Sports Stars connected to Liverpool killed in world wars

[Spike]

Hi All

I thought this might be a good thread to get started. I am interested in researching WW1 soldiers and have come across various sporting stars who gave their lives/served during WW1. I would like to try and find any connected to our city and list them here. Maybe I will create a web site if i get enough material?

If you know of any from either WW1 or WW2 please post em up

A few ive just looked at.

TIM COLEMAN

Everton paid ?700 for Coleman midway during the 1907-08 season. Coleman was a regular during the two and a half seasons he spent at Goodison Park, helping the Toffees to runners-up spot in 1908-09, and scoring 30 goals in 71 appearances. While at Everton, he was notable for being one the few players, along with most of the Manchester United side, to maintain their membership of the Players Union (the forerunner of the Professional Footballers Association), in defiance of Football Association rules. After a standoff, the FA backed down.

He fought during WW1 and recieved the Military Medal for Bravery.

TED SAGAR

The Great Ted Sagar Spent 24 years and 1 onth as Everton's first choice goalkeeper. He also served during WW2.

After his first full season ended with a League Championship medal in his pocket, in 1933 he added an FA Cup winner's medal to his collection - when he kept a clean sheet at Wembley against Manchester City.

In 1938/39 he became a League Champion again - and only the outbreak of War prevented him adding to that haul. War-time, however, did allow him to add one unique entry to his playing log.

Capped four times by England, he also gained the distinction of playing for another country when he turned out for Northern Ireland during the War. Stationed in Portadown with the Signal Corps, Northern Ireland were short of a goalkeeper for a war-time international against Southern Ireland when they turned to Sagar. He was delighted to accept the invitation - and was proud of his achievement at representing two countries at international level.

JOHN RHONWY ( RONNIE ) WILLIAMS

Captain John Rhonwy Williams, died 12/8/16, 10th Lpool's (Lpool Scottish). The Liverpool Echo, 18/8/16 quotes 'was a well known player with the Liverpool football club.' His father was also an ex Lord Mayor of Liverpool.



GEORGE MOLYNEUX


Everton Player Stats George Molyneux
Date of Birth 01/01/1875
Birthplace Liverpool
Date of first & last games (clubs signed from and moved to in brackets) 26/12/1896 (Kirkdale) - 26/12/1896 (Wigan)
Date of first & last games (clubs signed from and moved to in brackets) 01/09/1898 (Wigan) - 24/03/1900 (Southampton)
Starts 45
Subs 0
Goals 0


Not a casualty but his two sons sadly died.

George Molyneux played for Everton and was also an English International. His two sons, 22782 Ellis Molyneux, 20th Liverpool battalion (Pals), kia 20/10/16. I think the other son was 15613, George Molyneux, 14th Royal Irish Rifles, kia 1/7/16.

LEONARD BINNING MILL

Lt Mill features twice in 'Bravest of Hearts, the Biography of a Battalion', about the Liverpool Scottish in WW1. It one short passage he is described as the battalion's scout officer. He was a stockbroker and son of a former director of Everton FC, an additional volunteer allowed to join the regiment in the early days of the war. He was at the front in November 1914, commissioned in June 1915 and promoted to Lieutenant on 1 Oct following. He was killed in action in the assault on Guillemont on 9 Aug 1916 aged 26.
The second reference is a slightly more detailed biography with photo.


4 GRAND NATIONAL WINNING JOCKEYS

ROBERT WILLIAM HAMNER EVERETT

Rode 100/1 outsider GREGALACH to victory in the 1929 Grand National. Son of Lt.-Col. William Frank Everett and Charlotte Everett, of Chelsea, London. Also rode POOLGOWRAN to victory in the Irish Grand National Steeplechase, 1934.

Lieutenant (A) Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. "Heron".

Died 26/1/1942, aged 40

MERVYN ANTHONY JONES

Rode 25/1 shot BOGSKAR to victory on 5 april 1940. Died almost 2 years to the day in 1942.

Flight Sergeant, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit.

Died 3/4/1942 aged 23.

THOMAS BRADY CULLINAN Tommy

Rode the 100/8 (14/1 ) second favourite SHAUN GOILIN to victory in 1930, completing a incredible treble having won the 1930 Champion Hurdle aboard BROWN TONY and 1930 Cheltenham Gold Cup aboard EASTER HERO.

Gunner 1543457, Royal Artillery, 90 Bty., 35 Lt. A.A. Regt.

Died 11/04/1940, aged 33.

FRANCIS CHARLES FURLONG Frank

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Frank Rode 22/1 shot REYNOLDSTOWN to Victory in 1935. The horse was trained by his father and owned by his mother giving newspapers the headline " National Won By Three Furlongs "

REYNOLDSTOWN won the National again the following year, though Frank was not aboard this time due to his weight.

