A footy match 'behind the lines'
The Argus on May 10, 1917 published a lengthy letter attributed to Lieutenant L. G. Short. The English-born Lionel Gordon Short worked for the Argus before he enlisted, although it was not revealed whether he was a journalist with the publication. The article described a football match 'behind the lines' …
“The playing field was within shell range. Every inch of it had been won from the enemy in some of the hardest fighting, evidence of which lay all around. The centre was marked by two enormous shell holes, with two 5.9 shells (unexploded) lying beside a hand bomb at the bottom of one. Other shell-holes lay towards the goal posts, indeed, the ground may have been prepared for a billiard match so amply was it provided with 'pockets'.
"Some damaged wire entanglement, a small mound, and a few half-filled sandbags assisted to complete the picture of warfare, but the saddest and most realistic touch lay behind the goal posts on the southern end. It was a small heap of earth – the grave of dead soldiers – with the simple but sublime inscription 'To Unknown British Heroes'.
"The look of the players on the field would not have pleased the eye of an Essendon barracker, but they were just out of the trenches, where it is hardly possible to buy the shorts, shirts and stockings that would make up the uniform of a footballer. Instead, the officers wore sheepskin jerkins, with socks over their puttee-less legs, the N.C.O.'s had their issue cardigans and all wore cap comforters.
"To the inspiring tune of 'I Want To Go Home' and the booming of the distant guns, play commenced. The umpire could be distinguished by his white jersey and the look of worry on his face. It would be impossible to write very enthusiastically of the game, that is from a football point of view. It was, as the phrase has it, more famous for its spirit than its skill.
"Although there were some good men amongst the players, even League and Association members, they had little chance of showing their one-time prowess. The melting snow made the ground as slippery as a banana skin, the obstacles prevented rushes and the players themselves sadly lacked practice. Certainly the game was conspicuous for the absence of fine marking and long shots. The passing too frequently was to the other side.
"The first quarter was carried through with great dash, but the non-commissioned officers quietly asserted their superiority over the commissioned. Within three minutes of the whistle having been blown they had scored their first goal. The second came four minutes later. The officers replied with a goal as the whistle sounded for the change-over.
"It was a sadly altered group on men that faced each other for the second bout. With mud on faces, hands and clothes, they stood breathing heavily. Trench life does not make for soundness in wind and muscle.
"The heavy members in the commissioned ranks - and some were hefty - charged down on the little members of the opposite side, who only escaped a roll in the slimy mud by nimbleness and dexterity.
"The adjutant provided the star turn of the afternoon. With fine speed he had followed up the ball, which was fast rolling towards a deep and snow-filled shell hole. As he neared the crater, his foot slipped on its edge. To the astonishment and delight of spectators and players, he disappeared neatly from view, rolling over and over to the bottom of the hole where he lay in the soft snow.
"It is impossible to chronicle all the wonderful events of that most stupendous game. How one officer had a goal at his feet, kept his - or appeared to - in the excitement, and then kicked the quietly behind. He had mistaken the posts! How the captain of the N.C.O's virtually won them the game by his bright, happy and nimble example. How, in fact, each member contributed something to that most astonishing match on that astonishing ground.
"When the score had risen to six goals against two goals, the whistle saved the officers from further ignominy. They showed their sportsmanship by giving three cheers for their opponents. The match broke up to the familiar cry 'keb, keb' from some wags amongst the assembled privates.
"That night saw officers and sergeants again in the front line on a tour of inspection prior to another term of duty in the trenches. But it is certain that the game had given them fresh heart.
"It carried their thoughts back to those happy days when football was played in certain Melbourne suburbs they called 'home'.
"And it is in such happy thoughts and memories that we soldiers live".
Footnotes
Short stayed on in England after the cessation of hostilities and worked for nearly twelve months as a Museum Officer with the Australian War Records Staff before returning to Australia in December, 1919.
Comments
Terry Logozzo 10 October 2014
A very interesting read, Brian, of an extraordinary game and extraordinarily difficult and frightening times ! Any idea of what "keb, keb" shouted by the Privates meant. I think the AFL might like this account to go into next year's Record for Anzac Day. I wonder how many Australian Footballs were freely available in the trenches, or behind the lines! Perhaps Rugby balls were used.
This story reminds me of a letter a Fitzroy player (cant remember his name) sent home in about 1917 from the trenches, where he reminisced about playing at the Brunswick St Oval and the roar from the Stands, and how he would like to be back there. Sadly, he was killed in action later
Out of curiosity, have you any idea how many Aust. Football games approx. were played behind the lines in WW1 to give a brief respite from the horrors of war -and also, how many might have been played in the UK by Australian soldiers on leave?
Brian Membrey 20 October 2014
No, I confess I have never located the meaning of "keb, keb"- there are few glossaries of slang terms on the Australian War Memorial site, but with no reference - nor does the context of the article, except that the use by Privates suggest it may have been a good-natured, but slightly derogatory term for the officers. I suspect your reference to Rugby balls is probably correct - leather was in short supply due to war-time demands and the likelihood of Aussie Rules balls being exported (perhaps as opposed to "smuggled") is small. I'm sure there must have been other impromptu games and equally impromptu rules, but this id the only alternative to the much more publicised game in London that I have come across
Login to leave a comment.