The 17th (Service) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment was an infantry battalion of the Middlesex Regiment, part of the British Army, which was formed as a Pals battalion during the Great War. The core of the battalion was a group of professional footballers, which was the reason for its most commonly used name, The Football Battalion (also the footballers' or players' battalion). The 23rd (Service) Battalion, Middlesex Regiment was formed in June 1915 and became known as the 2nd Football Battalion. The battalions fought in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 among others. Soldiers who fought in the 17th and 23rd Battalions included Second Lieutenant Walter Tull, who was possibly the first black infantry officer in the British Army.
History 17th (Service Battalion) During the First World War there had been an initial push by clubs for professional football to continue, in order to keep the public's spirits up. This stance was not widely agreed with and public opinion turned against professional footballers. One soldier, serving in France, wrote to a British newspaper to complain that "hundreds of thousands of able-bodied young roughs were watching hirelings playing football" while others were serving their country. The suggestion was even made that King George V should cease being a patron of The Football Association.
William Joynson-Hicks formed the battalion on 12 December 1914 at Fulham Town Hall after Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener, suggested it as part of the Pals battalion scheme. England international Frank Buckley became the first player to join, out of thirty players who signed up at its formation. The formation was announced to the general public on 1 January 1915.
During training, the players were allowed leave on a Saturday to return to their clubs to take part in games. However, the clubs found themselves having to subsidise the train fares as the Army did not pay for them.
By March 1915, 122 professional footballers had signed up for the battalion, which led to press complaints as there were some 1800 eligible footballers. These recruits included 41 players, staff and supporters of Clapton Orient (later to be known as Leyton Orient) and 16 Heart of Midlothian players signed up for the 16th Royal Scots ('McCrae's Battalion'). In addition to footballers, officials and referees also joined the 17th, along with football fans themselves. Many football players deliberately chose to avoid the battalion by joining other regiments, causing the War Office to initially have difficulties filling the battalion.
A number of decorations were issued to the soldiers with the battalion. Lyndon Sandoe, of Cardiff City, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal with bar, and the Military Medal. The battalion suffered heavy losses, including at the Battle of Delville Wood and the Battle of Guillemont during the Battle of the Somme. During the First World War, the battalion lost more than a thousand men, including 462 in one battle alone at the Battle of Arras in 1917.
The 17th was assigned to the 6th Infantry Brigade, part of the 2nd Infantry Division.
23rd (Service Battalion) A second football battalion, the 23rd (Service) Battalion was formed in June 1915. Former Tottenham Hotspur and Clapton Orient footballer Alan Haig-Brown was appointed commanding officer in September 1916.
The 23rd was assigned to the 123rd Brigade, part of the 41st Division.
Legacy A memorial to the Football Battalion was unveiled in 2010 in Longueval, France. It was attended by members of the Football Supporters' Federation and representatives of more than 20 clubs. It had been paid for through donations received from football supporters having been promoted by former professional footballer and SAS soldier Phil Stant. The ceremony was conducted by Father Owen Beament of Millwall and a two-minute silence was initiated by Gareth Ainsworth.
A granite memorial to the three Clapton Orient players who died in the Battle of the Somme whilst members of the battalion was unveiled in 2011, located in the village of Flers, Northern France. Over 200 Leyton Orient supporters travelled for the unveiling, which commemorated the lives of Richard McFadden, William Jonas and George Scott. A second memorial to commemorate the Clapton Orient side that served on the Somme, was installed and dedicated at the National Memorial Arboretum on Sunday, 23 October 2022. The memorial was unveiled by former O's captain Dean Smith and Stephen Jenkins, chairman of the O's Somme Memorial Fund.
Key Players listed in bold won full international caps.