Lieut-Commander (A) Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Daedalus.

Died 13/09/1944, aged 33.

Frank had joined the Fleet Air Arm as a Pilot. It was he who located the German Battleshp BISMARCK and repeatedly radioed its position until he ran out of fuel. He ditched his plane into the sea and was picked up by an allied ship. Frank was later killed while returning from a routine flight excercise.



Its a start, lets find some more.

[Ged]

Great thread Spike - well done

[Spike]

Not Liverpool but interesting stuff

Footballers' Battalion
There were over 5,000 men playing professional football in 1914. Of those, 2,000 joined the military services. Some of them joined up individually, but sometimes whole teams enlisted together. Clapton (now Leyton) Orient was the first. After Fred Parker, the team captain, went into the army, about 40 players and staff followed his example.

They joined the 17th Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment, which became known as the "Footballers' Battalion" it had so many players in it!

Second-in-command, Major Frank Buckley, was wounded in the shoulder and lung in 1917. He recovered to become manager of Wolves after the war.

[Spike]

Tom Cooper

Right-back Tom Cooper had already captained England when Liverpool paid ?7,500 to buy him from Derby in December 1934. He became skipper, and he made 160 League and FA Cup appearances for Liverpool but never once scored!

He joined the military police when war broke out.

His last match for Liverpool was on April 20, 1940. Two months later on army despatch duty he was killed when his motor cycle collided with a bus. After an inquiry into his death all army despatch riders were ordered to wear crash helmets.

He is buried in a churchyard in Derby, with a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone to remember him by.

How he is remembered by the CWGC http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_...sualty=2702130

76 Liverpool players and staff members enlisted in the course of the war - and Tom Cooper was the only one that was killed.

[hmtmaj]

Very Interesting Spike

Although not killed in WW2, Bob Paisley:
?This is the second time I've beaten the Germans here... the first time was in 1944. I drove into Rome on a tank when the city was liberated.? - after Liverpool won the European Cup in Rome in 1977.

Martin

[ChrisGeorge]

Good thread, Spike. Thanks for starting this. I bought this postcard on ebay some months ago. I am not sure of the regiment. The seller thought it was a U.S. Army soccer team although someone has advised me it is British Army, particularly as the British used the "Coy." abbreviation for "Company" whereas the Americans did not. The two men in uniform either side are evidently part of the team since they would make up eleven but evidently were on duty when the photo was taken.

[Spike]

Brilliant photo Chris. I may ask a few friends about this if its ok with you to show them?

[Spike]

19024 Cpl Tom Gracie.

Born Glasgow 1889, a meat salesman to trade, Tom had played for several clubs beginning with the Juniors and progressing through Airdrie, Hamilton and Greenock Morton before joining Everton in 1910. A year later he moved across to Liverpool from where Hearts bought him in May 1914 to replace Percy Dawson. This high scoring forward had joined Blackburn Rovers for ?2500. Gracie cost Hearts a mere ?400 ! Tom was to score 34 goals from a total of 39 appearances, including 29 league goals, a club record! This in his first season, a bargain buy! His scoring skill earned him a international cap against the Irish league in 1915. He was one of those who enrolled in the 16th Royal Scots and endured military training along with his team mates. During this time he was frequently ill, yet continued to rise from his sick bed to play, and score for the Hearts. While the battalion was stationed at Ripon in 1915 Tom was sent home to Glasgow because of his ill health. He died in Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow on 23rd October 1915. He was twenty six, and had the football world at his feet. His great goalscoring success was even more remarkable when the truth came out, Gracie had been suffering from leukaemia! No one but manager John McCartney knew. When people speak of 'hero's' or 'brave men' surely Tom Gracie must be mentioned here. To play so well and score so frequently when enduring army life and serious disease must rank as one of the bravest acts found among men.

[ChrisGeorge]

Brilliant photo Chris. I may ask a few friends about this if its ok with you to show them?

Definitely. Any help in identifying the unit or the place where the photo was taken would be great.

Chris

[Spike]

GEORGE HARRISON, known as 'Jud' Harrison, was one of the select group of men born in Derbyshire who played association football for England. An outside left renowned for a blistering shot, he was capped twice, both his appearances being made in 1921-22.

George Harrison was born in Church Gresley, South Derbyshire, on 18 July 1892. He signed for his local club Gresley Rovers in August 1910 and left in February 1911 after making 11 appearances. He then signed for the Football League club Leicester Fosse, and after 59 games and 9 goals he made a big move to Everton in 1913.

He had immediate success at Goodison Park, being a key member of the Everton team that won the first Division Championship in 1914-15. His career was then interrupted by World War One, but he rejoined Everton after the conflict and in all played 177 League games for them before being sold to Preston North End in 1923.