Jump to content

Leyton Orient and Remembrance Weekend


Union Jack

Recommended Posts

First and foremost a lifelong Bear, - but because I live so far down south, near the Channel Tunnel, I don't manage to get to more than one or two games at Ibrox per season. Next up for me is the Annan game on Nov 29th.

Anyway, for the past couple of seasons I've had a season ticket with my teenage son, for Leyton Orient, because that was my late Father in Law's team, and after The Gers, we've become quite fond of the O s and the match day experience there. I was moved and impressed with their remembrance ceremony at the home match against Shrewesbury yesterday, and I thought my fellow Bears might be interested to hear about it, and about Orient's pride in their history related to the fallen.

Orient - then known as Clapton Orient - lost 3 of their players, including their Captain, as well as members of staff in the Great War. One of the players, who later was killed, became the first footballer to join up in 1914. Because of this the Club take great pride in honouring the sacrifice made by their players and staff. The Supporters Club recently sponsored a memorial in France to their fallen, and a number go annually there for a service of tribute.

Standing with my pint, on the terrace outside the Supporters Club before the match yesterday, ( if you get the chance to go to an Orient match, the real ale selling supporters club at the main entrance, is well worth a visit), I spotted from his uniform, a member of the "Leyton Orient Buglers" and noticed Boys Brigade badges. As a proud ex BB boy, I chatted to him and he told me that all of the Club' buglers are ex BB. The buglers led the parade of military cadets at Half Time. They played the Last Post which, was haunting and moving. There was a reading and a tribute to the fallen players and staff and laying of wreaths. The minutes silence was impeccably observed by both Orient and Shrewesbury Town's fans.

The Supporters Club were selling special commemorative scarves yesterday, with the club name on one side and "The Somme 1916, Clapton Orient", and current Club badge, on the other. I bought one as the money goes to the remembrance fund. I may wear it with my Rangers scarf if I can get to the next remembrance weekend match at Ibrox.

Apart from Union Jack Junior and me, no connection with the Gers I know, but I think you will agree that, in the absence of getting to the remembrance weekend match at Ibrox, Orient is a pretty good second bet at which to pay the respects to our military. Not the Gers, but a decent and honourable club.nonetheless, and I was pleased to be there yesterday.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Oops, got my dates muddled, I'm travelling up on Thursday, the 29th, and was planning to go to the Annan game on the Saturday - didn't know it had been moved, so thanks. Will there be a home game on Dec 1st? Cheers

Scottish Cup v Elgin on Sunday 2nd December

Link to post
Share on other sites

Brilliant, I can make the Sunday match vs Elgin. Can't wait. Cheers again

Don't forget to buy a ticket. :rolleyes:

William Hill Scottish Cup Fourth Round

Rangers v Elgin City

Sunday 2 December, Ibrox Stadium, kick-off 1.15pm

Season holder sale Monday-Wednesday. Adults £13, conc £8 and kids £3.

Public sale starts Thursday. Adults £15, conc £10 and kids £5.

Family package £35 (2 adults and 2 kids, Family Section only, not available online.)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry, hijacked the thread a bit there, so back on topic.

Here's the Wiki text of their World War One Story...

The 1914–15 season was the last football season before the League was suspended due to the outbreak of the First World War. 41 members of the Clapton Orient team and staff joined up into the 17th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (the Footballers' Battalion), the highest of any football team in the country and the first to join up en masse.[3] At the final game of the season – Clapton Orient vs Leicester Fosse, 20,000 people came out to support the team. A farewell parade was also hosted, but not before the O's had won 2–0. The British Film Institute holds a brief recording of this historic match and parade in their archives.

During the Battle of the Somme, three players gave their lives for King and Country: Richard McFadden, George Scott and William Jonas. Though they were the only Orient staff to have died during the First World War, many others sustained wounds, some more than once and were not able to resume their football careers after the war. Prior to the First World War, O's striker Richard McFadden had saved the life of a boy who was drowning in the River Lea as well as rescuing a man from a burning building.

History was made on Saturday 30 April 1921 when the Prince of Wales, later to become King Edward VIII, visited Millfields Road to see the O's play Notts County. The Orient won 3 – 0 and this was the first time a member of royalty had attended a Football League match. The royal visit was to show gratitude for Clapton Orient's patriotic example during the Great War and there is now a plaque erected on the site of the Millfields Road Stadium to commemorate this historic event.[4]

The story of the club's major involvement in the First World War has been told in a 2005 book entitled They Took The Lead, by Stephen Jenkins (the deputy chairman of Leyton Orient Supporters' Club). In July 2006 Steve Jenkins, assisted by Les Bailey, took a party of 150 Leyton Orient supporters and members of the Leyton and Manor Park Royal British Legion over to the Somme region of northern France, to visit World War I war graves and in particular to pay their respects at the resting places of Richard McFadden, William Jonas and George Scott. This was the first official visit to the Orient war graves for 90 years. The trip was so successful that a second visit to the Somme took place the weekend of 12/13 July 2008, this time 183 O's supporters and members of the RBL made the historic pilgrimage. Media interest is growing concerning this amazing and proud period of the Orient's history. Chris Slegg, a BBC London reporter travelled with the party and footage of the Somme trip was shown on every local news bulletin throughout the day on the Monday following the trip.

