Counting Down to Peace – We need your help!

As this is the last home game of this 2018 season, Lowerhouse CC invite you to join us in remembering the men from the club who served in the Great War, which 100 years ago was slowly grinding to a close.

In his 1917 report, the club secretary said: “ Matches are being arranged again for the coming season and we appeal to all old players and also young ones to help all they can to keep the game going until the boys who are now playing a far sterner game come home again. “

We know that in 1917, 80 men out of a membership of around 400 were in uniform. We know some but not all of their names.

We do not know how many died between 1914 and the end of hostilities, or later as a consequence of the war.

We do know that Lieutenant Alan Drew of the Drew Printworks, a patron of the club, died in 1915 in France, and that William Whittaker, who at that time was one of the best amateurs ever to play for Lowerhouse, died in France in 1918 and has no known grave.

We also know that many did survive.

We know that Matthew Walker, grandfather of Stan Heaton, came home, as did his son James who was injured and then sent back to France and who reported seeing Alan Drew’s grave every day.

We know that Robert Hammond not only survived the sinking of his troop ship “Royal Edward” by a submarine torpedo in 1915, but also the horrors of France and the Somme.

Please, therefore, at this final encounter of the 2018 cricket season, let us honour and respect those men from this club who left the cricket field for the battle field in the Great War of 1914-1918.

Lest we forget – Help us Remember

If you have any memories, photos, documents of family members connected to Lowerhouse who served in WW1 we would love to hear from you as part of our History project. Please contact Sue Martin or Anne Cochrane, or contact the club via social media.

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