Remembrance Day - The Sefton cricketers who died in the First World War
Sefton Park Cricket Club holds a deeply rooted history connected to the First World War, most notably marked by the ultimate sacrifice of its club captain, Harvey Blease, and memorial plaques inside the clubhouse and on the scorebox honouring its fallen members.
When Great Britain entered the conflict in August 1914, many local cricketers from the Liverpool area traded the pitch for military service. The war took a severe toll on the club's leadership and player base and here we remember some of those who died during the conflict.
Captain Harvey Blease
The most prominent loss to the club was its first-team captain, Harvey Blease. Holding the rank of Captain in the 15th Battalion of the King's Liverpool Regiment, Blease was killed in action during the Dardanelles (Gallipoli) Campaign on August 7, 1915 at the age of 32.
Blease, who captained Sefton Cricket Club between 1905-1910, was the son of Walter and Mary Blease, of Sefton Drive, Liverpool; husband of Helen Dorothy Stanley Blease, of Rostherne, Blundellsands, Liverpool, and was educated at Sedbergh School.
A tribute in the Liverpool Echo mourning his passing read: "He was a good-class cricketer, thorough sportsman and of course, exceedingly popular. His loss will be greatly felt by the club and his old chums at Sedbergh College."
Alfred Croft
Alfred John Croft was born in Lancashire in 1892 and was his mother’s only son. His wife was Agnes Peattie Hay. He enlisted in Liverpool and served as a private with the 2/10th Battalion, King’s Liverpool Regiment, on the Western Front.
Alfred was reported wounded during his service. He was killed in action in France on 29 June 1917, aged 25, and was buried at Erquinghem-Lys Churchyard Extension. After his death, his wife was living at 71 Garmoyle Road, Sefton Park.
Wilfred Heyworth
Second Lieutenant W. A. Heyworth, 5th Battalion, Liverpool Regiment, was killed in action near Arras on 23 May 1916, aged just 20. Born on 24 March 1896 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he was the only son of Harold Ormerod Heyworth, of Upper Norwood, who was originally from Aigburth. Wilfred was educated at Birkenhead School, where he played for the school's cricket team.
Robert McCardle
Corporal Robert McArdle, of the 20th Battalion King’s Liverpool Regiment, was born in West Derby on the 27th July 1884. His father was a merchant dealing in paper, canvas and jute. In 1911 his business address was 24 Irwell Chambers, Fazakerley Street, Liverpool while the familiy lived in Wavertree. He was killed in France on the 21st March 1917, aged 32. The circumstances of his death were recorded in the battalion diary. He was taking part in a recce patrol of 11 men who were ambushed by the German's at Neuville Vitasse. The diary records that 11 men went out on the patrol and that only four returned. Robert's body was not recovered from the battlefield or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Arras Memorial in France. Tragically he was the first of three brothers killed in the war.
John McClenahan
John was the son of Henry and Elizabeth McClenahan. Before the war he lived with his wife Lily, on Menlove Avenue in Mossley Hill. He was a Private in the Kings (Liverpool) Regiment and died after the war on Tuesday, February 18 1919, aged 27. He is buried in Allerton Cemetary.
The Rev. Charles Benjamin Plummer
The Rev. Charles Benjamin Plummer was a British Army chaplain who served during World War I. Born in 1890, he was the son of the Rev. Canon Francis Bowes Plummer and Edith Mary Plummer of Halewood Rectory. He served as a Chaplain 4th Class in the Army Chaplains' Department, attached to the 61st Infantry Brigade.and was killed in action on March 12, 1917, at the age of 27.
He is buried at the Carnoy Military Cemetery in France (Plot A, Row 5) and is also commemorated on the war memorial at St. Nicholas's Church in Halewood.
He is also credited as the author of the 1913 hymn 'We are on the Battlefield Today'.
George Walker
Private George Walker served in The King's (Liverpool Regiment). George enlisted in Liverpool on or about 25th May 1915 joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 26696 and crossed to France on 29th December 1915, as part of a reinforcement draft.
He was killed in action on the 1st July 1916, the opening day of the Battle of the Somme during the Liverpool Pals attack at Montauban.
Leslie Tom West
Leslie Tom West was born in 1894 in Egremont, Cheshire and resided in Liverpool and was the son of Joseph and Mary Jane West (nee Morgan), of 15 Allerton Rd, Mossley Hill, Liverpool. He was educated at the Liverpool Institute and Liverpool College. After leaving school he became a member of Sefton Cricket Club.
He was killed in action on the 31st July 1917 aged 23 on the first day of the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as Passchendaele. He was attached to a Signalling section, had been promoted to Lance-Corporal and had been recommended for a Military Medal. He was offered a commission but preferred to remain in the ranks with his friends.
His officer wrote to his father: “He is a big loss to us all. His cheerfulness through all sorts of conditions and circumstances made him a general favourite wherever he went.”
The chaplain refers to him as: “A splendid, brave, and fearless lad, cheery and chatty.”
He now rests at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium.
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