Tag Archives: Football

Arthur Linfoot occasionally wrote of his attendance at football matches, usually at Roker Park (Sunderland) in the early part of the diaries. The later diaries mention football much more frequently as a pastime popular among troops in France.

27 September 1916; Wednesday

Busy all day. Not feeling very well. An observation balloon brought down near us. Had short walk at night with Bascombe and Barburn† after 7.30. Usual day’s work. Our team playing football against Black Watch won 1 – 0.

Received news of Zeppelin raid on north east coast1.


  1. Zeppelin raid: This was actually part of the same raid as ALL had noted the previous day; the four Zeppelins which attacked London on the night of 23-24 September (two of which had been brought down as noted by ALL) were actually part of a larger group of 12 Zeppelins, the others targeting different parts of the UK, including the North-East. See also German strategic bombing during World War I at Wikipedia. 

26 September 1916; Tuesday

Up at 6.45. At work as usual. My afternoon off. Went over to Bailleul with Harvey. Our team playing football against M.A.C. and lost 1 – 0. At the Merry Mauves1.

Received news of Zeppelin raid and 2 brought down2.


  1. “Merry Mauves”: The soldiers’ revue first mentioned on 22 September

  2. Zeppelin raid: On the night of 23 September 1916, a group of four Zeppelins comprising L31, L32, L33 and L34 staged a raid on London and the surrounding counties. Two of these, L32 and L33, were shot down, the former near Billericay with the loss of all hands. The latter crash landed at at New Hall Farm, Little Wigborough; the crew survived and were taken prisoner. L33 was not completely destroyed and was used to inform the design of British airships R33 and R34. See also List of Zeppelins at Wikipedia. 

16 September 1916; Saturday

At the ward as usual. Busy all day. A lot of patients in. Football match in the afternoon and our team won. 5 – 1.

Received news of big fresh advance1 on the Somme.


  1. There was indeed a ‘big fresh advance’ on the Somme on 15 September, assisted by tanks, which according to the prevalent view (which ALL shared) were too few and too sparsely distributed to achieve a decisive impact; in other words wasted due to premature use. The push was in the centre (the old 34th and 19th Divisions area), astride the Albert – Bapaume road, initially as far SE as Delville Wood, and by the evening of 15 September it had reached Courcelette on the Albert – Bapaume road, some 2km beyond Pozières, but still 8km short of Bapaume. 

1 April 1916; Saturday

At football match in the afternoon. Sheffield United v Sheffield Wednesday.

Zeppelin Raid over Sunderland1.

22 killed. 100 injured. Damage to Deptford, and Monk<wearmouth>.2


  1. At about 10pm on the evening of 1 April 1916 German Imperial Navy Zeppelin L11 under the command of Korvettenkapitan Viktor Schutze crossed the coast to attack Tyneside. The defences around the River Tyne had recently been strengthened. Because of this and the prevailing adverse weather conditions, Schutze decided to manoeuvre round and attack the less well protected port of Sunderland

  2. A commemorative clock dedicated to the memory of the victims was recently installed at the Wheatsheaf junction in Monkwearmouth. 

25 March 1916; Saturday

On parade in the morning. Went to the football match in the afternoon with Bennett, Johnson and Plummer. Went on the car to Young’s café and had poached eggs. I bought a new razor and a knife and returned to barracks. Went to the Wesley guild meeting and was trapped in to play. Broke down in a song but managed to get through it. Had short walk round with Mr Inwood afterwards.

24 November 1915; Wednesday

Usual day’s work. Football match between RAMC and HLI1 and HLI won 4/1. Received long letter from Franchie2 Inwood. In good spirits all day. Franchie says she is ill in bed with a cold. Concert at the Y.M. and pretty good. Good soprano, tenor and bass, and hummers. Accompanist very good too.


  1. “HLI”: Highland Light Infantry. 

  2. “Franchie Inwood”: still “Miss Inwood” as recently as 25 September. The transcription of her first name is never wholly clear; it usually looks like “Franchie”, perhaps from Francesca, though “Francie”, from Frances, seems more likely. 

22 August 1914; Saturday

Busy at work. Finished about 2.15. An aeroplane passed over the town in the afternoon. Trial football match played. Took Histories1 up to Hills’ to be bound. Went to Roker at night with Willie Whittaker and Charlie. Discussed war news. Belgians retire to Antwerp & Germans occupy Brussels. They demand 8 million indemnity for the town. Various rumours from Austria & Russia. Charlie heard of the movement of the German fleet to Ostend.


  1. “Histories”: presumably History of the Nations; see note on 11 April 

1 June 1914; Whit Monday

[Written in longhand above date – ] Choir Trip to Haydon Bridge

Got up 5.15. Called for Charlie. Got 6.30 train to Newcastle. Got excursion train there for Haydon Bridge. About 27 in the party. Walked to Langley Castle and then on to the moors where we played handball. Got dinner and tea at the town hall at Haydon Bridge. Walked to Hexham in the afternoon. Played football part of the way. Visited Sele, abbey, and river side1. Got the 6 o’clock train back and had tea. Walked to the spa after tea. Left there about 9.30. Got home just after mid-­night. Charlie and I set Edie Horton, and Lou Pearce home. Edie Hunter and a girl called Mary Smith sick and Jimmy Oliver. Mary Smith lost her purse with 7/9 in it and we subscribed to make it up. Charlie with us. * at Hexham. Scalded foot last thing with some boiling water.


  1. The Sele is an open area in the centre of Hexham.