Preston North End’s footballers killed in the First World War remembered

In late October 2018 a memorial was unveiled outside the Deepdale ground of Preston North End FC in remembrance of the 21 former first team, reserve and amateur players who were registered with the North End and lost their lives during the conflicts of the First World War.

Not only does the memorial display their names, but also their regiments, when they died and their last resting place. Present at this unveiling was PNE historian Ian Rigby whose painstaking research had helped to make this tribute to the fallen possible.

Like people from every walk of life many footballers paid the ultimate price and their sacrifice is part of the heritage of the football community who mourned their loss. Each of the named players left behind memories of their football playing days.

Private Alfred Lorrimer, a Longridge youth, who was capable of running 100 yards in little over 11 secs turned out 11 times for the PNE Reserves before signing professionally for Burnley FC in March 1914. He was emerging as a promising speedy player with good ball control when called up before the season 1914/15 began, being sent to serve in Egypt with the Royal Army Medical Corps where he was killed by accident at the beginning of February 1915.

Private James Chalmers, who was born in Scotland, was signed from Sunderland in 1898 played 13 first team matches for North End in the season 1898-99 before moving to Notts County. He joined the Royal Scots Fusiliers and died in Gallipoli in July 1915.

Private Thomas Henry Knibbs, born in Burton on Trent, was a registered amateur player with Burton Swifts and signed as a triallist with PNE in September 1904. He made his PNE reserve team debut against Everton Reserves. After failing to make the first team he resided in Yorkshire and worked as an engine fitter. He was killed in action at Gallipoli in August 1915 whilst serving with the York & Lancaster Regiment.

Private William James Cox born in Liverpool in 1880 was registered as a PNE player in 1905 although he never made a first team appearance. A member of the King’s Own Royal Regiment he suffered a leg wound while fighting at Gallopoli and died in a Birmingham hospital in November 1915.

Gunner Frank James Hesham born in Manchester in 1879 was a skilful right winger who had a short-lived stay at Deepdale in 1909 where he failed to gain a first team place before moving on to the Southern League club Croyden Common. He enlisted with the Royal Garrison Artillery in November 1914 and a year later was killed in action in Belgium.

Lance Corporal John Barbour played a significant part for PNE in the early stages of the successful Second Division promotion campaign of season 1914/15 making 12 appearances. Glasgow born he played in Scotland for Queen’s Park and Dundee prior to his spell at Deepdale as a skilful inside right. He enlisted in the Highland Light Infantry and was reported killed in action in July 1916 at the Battle of the Somme aged 25.

Sapper Thomas Blakeley a local lad who played for Preston North End Reserves in his youth. He was by trade a cabinet maker who lived in Villiers Street in Preston. He joined the Royal Engineers in January 1915. While in action with the Royal Engineers he was killed in the Battle of Somme in July 1916, aged 35.

Private William Walter Gerrish had a brief spell at Deepdale in 1912 playing in three league matches before moving on to Chesterfield where a broken leg ended his career. In February 1915 he joined Duke of Cambridge’s Own Regiment. He was critically wounded by a shell blast and died at the Somme in August 1916.

Private Tom Pemberton Saul was Preston born and he was turning out for Fleetwood before signing for PNE in July 1913 as an amateur, being employed by the Lancashire County Architect’s Office. Although a first team place eluded him he was recognised as an excellent cricketer playing for Fulwood and Penwortham in the Palace Shield. He enlisted shortly after war broke out and whilst serving with the King’s Liverpool Regiment he was wounded in action in August 1916, dying four days later.

Captain Thomas Sowerby Rowlandson, born in Darlington in 1880, he was well educated man having was a twice capped English amateur international goalkeeper who also played for the Corinthians. He was on PNE’s book for a while in 1902, but goalkeeping legend Peter McBride kept him on the bench. In April 1915 he was fighting in Belgium in the second Battle of Ypres. He was awarded the Military Cross in January 1916 and killed by a German grenade in September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme while fighting with the Yorkshire Regiment.