Playing positions GKGoalkeeperRBRight backRWRight wingerDFDefenderHBHalf backIFInside forwardDMDefensive midfielderOLOutside leftLBLeft backLWLeft wingerCBCentre backFWForwardFBFull backRMRight midfielderWWingerMFMidfielderSTStrikerWHWing halfAMAttacking midfielderCMCentral midfielderLMLeft midfielderUUtility playerOROutside rightSWSweeperLHLeft halfRHRight half
Soldiers Officers
RankNameNationalityPositionClub prior to enlistmentBattalion(s)Wartime death dateWartime death placeDecorationsNotesRefLt ColORClapton Orient23rdNord-Pas-de-Calais, FranceDSO, MiDAppointed commanding officer of the 23rd Battalion on 16 September 1916.MajDFBradford City17th———Transferred in from the King's Regiment (Liverpool).CptWHCroydon Common17th——MCCommissioned on 31 October 1916.CptOFSouth Farnborough17thSomme, FranceMC and BarAlso served as the battalion's adjutant.CptCFChelsea17th———Previously served in the London Regiment prior to being commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment on 29 December 1914.2nd LtIF/HBNorthampton Town17th, 23rdNord-Pas-de-Calais, FranceMiDServed in the 17th Battalion prior to being commissioned into the 23rd Battalion on 4 August 1917.
Senior non-commissioned officers
RankNameNationalityPositionClub prior to enlistmentBattalion(s)Wartime death dateWartime death placeDecorationsNotesRefCSMFBNottingham Forest17th———CSMFWClapton Orient17thSomme, FranceMMCSMHBChesterfield17thPas-de-Calais, FranceMiDCSMLyndon SandoeFBCardiff City17th——DCM and Bar, MMCSgtORReading17th———CSgtFWClapton Orient17th———SgtWHPlymouth Argyle17thSomme, FranceMMSgtFBFulham17th———Later served in the Army Cyclist Corps and the Royal Engineers.SgtIFClapton Orient17th———SgtLBClapton Orient17th———SgtLHClapton Orient17th———Served in the 17th Battalion prior to being commissioned into the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry on 24 August 1918.SgtOLExeter City17th———Also served as a bomb-throwing instructor.Later served in the London Regiment.SgtCHManchester City17th———SgtRHPlymouth Argyle17th———Taken prisoner of war on 8 August 1916.SgtCHNottingham Forest17th———Taken prisoner of war on 27 April 1917.SgtWHBristol Rovers17th———SgtIFCroydon Common17th———SgtWHManchester United23rd———SgtILStockport County17thDelville Wood, France—SgtHB/LBSouthend United17th———Act SgtLBBrighton & Hove Albion17th———Appointment, not rank.Act SgtDFCardiff City17th———Lce SgtCFHuddersfield Town17th———Lce SgtORNorwich City17th———
Junior non-commissioned officers
RankNameNationalityPositionClub prior to enlistmentBattalion(s)Wartime death dateWartime death placeDecorationsNotesRefCplCHQueens Park Rangers17thBruay-la-Buissière, France—Cpl IrelandCFCoventry City17th——MMCplCHCoventry City17th, 13th——CplLBWoolwich Arsenal17th———Medically discharged on 10 October 1917.CplFWSt Mirren17th———CplGKClapton Orient17th———Served in the 17th Battalion prior to being commissioned into the Durham Light Infantry on 24 July 1916.CplCFNewcastle United17th———CplHBLuton Town17th———Cpln/an/aClapton Orient17th———CplIFWoolwich Arsenal17th———Medically discharged on 3 May 1918.CplIFUnattached23rdChérisy, France—Transferred to the East Surrey Regiment in July 1916.Act CplGKChelsea17th———Lce CplJoe BaileyIFReading17th——DSO, MC and Two Bars, MiDServed in the 17th Battalion prior to being commissioned into the Royal Norfolk Regiment on 28 August 1917.Decorations were won while serving with another unit.Lce CplFWChesterfield17th———Transferred to the Labour Corps and later commissioned.Lce CplDFHuddersfield Town17th———Lce CplGKStandard Liège (manager)17th———Lce Cpln/aCroydon Common17th1 June 1916Pas-de-Calais, France—Lce CplFWChelsea17th———Appointment, not rank. Medically discharged on 16 October 1918.Lce CplOFTon Pentre17th, 23rd———Served as trainer of the battalion football team in June 1917.Transferred to the Rifle Brigade on 27 May 1918.Lce CplDFClapton Orient17th———Served in the 17th Battalion prior to being commissioned into the 21st Battalion on 25 June 1918.Lce Cpln/an/aWoolwich Arsenal17th———Lce Cpln/an/aClapton Orient17th———Served in the 17th Battalion prior to being commissioned into the Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) on 28 August 1917.Lce CplHBQueens Park Rangers17th24 March 1918Somme, France—Lce CplRBGrimsby Town17thSomme, France—
Ranks