y w i n n i n g t h e coveted A r m y Cup o n 3 0 t h M a r c h , 1893, i s b e y o n d m y p o o r capabilities, b u t I a m s u r e t h e f o l l o w i n g t a b l e w i l l b e o f considerable i n t e r e s t to yourself, as also t h i s t a b l e a n d above p a r t i c u l a r s m a y b e o f some i n t e r e s t t o r e a d e r s o f " T h e Q u e e n ' s O w n G a z e t t e , " i n c l u d i n g t h e present t e a m o f t h e 2nd En., whose p h o t o appears i n t h e G a z e t t e o f M a r c h , 1046, a n d whose progress appears t o be i n t h e r i g h t d i r e c t i o n . Table s h o w i n g r e m a r k a b l e r e c o r d o f 2 n d E n . Te a m f r o m 1891 t o 1893: Av. G o a l s Played W o n D r a w n L o s t F o r Goals l F o r A g a i n s t 1891-92 3 5 2 6 4
5 1 6 7 3 0 1892-93 3 9 3 1 4
4 1 6 9 4 3 - —
—
— —
— To t a l s 7 4
a
9 3 3 6 7 3 4 . 5 4 . 9 8 -
—
— —
— To be associated w i t h s u c h a w o n d e r f u l record, as y o u a n d I w e r e i n d a y s g o n e b y , r e c a l l s m a n y h a p p y m e m o r i e s o f a splendid c o m r a d e s h i p o f t h e p a s t , a n d w h i c h b o t h o f u s a r e never t o forget. By t h e w a y, d i d y o u e v e r r e a d m y a r t i c l e , e n t i t l e d " T h e B i r t h o f o u r C o m r a d e s ' A s s o c i a t i o n , " p u b l i s h e d i n t h e "Gazettes" f o r J u n e a n d J u l y, 1934. I f n o t , y o u w i l l f i n d y o u r name m e n t i o n e d t h e r e t o r e c a l l m o r e h a p p y memories o f those great comrades w e b o t h f i r s t k n e w some 50-60 years ago. Yüklə 40,8 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
|