Sergeant William Ernest Meyler, born in Pembroke, Wales, he spent his childhood in Preston. He was a good all round amateur sportsman who played football for Christ Church and PNE Reserves as well as cricket for Fulwood Cricket Club. He enlisted with the Lancashire Fusiliers with whom he rose to the rank of sergeant. He was wounded in action in France and died in February 1917

Private Benjamin Haigh Green, Barnsley born he made his PNE debut in season 1911/12 contributing 10 goals in the failed attempt to avoid relegation. The following year Green was the top scorer as promotion from the Second Division was gained. In the 1913/14 season he made the last of sven appearances in December 1913 before joining Blackpool. Pte Green was reported missing in France in April 1917 whilst serving with the King’s Own (Royal Lancaster )Regiment and his death was later confirmed.

Private John Ford played a full part for PNE in the successful Second Division promotion campaign of season 1914/15. At the close of that season Pte Ford returned to home to Scotland, where he was engaged in munitions, although he did return to Deepdale for a short spell in early 1916, playing 10 games for the club in the wartime football fixtures prior to being called up. He was killed in action in early May 1917.

Private Frank Shanley was born in Barrowford and worked as an attendant at the Whittingham Asylum playing in the popular local Preston Thursday League. He featured as an amateur triallist goalkeeper with PNE for season 1913/14. After a couple of reserve games he stood in for the injured Herbert Taylor in December 1913 against Derby County keeping a clean sheet in a 2-0 win at Deepdale. It was to be his only first team outing and later he turned out for his local club Nelson. He enlisted in May 1915 joining the Gordon Highlanders he died of battle wounds in July 1917 at Flanders.

Sergeant Thomas Schaill was Preston born and was a promising young footballer who came to North End’s attention whilst captaining Frenchwood Juniors. While working at the Wood-Milne Rubber Works in Leyland he played for the PNE Reserves. He enlisted in May 1915 and he was killed in action in August 1917 while serving with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

Private William Kirby a native of Preston, was a PNE reserve team player in in 1900 and made his PNE first team debut when he rejoined the club in season 1911/12 and was ever present as the team were relegated from the First Division despite his 14 goals. The following season Kirby was selected until January, netting eight goals, including four penalties. Kirby was allowed to leave at the season’s end and signed for Brentford. In October 1917 the Lancashire Daily Post reported that William Kirby had been killed in action in France fighting with the East Yorkshire Regiment.

Sergeant Arthur Beadsworth, born in Leicester in 1876 ,he was registered with North End in 1902. His stay was short lived because within weeks the promising right winger, who had previously turned out for Leicester Fosse, was allowed to leave to join Manchester United. At the outbreak of war he enlisted with the Leicestershire Regiment. He was deployed to the Western Front and rose to the rank of sergeant. He was gassed during the third Battle of Ypres and died in France in October 1917.

Sergeant Frederick John Griffiths whose clubs included PNE, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham was also twice capped by Wales. A promising young goalkeeper he was signed from Blackpool in 1895 playing a few games for the PNE Reserves. He moved on eventually playing Southern League football for Millwall and Tottenham Hostspur. He returned to Deepdale and appeared in 10 matches for North End at the end of season 1901-02, as stand in for the injured legendary goalkeeper Peter McBride, before returning south to join West Ham United and later New Brompton. After retiring he worked as a coal miner in the Midlands. He was killed in action in October 1917, aged 44, at the Battle of Passchendaele, whilst serving with the Sherwood Forresters.

Private Walter Cook, a native of Preston, was spotted by North End in 1905 while playing local football on the Preston parks. A promising full back he impressed in an extended trial period and after signing in January 1906 went on to play in three league fixtures before the season ended. The following season he made only one first team appearance away to Manchester United. Originally enlisted with the Royal Engineers he was in action with the Gloucestershire Regiment when killed in Flanders in March 1918, aged 38.

Sapper William Sergeant the son of a local shipwright he played for Leyland FC before the outbreak of war. He joined the Army in September 1914, and went through the Gallipoli campaign, returning with a bullet in his hip. Whilst on leave at Easter 1918 before returning to the battlefield in France he took part in a wartime PNE versus Rochdale fixture, scoring on his debut. A member of the Royal Engineers he was killed in action in late May 1918, aged 23.

Gunner Herbert Bradley, born in Padiham in 1887, he played for Bury making 18 appearances from 1906, he moved to Notts County in 1910 and a year later had a brief spell at Deepdale making two appearances on the left wing, against Liverpool and Everton, in November 1911. A member of the Royal Garrison Artillery he died of dysentery whilst a prisoner of war in Germany in June 1918.

Keith Johnson’s book ‘Preston Military Heritage’ is available from Amberley