It is hoped that a documentary or film will one day be made on Clapton Orient's proud service during the Great War. In August 2009 Steve Jenkins, along with fellow O's supporter Theresa Burns and Orient legend Peter Kitchen, launched the O's Somme Memorial Fund with the objective of erecting a permanent memorial in northern France in honour of the Clapton Orient side that answered the call of King and Country.

A third trip to the Somme took place in July 2011 and the O's Memorial was unveiled in the village of Flers on Sunday 10 July

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry, hijacked the thread a bit there, so back on topic.

Here's the Wiki text of their World War One Story...

Thanks, nice post. Orient have worthy history I've discovered, with a decent bunch of fans. So a pretty good place for an exiled Bear to get his football fix when he can' t get to see Rangers

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks, nice post. Orient have worthy history I've discovered, with a decent bunch of fans. So a pretty good place for an exiled Bear to get his football fix when he can' t get to see Rangers

Scott Cuthbert who plays for Leyton Orient is a Rangers fan mate. Used to be on the books at the manky mob when he was younger mind you!

Link to post
Share on other sites

beats me as well

Well, I simply posted a recount of my experience on Saturday, about a club that clearly shares the respect for those of our nation who paid the ultimate price. Most Bears, I think got the point. In the circumstances of being unable to attend Ibrox for the remembrance weekend match, it was a good club to visit.

Not really about Rangers I know, as I said on my original post, but hopefully of interest to some of my fellow Bears at least, if not all. Cheers.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Scott Cuthbert who plays for Leyton Orient is a Rangers fan mate. Used to be on the books at the manky mob when he was younger mind you!

Scott's a pretty good player and has been missed while out for a fairly long injury absence this season. I'm really pleased to hear he's a Rangers man, I'd always thought he was from the dark side because of his scumtic connection.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, I simply posted a recount of my experience on Saturday, about a club that clearly shares the respect for those of our nation who paid the ultimate price. Most Bears, I think got the point. In the circumstances of being unable to attend Ibrox for the remembrance weekend match, it was a good club to visit.

Not really about Rangers I know, as I said on my original post, but hopefully of interest to some of my fellow Bears at least, if not all. Cheers.

When i,m working in that end of town i usually pass the ground on my way to the Blackwall Tunnel, is there flats built into the stand at the club shop end?

Its a fair post mate i read it with interest, there are some knobs on the forum now who have a dig just for the sake of it.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well, I simply posted a recount of my experience on Saturday, about a club that clearly shares the respect for those of our nation who paid the ultimate price. Most Bears, I think got the point. In the circumstances of being unable to attend Ibrox for the remembrance weekend match, it was a good club to visit.

Not really about Rangers I know, as I said on my original post, but hopefully of interest to some of my fellow Bears at least, if not all. Cheers.

I enjoyed reading the post.Thanks

Link to post
Share on other sites

When i,m working in that end of town i usually pass the ground on my way to the Blackwall Tunnel, is there flats built into the stand at the club shop end?

Its a fair post mate i read it with interest, there are some knobs on the forum now who have a dig just for the sake of it.

Hi Mate, the club sold off the corners of the ground some years ago, I believe to raise money and redevelop the ground. There are blocks of modern flats in each corner, and a larger block behind one end, the south stand. Actually it works quite well, I like the ground, though totally different from Ibrox, with a capacity of just over 9,000.

The Suporters Club, Ticket Office, club shop and Main Entrance are on the front of the Main, west stand, which has an impressive facade with large club crest. This stand is quite unusual in that it is essentially an office block with banked seating to its front. I like it though, good facilities and great view.

Nothing like our Ibrox atmosphere of course, but being a much smaller ground you are never too far from the pitch. If you find yourself there on a Saturday match day, let me know!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry I'm confused but what the fuck has any of this to do with Rangers?

Techinicaly nothing but its nice to read about other proud British clubs and at this time of year good to remember those involved in football who made the ultimate sacrafice. Beats the hell out of another 'obsessed with mhanks obsession' thread too.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Upcoming Events

    • 30 March 2024 15:00 Until 17:00
      0  
      Rangers v Hibernian
      Ibrox Stadium
      Scottish Premiership
×
×
  • Create New...