The world has recently been commemorating the centenary of the blood-soaked First World War Gallipoli campaign between April 1915 and January 1916 which claimed 130,000 fatalities on all sides of the conflict including Turkish soldiers and service personnel from Britain and the Empire especially the Anzacs from Australia and New Zealand. The conflict helped to cement a close, longstanding and enduring bond between Coventrians and Irish people and in 2015 has brought together in remembrance especially Coventry’s British, Irish, Sikh and Turkish communities (see an article in the Irish Post at http://www.irishpost.co.uk/…/irish-soldiers-who-died-in-bat…). Of the 1,012 Dubliners who landed in the Dardanelles on April 25th 1915, just 11 survived the Gallipoli campaign unscathed. One estimate is that by the time the Gallipoli Campaign ended over 100,000 men were dead, including 56,000–68,000 Turkish and around 53,000 Britishand French soldiers.
In Coventry, helping to kick off part of this year’s annual Earsldon Festival on Sunday last, there took place an event ‘Echoes of 1915: The Munster Fusiliers and Gallipoli Remembered’. The event was attended by The Lord Mayor of Coventry, Cllr Hazel Noonan, Ireland’s Ambassador to the UK, Mr Daniel Mulhall as well as families from within the local community having unique connections with those who served at Gallipoli. This included service personnel who travelled from all the way from Limerick especially to join this anniversary commemoration and specifically to remember the Munster Fusiliers who had happier times whilst billeted in the Earlsdon and Chapelfields districts of Coventry. When the ‘Munsters’ left for war in Turkey on March 15 1915, thousands of Coventrians lined the streets to see them off. Whilst in the City the battalion received many presents from the locals including an English Bull Terrier dog called Buller – who became their mascot as well as an Erin Go Bragh flag from the Coventry Irish Club.
The event, centred on the Albany Pub in Earlsdon, included an exhibition, music from Betsy Harmony and a WW1 themed cake competition (with slices available to guests in return for a donation to the Coventry Irish Society), and concluded with the playing of ‘The Last Post’ by a bugler from the City of Coventry Corps of Drums, the band that leads the city’s annual Remembrance Day parade. The Corps are led by CCFPA Associate Member Myles Nottingham.
Sarah-Jane’s CCFPA cake
The Coventry City Former Players Association was asked to enter a Cake in the aforementioned competition and CCFPA membership Secretary Sarah-Jane Morris duly obliged on behalf of CCFPA (see photo). Thanks Sarah! Mindful that on 23 January 1915 a football game in Coventry saw the 1st Battalion Royal Munster Fusiliers defeated 8-3 by Coventry City at Highfield Road, we naturally decided to enter a cake with a footballing theme. On that day the CCFC scorers were Allan 3, Dobson 3, Morris and Turner and The Munsters replied through goals by Privates Whittaker, Arnold and Desmond.
In a match of 35 minutes each way in front of a crowd of 700 the City led 5-2 at half time. The Munster’s team wearing white shirts and khaki shorts consisted of Pte. Merner; Pte. Sullivan & Lance-Cpl.Irwin; Sgt. O’Hanlon, Pte.Bolland & Pte.O’Connor; Pte.Barry, Pte.Condon, Pte.Desmond, Pte.Arnold & Pte.Whittaker. The Coventry City team comprised Nat Robinson; Tommy Shields & Jim Meunier; J.Lowe(s), Tom Morris & Jack Harkins; Fred Holmes, Harry Dobson, Jack Allan, Joe Enright & Bob Turner. The referee was Mr E.Jeffrey of Coventry.
Though CCFC won in 1915 the CCFPA cake did not win in 2015, though Sarah-Jane says it was the first to be completely eaten by the guests! However, we felt our cake caught the mood of the the Association’s purpose as well as commemorating the anniversary. It showed an old fashioned laced football (stuffed with Maltesers) with a photo of CCFC’s squad of that season (and a possibly authentic striped scarf of the time courtesy of former CCFC player Ian Goodwin‘s wife, Lynn). Ian asks all to remember he did not make his debut in 1915 but 55 years later in 1970!
Much more about the whole Earlsdon Festival which runs up to and including the May Bank Holiday can be found on:- https://www.facebook.com/EarlsdonFest.