1941-1942 ANECDOTES

1941-1942 ANECDOTES
DARKEST HOURS
It should be noted that Bath rugby continued during some of the darkest days of the War. On Friday November 15th the Chronicle headlined, somewhat euphemistically, that only 18 were missing out of 1600 complement as the Ark Royal was sunk by enemy torpedoes. In fact, the 29/11 Cheltenham game proceeds were in favour of Warship Week.

The Wartime records, as presented, were constructed from regular Chronicle reports. Particular difficulty occurred when one or two forthcoming fixtures were reported in a Friday night paper, only to disappear without trace in the Saturday and Monday editions. Usually it was the weather, and dutifully, the reports tended explain the playing gaps a week or so later.

There was a reported shortage of players for the oncoming season and Bath got off to a late start. It one time there was a lobby that Bath City (Soccer) should be allowed regular games on the Rec.

26th August 1941
It was reported that Wing Commander John Stuart Bartlett D.F.C., an outstanding Bath wing three-quarter, had died on active service.
He had been educated at Victoria College, Bath and was the son of a former Manager of Lloyds Bank, Milsom Street. He had been one of the cleverest runners in Rugby: “The side-slip, the feint, the dummy, the hand-off were supremely exercised by him in his races for the line.
Two tries on the Rec. against Headingly one holiday-time stand out in the mind as classics of their kind.”
Age quod agis (Whatever you do, do well) was emblazoned on his old school crest.
He undoubtedly remained true to that motto.
He was a brave and delightful personality.

On September 15th 1941 there was an appeal from the Home Guard XV, who wanted to arrange more fixtures. They were prospering under the captaincy of Bath’s Norman Matthews and had set their ‘camp’ on the Show Ground at Lambridge.

22nd September 1941 – the Bath Football Club announced that continuance of Club Rugby depended on “the eternal question of finance.” The previous season’s deficiency of £31 8s 11d was due to poor attendances. Subscriptions of £1 were invited, entitling the donor to a Stand seat. The target amount was £250 and if this was achieved, the Committee felt they could go ahead.

By 25th September 1941, the local Home Guard had their fixtures pencilled in, but there was a ‘snag’ to their sporting aspirations – they did not have enough clothing coupons to buy jerseys, shorts and socks, and therefore welcomed any donations of sports kit to get them going.

MANCOM 29/9/41
Vic Smith had joined up and Cyril Bailey was about to be called. Resolved that Harry Davies be Wartime General Secretary and E A Anderson take over the role of Match Secretary.
Suggestion was that club should start on a sound basis of 20 members, and the Committee would each get ten other sportsmen to buy £1 tickets entitling them to a seat in the West Stand, and it was therefore agreed to carry on the Club on this start-up basis.

The Bath Chronicle 3rd October 1941 reported little prospect for the continuance of Rugby on the Rec. Mr. F C Wills stated that, at the time of writing, he had not received one offer of the 20 pledges needed. He was calling for individuals to subscribe £1 each; the ticket carrying free admission for any accompanying lady.
A final decision on continuance was promised for the following Monday.
“There is yet time to give the city Rugby and keep the Club alive in war-time.
Rally round, you members!”

A letter from former Bath Rugby player, LOUIS ST. V. POWELL, to the Chronicle Editor published on the 4th October suggested that Bath City A.F.C. should be allowed to share home games on the Rec.

MANCOM 6/10/41
After a thorough debate: ”it was proposed by R S Chaddock and seconded by Mr A Lock that the Club be carried on, play to start on Saturday 18th October 1941.”
Revised admission charges: 1/- to include North Stand, 2/- to Ground and West Stand or a shilling transfer ticket to the West Stand. School children 3d to any part of the Ground or Stands, also non-commissioned H.M. Forces also at this price. A £1 Stand ticket to admit a man and his wife, or girlfriend, or if purchased by a lady the ticket should admit a lady friend. Complimentary tickets to those who give their services to the Club.

There was: “A patriotic desire to provide sport for Servicemen, both as players and onlookers.”
£127 had been received towards the target of £250., and the Committee decided to go ahead.

Bath Chronicle 1st January 1942.
News of award of the Military Cross to Capt. (Temporary Major) C A Wade, King’s Own Scottish Borderers, for distinguished service in East Africa. He took part in the Abyssinian campaign and personally accepted the surrender of Harar from the Italians. Major Wade hailed from Box and had played at Cricket and Rugby for Bath.

25th and 26th April 1942 Bath Blitz.
The West Stand was destroyed, and the North Stand severely damaged, and unusable.

Bath & Wilts Chronicle and Herald on Monday 27th April 1942: “Stands at the football ground are a tangled mass of girders and ironwork. Sheets of corrugated iron were blown away by the tremendous force of the explosion.”

OTHER QUOTES – the morning after:
“In one of the houses a boy of nine was trapped by the masonry. Did he whimper? Oh no. He sang. That’s the spirit. He burrowed his way out-with his own hands.”

“Here is a touch of humour. In one place, with all the flares up, a man calmly packed his bag, got into bed and read till the blitz was over, and then called out for a ladder to make his exit.”

“Amid the scene of desolation in this beautiful garden the birds sang as blithely as ever next morning and the daffodils blew their golden trumpets as proudly as before.”

“Here is a bird story. In the garden of Mr. S Coleman a deep crater was caused, and yet the hens in the adjoining hut escaped and laid as usual but, in the road on the other side, a sparrow was picked up dead.”

Rugby was ready to re-start on the 24th October 1942.