The Linfield Academy along with a number of club officials, former legendary players including Glenn Ferguson, Lee Doherty and William Murphy, coaches and supporters travelled to Belgium and France this past weekend on an educational trip of the Battle of the Somme.

On day one of the trip (Friday 30th August) the group visited Tyne Cot Cemetery in Flanders where 12,000 soldiers are buried from the First World War. This cemetery also holds a memorial to the Missing where over 33,000 soldiers’ names are commemorated on the stone walls surrounding the graves. The remains for these 33,000 soldiers were never found. The Linfield Academy boys laid crosses and a wreath to those who lost their lives. Following our stop at Tyne Cot, Sanctuary Wood Cemetery was also visited. Poems were read out by the young players at every grave site the party visited.

The Linfield party then travelled down towards Ypres stopping at a number of grave sites and historical trench lines that are still in tact along the way. The highlight of the evening was when the club met with Leyton Orient and the 17th Middlesex Football Battalion Pals Band as we marched side by side to lay wreaths and pay our tributes at the Menin Gate. The Menin Gate is a war memorial dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres Salient of World War I and whose graves are unknown. This was a significant moment from the two clubs, the night before they played against each other at the Somme Memorial Cup the next day.

Day Two (Saturday 31st August) was the day the young lads had been looking forward to as they took part in the Somme Memorial Cup at the Stade Potez D’Albert where the three teams of Linfield U15, Leyton Orient U15 and Albert Usoaas would battle it out. The opening ceremony started at around 10am local time in Albert with all three teams parading the pitch with the 17th Footballers Battalion band, followed by speeches from the Mayor of Bertrancourt, representatives of the town Albert, tournament organisers, Linfield Chairman Roy McGivern and Leyton Orient. Respect was shown to the fallen with the Last Post as well as the British flag being raised. 

The tournament kicked off with Leyton Orient getting the best of the French side in round one to secure their spot in the final. Linfield would then take on Albert in their first game of the tournament, with a fine performance of the young lads securing a 4-0 win and their spot in the final against Orient. 

Following a short break in play, the tournament would get back underway and despite a valiant effort from the young Blues, two late goals from Orient to finish the game 4-2 saw us take 2nd place in the Somme Memorial Cup. Congratulations to Leyton Orient on winning the tournament.

The third day of the trip was a special one as both Linfield and Leyton Orient went on a joint pilgrimage together, first stopping at the impressive Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, where over 70,000 soldiers are remembered whose bodies were never recovered.

Both clubs paraded together along with the band up the steps of Thiepval Memorial, before an emotional service was held to honour those who gave up their lives to fight for our freedom. Poetry, stories and moments of remembrance were shared together followed by a wreath laying and each player for both clubs laying a poppy cross.

The clubs would both then depart for the Clapton Orient Memorial Football Memorial to honour the three Leyton Orient players who fought in the Great War. Linfield would also lay a wreath and cross at this memorial.

Following this, the Linfield party would travel to Forceville to pay tribute to former player Rifleman James Walker of the 14th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles with club legend Glenn Ferguson reading a piece dedicated to the hero who once played in our famous Blue shirt.

 

To finish the day, both clubs would once again parade together and march side by side in Remembrance through the village of Bertrancourt, towards the Linfield FC memorial.

An emotional service of remembrance was held under the late afternoon sun with Linfield’s War Memorial being described as ‘the pride and joy of our village’ by the French people in a formal welcoming. A speech was given by club chairman Roy McGivern where he thanked Leyton Orient for remembering our fallen with us, the band for their excellent playing throughout the weekend and the people of Bertrancourt for maintaining the memorial and welcoming us as part of their community. Club representative Johnny Jamison would then give a few words as he read out the names of all of the Linfield fallen across both World Wars, followed by a presentation of a replica Victoria Cross to academy player Zak Lowry who’s Great Great Grandfather was award the Victoria Cross, the highest honour in the British military, for his actions in Crimea in 1854. Each player from both clubs would then lay a cross at the memorial as well as a wreath laying from both clubs, the town of Bertrancourt and the Fire Service of Bertrancourt.

Following the service, we were greeted with incredible hospitality from the people in the village with food, refreshments, entertainment and much more put on for the Linfield party. The club can not thank the people of Albert and Bertrancourt enough for their hospitality across the weekend.

The final day of the trip, the group would travel to Arras Memorial to the Missing to learn stories of footballers from clubs such as Celtic and Man United. A special memorial was held for Walter Tull, an English soldier of African descent who played for clubs such as Spurs and Northampton Town. He was the first player of African descent to sign for Rangers however he would never play a game for the club.

Club legend William ‘Winkie’ Murphy and his family were special guests on the trip, having found details of his Great Grand Father who died in the war. The group once again held a service in his memory, with presentations being made to the family on behalf of Linfield.

The final stop of the trip would see the Linfield Academy players take a tour of the Ulster Memorial Tower and Thiepval Wood with a service to a family member of club trustee David Sales along the way.

The club would like to put on record what a pleasure it was to share such an incredible experience with Leyton Orient, two clubs that both value the importance of remembering those who gave up their lives for us. Huge thanks also goes to the 17th Middlesex Football Battalion Pals Band who were fantastic all weekend.

Finally, well done to both sets of players from Linfield and Orient who represented their clubs in a respectful and dignified manner through the entirety of the trip. 

A Linfield TV video further showcasing the trip will be available in the coming days.

Lest we forget.