World War 1 and Guernsey cricket

In 1914, as Europe went to war, the Royal Guernsey Militia, which at that time consisted of two infantry regiments and an artillery regiment, was mobilised to replace the regular army garrison which was withdrawn to reinforce the British Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders.

Militiamen could not be sent overseas but the States of Guernsey decided to offer a contingent of trained men to the British Government. This offer was taken up gratefully and in the end two full strength infantry companies and a machine gun section were sent to join the 16th Irish Division which was forming in Ireland as part of Kitchener’s all volunteer army. The companies were attached to 6 Royal Irish Regiment and 7 Royal Irish Fusiliers; the machine gun company went to 6 Royal Irish Regiment.  In addition a Divisional Ammunition Column was formed from the Royal Guernsey Artillery and sent to 9th Scottish Division. The 16th Division took part in the fighting on the Somme in 1916 and the Guernsey Companies suffered heavy casualties. They were eventually disbanded in early 1918.

In the meantime the States decided that they would send a full infantry battalion to the British army, probably because they felt that the island should be seen to be doing its bit. As a result at the end of 1916 the Militia was suspended for the duration of the war, conscription was introduced and the Royal Guernsey Light Infantry was raised as part of the British army. Most of the initial officers and men were former members of the Militia but later drafts were not.

The Cost.

The RGLI left behind them in France 327 graves bearing their cap badge. Many, many more Guernseymen suffered grievous wounds of body and mind while yet others had suffered years of captivity in Germany. The war had been won, but at a terrible cost which was felt in every home in the Island. When the call for men came in 1939 the States remembered 1917 and 1918 and refused to send the Militia to war.

The Total Number of men who served in the RGLI was 3549
Of those the number recruited in Guernsey was 2430, the remainder were transferred from England.
Of the 3549 men of the RGLI, 2280 served in France with the 1st (Service) Battalion.

The following casualties were sustained:
Killed in Action or Missing, presumed dead 230
Died of Wounds 67
Died of Sickness 30
Total 327

Wounded 667
Prisoners of War 255

The following honours were awarded to the RGLI

Officers:      1 Companion of the Order of St. Michael & St. George

4 Military Crosses
1 Member of the Royal Victorian Order
3 Distinguished Conduct Medals
7 Military Medals
1 Medaille Militaire
1 Croix de Guerre
2 Officers and 2 men were mentioned in Dispatches.

During 1914 cricket on the island was in a healthy state with 38 matches being played before the outbreak of war on 4th August. Matches were played at Elizabeth College Field, Belvedere Field or Fort Field and Cambridge Park.

Cambridge Park in Victorian times

Teams that played were obviously Elizabeth College and also the Green Howards, Rangers, Grange CC, Guernsey Athletic, Guernsey Royal Artillery, 4th North Staffordshires as well as occasional matches involving HMS Superb, Carrefour Ramblers, the Star, the Press, Castle Cornet XI and Commercial Travellers.

Castle Cornet team

Castle Cornet team 1916                    Weekly Press

Ratcliffe  H Millicheap  T Ryan  Woods

H Firkins (Cap)  G Watson  R Ashworth  A S Walford  W E Twyman

A Wetton                                                             N Clark

The match between Athletics and the Travellers at College Field saw WS Goss of the Travellers scoring 52 in 16 scoring strokes (4242243412444444) in their total of 260 with the Athletics finishing on 162 for 1. There were numerous games such as Mr FW Mourant’s XI, Mr P dela Mare’s XI, Mr WJ Piprell’s XI, Mr EB Waite’s XI and Mr PF Trotter’s XI mainly at the start of each season.

The number of games tailed off as the war continued. After the 38 matches in 1914 there were 11 games in 1915, 13 in 1916, 14 in 1917 and only 5 in 1918. Matches were also played at the Butes in Alderney and in 1915 there were 9 matches against the likes of the Militia, the 4th North Staffords and St Annes, as well as Married v Singles.

In June of 1914 Elizabeth College scored a record score of 342 for 8 against Victoria College in Jersey where JV Blad scored 208*.  In fact the Blads were pretty prolific for the College during this time. In 1914 CE Blad scored 104 v Victoria College in June, 100 v Athletics in July, in 1915 he scored 75 v Athletics and another 70 v Athletics. In 1915 he scored 75 v Athletics and 70 v Athletics again the next month. Not only was he handy with the bat his bowling exploits were equally impressive. In 1914 he took 5 for 44 v Grange CC, 3 for 31 against the Royal Artillery, 6 for 56 against Athletics in the same game he scored his 100*, but the same week he took 8 for 44 for Rangers against the Royal Artillery. In 1917 he formed his Lt. CE Blad XI in a drawn match against the College.

Those who attended Elizabeth College (number in brackets), played cricket and who died are:

Major Aston Gifford Astley (3093) was born in Bengal, India on 5th Oct 1887 and played for the College 1st XI during 1906 and 1907. At school he played Friar in ‘Much Ado about Nothing’.

