The following article has been contributed by Paul Lewis, the founder of the Wycombe Wanderers’ independent website chairboys.co.uk.

Amongst an estimated 600 service men from the High Wycombe District who were killed in action during the Great War (1914-1918), at least 19 were officials, players or former players of Wycombe Wanderers Football Club.

Paul has researched the background of the Wanderers players killed. With the help of the Bucks Free Press archives and websites including buckinghamshireremembers.org.uk, swop.org.uk and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the research has revealed letters, obituaries, photos and details of the graves for those Great War Wanderers.

Loakes Park had been used for war-related activities throughout the four-year conflict, so no competitive football was played on the famous sloping surface until the start of the 1919/20 football season, when the Club entered the Spartan League for the first time.

As the country continued to recover from the hostilities, Wanderers re-grouped to romp home as champions in their debut season in the Spartan League.

There were mixed emotions when an exhibition match was played against a ‘Rest of the League XI’ on 1st May 1920. A large gate bought in receipts amounting to £65 and although Wanderers were defeated by 5 goals to 4, it was the ceremony after the game, honouring the 19 lost during The Great War, that would provide the lasting memory for those in attendance.

An emotional service was held when a memorial tablet was unveiled. In a speech during the unveiling, the Mayor Cllr H Stratford said: “Whenever Wycombe Wanderers assembled to witness the many football matches, [let us hope] that as they looked upon the tablet and read the names, they would be an inspiration at all times to ‘Play the Game’.”

The Mayor then pulled aside the Union Jack to reveal the tablet, which was later placed in the pavilion at Loakes Park. Two buglers then played ‘The Last Post’, with many of the watching crowd reduced to tears.

The names of those killed were:

Vice-Presidents: Viscount Wendover, Dr R.A. Hobbs and Frank Elliott

Members: R. North, R. Harrell, B.R.P. Wood, G.A. Priest, H. Dunn and J. Baker

Players: Charlie Buchanan, George Buchanan, Edward Carter, George Fowler, Frank Langley, ‘Jock’ Love, ‘Jim’ McDermott, ‘Eddie’ Reynolds, Arthur Saunders and Harry Stallwood

The inscription at the foot of the tablet read: “They fought a good fight”.

With the help of club historians Dave Finch and Steve Peart, Paul has been able to verify the identity of the players, several of whom were better known under different first names.

Details are included on the website, along with locations of their graves or memorials taken from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.”

Profiles of each player can be seen at www.chairboys.co.uk/history/2018_11_wanderers_in_great_war.htm.

Paul commented: “Reading the letters the men sent home in the Bucks Free Press archives, emphasises the reality of how those losses must have felt at the time to family and friends.

“Seeing pictures of the players, most of them young men, adds another dimension of grief to what otherwise would just be a list of names.”

Unfortunately the current whereabouts of the tablet unveiled in 1920 are unknown.

If any readers recall seeing the original tablet at Loakes Park or have any information on what may have become of its existence, please get in touch by emailing deweymiked@aol.com or phoning 01494 755070.