Devon Cricket Board - From India to Egypt they also served and died

From India to Egypt they also served and died

MENTION World War One and an image of muddy trenches in northern France and barbed wire appears in most people’s minds eye.
Yet there was plenty of fighting going on in other parts of the world where warring empires were fighting it out far from the European theatre we all think we know so well.
The British Empire was at war with the Ottomans, the Austro-Hungarians and the Germans. Many British and Empire soldiers were sent overseas to fight wars or protect interests.
Devon cricketers didn’t just die in France or Belgium, there are memorials to them in the Middle East and as far away as Karachi.
Gerry Deane, who captained Torquay CC frequently between 1905-1914, was a good enough cricketer to play for Somerset 36 times between 1907-13. He is pictured right posing in front of the Torquay pavilion, which was then on the ground at Cricketfield Road.
At club level he prospered – scoring 1,301 runs at an average of 54.2 in 1911 – although First Class runs were harder to come by. He averaged 11.95.
Deane, who had been in the Territorial Army before war broke out, was posted to Karachi when it was still part of India in November 1914.
The War Office wanted to free up regular and India Army soldiers stationed on the sub-continent for service in Europe and sent Territorials to replace them
The Brigade arrived on the 11^th and was deployed to Multan, where Deane contracted malaria and died on December 14. He was 29 when he died.
John Blackburne played a handful of games for Devon in 1907 while living in North Devon, where he played for the club at Instow.
Blackburne was educated at Charterhouse and two years after leaving in 1890 joined the Derbyshire Regiment.
He retired in 1898, only to rejoin two years later to fight in South Africa against the Boers
Major J G Blackburne served with the Sherwood Foresters in World War One and saw action during the Dardanelles campaign. He died at Suvia, Turkey in 1915 and is buried on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Captain Reinfred Tatton Arundell was a career soldier who played cricket for North Devon CC and Devon CCC when home on leave from Empire Service.
His father and brother – William and Wilbraham – also played for Devon when their duties as Church of England clergymen permitted.
Reinfred Arundell was born at Cheriton Fitzpaine near Crediton in 1879 and educated at Exmouth, Marlborough College and Sandhurst.
His first commission was as a lieutenant in the Leicester Regiment, followed by a period in the Indian Army, where he saw action in Tibet.
Captain Arundell joined the Raput Light Infantry in 1909 and was serving with them in Egypt when he died leading his company against the Turks while defending part of the Suez Canal.
He was one of 33 North Devon CC players who were killed on active service during World War One. All are honoured on a memorial board displayed in the club pavilion.
Capt R T Arundell is buried in the Ismailia Memorial Cemetery in Egypt.
Three Sandford brothers – all from landkey near Barnstaple – played for Devon between 1897-1904 – Temple, Joseph and Ernest.
Ernest followed a career in the church, Temple (who was named after Archbishop Temple) pursued a teaching career at Marlborough and Joseph joined the Empire Civil Service.
All three were fine games players, excelling at hockey, rugby and cricket.
Joseph played rugby for England against Ireland at Leicester in 1906. When in Devon he played cricket for Exeter, Exmouth and Torquay.
By 1914 Joseph Sandford was working for the Egyptian Civil Service, and playing cricket for their team. He died in Khartoum, Sudan in July 1916 where British forces were involved in a campaign against the troublesome ruler of Darfor.

DCB Ltd, University of Exeter Sports Hall, Stocker Road, Exeter, Devon EX4 4QN Company Registration Number: 7024773