football

Private Sidney Hoar

Sidney Hoar was a professional footballer for Luton Town FC who played for several local teams and the the Luton youth team before signing professionally  in January 1914 aged 18. He served in the Bedford Regiment and the Royal Field Artillery and was gassed in August 1917 in France. He recovered and returned to play for Luton Town in 1919-20.

Private Westby Heath

Westby Heath was a professional footballer for Luton Town FC in the 1914-15 season. He joined the Royal Army Medal Corps and was wounded. He did not return to play for Luton in 1919-20.

All images are used with kind permission of Roger Wash, Luton Town Football Club Historian.

 

Lieutenant Ernest John Dodd

Ernest J Dodd of East Common, Harpenden was a pre-war amateur player for Luton Town FC. He was killed in action on 17th July 1917, aged 25 whilst serving with the Royal Field Artillery in Belgium.

All images are used with kind permission of Roger Wash, Luton Town Football Club Historian.

 

 

Private T T Wilson

T T Wilson was a professional footballer with Luton Town FC when he enlisted in the Footballers' Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment at Kingsway, London on 16th December 1914 with his Luton team mates Wileman, Roe, Frith, Dunn and Simms.

Private Ernest Simms

Ernest Simms was a professional footballer with Luton Town FC when he enlisted in the Footballers Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment at Kingsway, London on 16th December 1914 with his Luton team mates Wileman, Frith, Roe, Dunn and Wilson.

Private John Dunn

John Dunn was a professional footballer at Luton Town FC when he enlisted in the Footballers' Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment at Kingsway, London on 16th December 1914 with his Luton team mates Wileman, Simms, Frith, Roe and Wilson.

In doing so he was following the example set by his team mates Roberts and Lindley who had signed up the day before. Lindley and Dunn shared lodgings at a house called Ruthaven in Shaftesbury Road, Luton. Dunn continued to be available to play for Luton in the 1914-15 season whilst undergoing military training.

Lance Corporal Arthur Roe

Arthur Roe was a professional footballer for Luton Town who signed for the club at the start of  the 1914-15 season. He enlisted in the Footballers' Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment at Kingsway on 16th December 1914 with his Luton team mates Simms, Wileman, Frith, Dunn and Wilson.

He survived the war and returned to play for Luton Town in the 1919-20 season.

Sergeant Arthur Harold Wileman MM

Arthur Wileman was a professional footballer at Luton Town FC when he enlisted in the Footballers' Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment at Kingsway on 16th December 1914 with his Luton team mates Simms, Frith, Roe, Dunn and Wilson.

In doing so he was following the example set by his team mates Roberts and Lindley who had signed up the day before. Wileman was the top-scorer in the promotion winning team of 1913-14 and continued to play for Luton in the 1914-15 season whilst training with his battalion.

Private Robert William Frith

 Robert Frith was a professional footballer at Luton Town FC when he enlisted in the Footballer's Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment in London on 16th December 1914 with his Luton team mates Wileman, Roe, Simms, Dunn and Wilson.

Although he was a married man with two children, the 22 year old half-back decided to follow the example of two other Luton players, Roberts and Lindley, who had signed up the day before. Frith was part of the 1913-14 promotion-winning Luton team and continued to play for Luton in the 1914-15 season whilst in training with his battalion.

Private Frank Louis Lindley

Frank Lindley was a professional footballer at Luton Town FC when he enlisted in the Footballers Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment at a public meeting at Fulham Town Hall on 15th December 1914.

Together with his team mate Hugh Roberts, Lindley was one of the first 35 professional footballers to enlist with the Footballers' Battalion. On returning to Luton they encouraged six other Luton players to volunteer the following day.

Private Hugh Pierce Roberts

Hugh Roberts was a professional footballer at Luton Town FC when he enlisted in the Footballers Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment at a public meeting at Fulham Town Hall on 15th December 1914.

He was one of the first 35 professional footballers  who enrolled at the meeting along with his teammate from Luton, Frank Lindley. On their return to Luton they encouraged others to volunteer and a further six Luton players joined the Footballers' Battalion the next day.

Eight Luton players join the Footballers' Battalion

The Luton News of 17th December 1914 describes how "members of the Luton Town football club have come forward splendidly to join the Footballers' Battalion."

When war broke out close to the start of the 1914-15 season, Luton Town had just been promoted into the First Division of the Southern League. The  Football Leagues announced that the 1914-15 season would run as usual. Players were under legally binding contracts until the end of the season and in any case general opinion in England was that the war would be over by Christmas.

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