Leyton Orient: Remembering The Footballers Who Took The Lead In The Great War - Part One

22/10/2024  -  4.00

Stephen Jenkins

The Beginning

Having always had an interest in history, particularly local history, this, along with my love of the O’s has meant the story of Clapton Orient’s major contribution to the Footballers’ Battalion in the Great War has been of particular interest, going way back to 1974, following a small mention of this historic period in Orient’s history in Neil Kaufman’s book Orient FC - A Pictorial History. I began seriously researching the Orient World War One story in the late 1990s and the information I collected led the to the publication of my book, They Took The Lead. Such was its success people began to ask me about the possibility of going over to France to see for themselves the O’s war graves. 

Tyne Cot. Source: Author's Collection

Consequently, this led me, with the help of Les Bailey of the Leyton Royal British Legion, to organise the first O’s Somme Tour in 2006. The tour proved so successful a second trip took place in 2008, which in turn led to a further escalation of interest. So, with the help of the O’s Somme Memorial Fund committee, further tours took place in 2011, 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2023. In addition, a visit to the Ypres Salient was also undertaken in 2017 resulting in excess of 1,000 Orient supporters and friends of the club having now visited the battlefields and memorials of France and Belgium - many of whom might never have been inclined to do so, if it was not for hearing about the Orient story.

O's Somme Memorial. Source: Author's Collection

Pride in the O’s Service in the Great War

It is gratifying to know supporters have taken this proud chapter of Leyton Orient’s long history to their hearts. The Orient have come through many tough times, but the trauma of the Great War and especially the carnage on the Western Front hit the club hard. The pressure for the O’s manager Billy Holmes must have been immense and may well have contributed to his premature death in 1922, aged just 47.

Clapton Orient lost three players during the Battle of the Somme - William Jonas, George Scott and Richard McFadden, with ten others wounded, some more than once. Two of the fallen; Jonas and McFadden were close friends, and they shared a club house in Clapton, having grown up and gone to the same school in the north east.  

O's Memorial in Flers Ordained With Two O's Somme Scarves Showing Either Side. Source: Author's Collection

After signing for the O’s, it was upon McFadden’s recommendation, that Jonas also joined the Orient, and together, they formed a deadly goal-scoring partnership, enabling Clapton Orient to push on towards the top of the second division, and when the 1914/15 season ended and football finally ceased - their friendship continued in the Footballers’ Battalion and on to the Somme.   

William Jonas and Richard McFadden were fighting side-by-side during the Battle of Delville Wood when Jonas made the ultimate sacrifice. McFadden must have been severely traumatised - however, he was still able to write the following letter…

I, Richard McFadden sadly report the death of my friend and O’s colleague William Jonas on the morning of 27th July, age 26.

Both Willie and I were trapped in a trench near the front in Somme, France.

Willie turned to me and said “Goodbye Mac”, Best of luck, special love to my sweetheart Mary Jane and best regards to the lads at Orient’. Before I could reply to him, he was up and over. No sooner had he jumped up out of the trench, my best friend of nearly twenty years was killed before my eyes. Words cannot express my feelings at this time.

Yours,

Company Sergeant Major Richard McFadden.

Sadly, Richard McFadden was also to lose his life on 23rd October, 1916, having been severely wounded by a shell blast.

The third Orient player, George Scott, was wounded and captured by the Germans, before passing away in a military hospital in St Quentin on 16th August, 1916.

Private William Jonas - 74 appearances and 23 goals. Killed in Action, 27th July, 1916

Private George Scott - 213 appearances and 34 goals. Died of Wounds, 16th August, 1916

Company Sergeant Major Richard McFadden MM – 142 appearances and 68 goals. Died of Wounds, 23rd October, 1916

Lest We Forget

Biography

Stephen Jenkins was born in Walthamstow and has supported Leyton Orient since 1969. He is currently Deputy Chairman of Leyton Orient Supporters Club and is Chairman of the O’s Somme Memorial Fund. Along with the numerous successful projects undertaken by the O’s Somme Memorial Fund committee, Stephen was also thrilled to reunite the families of the three Orient lads killed on the Somme, of which he is so proud.