Capt A G Astley

1905                           scored

EC 2nd         122            1               Grange 2nd CC      112

EC 2nd         60     2       & 81-7   0   Grange 2nd CC      177

1906

EC              70              12              Rangers               132

EC 2nd         193            38              Athletics              144-6         2-0-16-0

EC              101            0               Athletics              124  

EC              83              28              HMS Isis              84-3

EC              110            16              HMS Isis              130

EC              101            0               Grange                141            2-0-19-0

EC              105            22              Manchester Reg    71    

EC              146            0               Vic Coll                124   & 95-8

EC              104-7         10              Grange                187-8

EC              86              4               Athletics              185

EC              77              7               Rangers               89

EC              170            1               Grange                124

EC              231-6         10              Athletics              83

EC              119            1               Manchester Reg    123

EC              142            24              Royal Gsy Artill     117

EC              136-6         12              Athletics              186-8

EC              176            4               Vic Coll                48     & 68

Awarded colours

1907

EC              82              19              Athletics              78

EC              119            19              Grange                135

EC              93-7           0               J A Laine XI         125

EC              115            1               Vic Coll                101

EC              46              4               Grange                152

EC              65              12              Manchester Reg    131

EC              155            16              Athletics              91

EC              174-8         7               R J Artillery          45

EC              116            0               RGA                    69    

EC              55              17*            United CC (Jsy)    104            8-3-10-4

EC              142            2               Grange                171

EC              151            6               Rangers               153

EC              159   0       & 85-2        Vic Coll                78     & 157-7

He spoke French, Greek and Latin and entered the army in November 1910. He was in the 8th Royal Fuselliers, machine gun corps,  and was killed by a sniper while carrying out an inspection of a new gun position in shallow trenches at Flers in the Somme in Oct 1916, aged 26, and was awarded the Military Cross, in recognition of gallantry and devotion to duty in the field. His memorial is in Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, Mametz, Somme.

Major A G Astley

Capt James Travers Blount-Dinwiddie (2882) was born in 1891 in Dumfries and was at College from 1898 to 1908. He gained three scholarships for Pembroke College, Oxford, and gained a degree in Law.

1905

EC 2nd       60     0       & 81-7   5* Grange                177  

EC 2nd         149-5                           Athletics 2nd         117

1906

EC              152            22              Beuttler XI           127

EC              70              0               Rangers               132

EC              103            0               Grange                194

EC 2nd         193            19              Athletics 2nd         144-6         3-0-27-0

EC              83              3               HMS Isis              84-3

EC              101            16              Grange                141

EC              105            1               Manchester Reg    71

EC              146            0               Vic Coll                124   & 95-8

EC              119            0               Manchester Reg    123

EC              142            0                R G Artillery         117

EC              136-6                          Athletics              186-8

1907

EC              82              5               Athletics              78

EC              119            2               Grange                135

EC              93-7           1*              J A Laine XI         125

EC              115            11              Vic Coll                101

EC              46              8               Grange                152

EC              65              4               Manchester Reg    131

EC              155            1               Athletics              91

EC              174-8         0               R Artillery    (Jsy)  45

EC              116            0               R G Artillery         69

EC              55              0               United CC (Jsy)    104

EC              142            0               Grange                171

EC              151            20              Rangers               153

EC              159   21      & 85-2        Vic Coll                78     & 157-7

EC 2nd         42              8               Athletics              118            4-1-17-1

EC 2nd         67     1       & 51  3       Grange 2nd           70     & 57-5

EC 2nd         139            11              Grange 2nd           117            1-0-2-1

Awarded colours

1908

EC 2nd         100            1               Grange 2nd           48

EC              211-5         8*              HMS Cumberland  134

EC              95              7               Grange                207

EC 2nd         86              8               Grange 2nd           173

EC              286-6         11              13th Coy RGA       26

EC              145-6         21              Athletics              180

EC              165            21              Grange                156

EC              112   1       & 48-1        Vic Coll                55     & 102

EC              237-2                          2nd Bn Middlesex   110

EC              147-5         34*            Rangers               37

EC              154-5                          Athletics              257-4

EC              188            26              R Artillery (Jsy)    134

EC              120            5               Manchester Reg    221

EC              83              0               Grange                150

EC              142-6         21              F Mourant XI        209-6

EC              127   0       & 104-6  13 Vic Coll                72     & 29-4

Capt J T Blount-Dinwiddie

He was part of the Border Regiment and took part in the Dardanelles landings in April 1915 but was wounded three days later, re-joined his regiment in June, was wounded again in August while leading his men up Hill 70, Anafarta Ridge, in the Dardanelles and died of his wounds in Sept 1915 at the Empire Hospital in London. He was buried in Amberley Church Cemetery in Gloucestershire. He played cricket as well for Oxford University. Mentioned in despatches but died at the age of 24.

blount-dinwiddie_de_ruvigny_extract

Capt J T Blount-Dinwiddie