Swindon Town

GOOD progress is being made towards the installation of a plaque to commemorate the Swindon Town players who lost their lives in two World Wars.

Like a plaque which was once on the old stand that was demolished when the present Arkell’s Stand was erected, a new plaque will be installed above the tunnel from which the players emerge on to the pitch.

Dick Mattick said: “The club have been very supportive and are anxious that the plaque should be highly visible and not tucked away in a foyer or lounge where only a small section of people would see it. A suggestion at a Club AGM shortly after WWI had been for a plaque to be put in the dressing rooms but, given the situation of the old plaque, which seems to have been lost when the old stand was demolished, it seems the idea to make the tribute a more public one was sensibly agreed on and will be continued with the new memorial.”

It has been decided that the memorial should carry the names of all first team players whose lives were lost while serving in the forces in two World Wars whether or not they had moved to another club plus those of players from the reserve and junior teams whose sacrifice curtailed a chance of progressing to that level.

Listed below are those who are intended to be included on the memorial. The club would be anxious to hear from anybody who feels that a player who should be included has been missed or if any of the details regarding birth, death and regiment are incorrect. Please email tom@swindontownfc.co.uk should you have any corrections or names to add.

World War One
George Bathe 1890-1915: 1st Battalion Wiltshire Regiment
Arthur Beadsworth 1876-1917: 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment
William Arthur Brewer 1893-1914: 1st Battalion Wiltshire Regiment
James Chalmers 1877-1915: Royal Scots Fusiliers
William Kirby 1882-1917: 6th Battalion Royal Engineers
Reginald William Menham 1897-1917: Coldstream Guards
Albert Milton 1885-1917: 64th Brigade Royal Field Artillery
Edward Murphy 1881-1915: 1st North Staffordshire Regiment
Harold Victor Warren 1893-1918: Royal Army Service Corps
Frederick George Wheatcroft 1882-1917: 5th Battalion East Surrey Regt

World War Two
William Bryan 1912-1944: Dorset Regiment
Alan Fowler 1911-1944: 4th Dorset Regiment
William Noble Imrie 1908-1944: Royal Air Force
James Ferd Olney 1914-1944: 5th Battalion Coldstream Guards
Albert Elystan Edgar Powell 1908-1940: 34th Signal Training Regiment