by Steve JenkinsHaving supported the O’s for over thirty years and being very keen on local history, the story of Clapton Orient’s involvement in the First World War has been of particular interest.I have spent nearly three years researching the background to the O’s ‘War Effort’ and I am extremely proud to be able to share this story with you.Season 1914-15 was the last prior to the Football league being suspended due to the First World War. Clapton Orient had finished in 9th position with Richard Mcfadden top scorer with 21 league goals.

People realised things were getting serious when an anti-aircraft gun was positioned on top of the ‘Spion Kop’ at the O’s Millfields Road ground, the local population then knew the threat of an arial attack was for real.

The male population of the country was being urged to ‘Join Up’ and Clapton Orient took the lead with no less than 40 members of staff volunteering their services, the first two players to sign on the dotted line being the O’s Captain Fred Parker and their Goal keeper Jimmy Hugall, all served in The Duke of Cambridge’s Own (Middlesex Regiment) 17th (Service) Battalion (1st Football).

A crowd of over 20,000 attended the O’s final League match of that season on 24th April 1915 verses Leicester Fosse, they witnessed not only a fine 2-0 victory for the Orient but also a final farewell Parade of all the Clapton Orient players and staff around the Millfields Road pitch.

The anticipation and euphoria of the early days of the war soon changed when the vast majority of British and allied forces found themselves in the Somme Region of Northern France having not only to contend with fighting a fierce German Army but also having to put up with at times terrible conditions with mile after mile of decimated country side from the incessant shelling by both sides and then having to live in and amongst mud, bodies and total desolation.

One can only guess at the extreme hell Soldiers went through in this conflict.

It was during the Battle of the Somme in the summer of 1916 that Clapton Orient lost three of its finest players: Company Serjeant Major Richard McFadden MM F/162, Private William Jonas F/32 and Private George Scott 1583.

The following article appeared in an O’s programme in November 1916.

The Club received a letter from Richard McFadden, which read:

“I, Richard McFadden sadly report the death of my friend and O’s colleague William Jonas on the morning of Thursday 27th July, aged 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 Serjeant Major Richard McFadden.”

Richard McFadden died on the 23rd October 1916 from wounds received in the same conflict whilst George Scott was killed on the 16th August 1916.

Stephen Jenkins
Vice Chairman
Leyton Orient Supporters’ Club

Clapton Orient were the first team to enlist as a team to fight in The Great War together.  By the Autumn so many teams had followed suit that the league had been suspended.

Tributes poured in, including a special note from King George V, which stated:
“Good luck to Clapton Orient FC, no football club had paid a greater price to patriotism”