Further to the post on 'Other Ranks', the May 1916 issue of The Twentieth Gazette - which the British Library catalogue describes as 'A journal devoted to the interests of the 20th Battalion C.E.F. (Northern and Central Ontario Regt.)' - contains on page 3 the report of a cricket match:
20th Batt. v 31st Batt.
The 20th Batt.'s innings is listed as follows:
Lieut. McLean .. .. 3
Lieut. Hainington .. 2
Lieut. Hay .. .. 4
Lieut. Macaulay .. 17
R.S.M. Fraser .. .. 7
Pugh .. .. .. 5
Shepherd .. .. 14
Sgt. Markham .. .. 0
Williams .. .. .. 11
Dingle (run out) .. 0
Goldworthy (run out) .. 0
Extras .. .. .. 4
__
Total 67
The absence of any rank given to nearly half the team, while the others are denoted by rank (including non-commissioned officers) is reminiscent of the system which used to be operated in club cricket in the UK. This lasted till the 1960s, a distinction being shown between professional cricketers, designated by showing the surname followed by initials of the first names, alongside club-members, who would be designated by having their initials before their surnames.
Curiously, a cricket report on the following page of The Twentieth Gazette does not make this discrimination.
About Me
- Julian Walker
- I led workshops at the British Library2003-2019, on literature, language, art, history, and the culture of the book; and now teach the the English language at educational institutions, particularly the Bishopsgate Institute, online and in-person. I research language usage during the First World War, and lead the Languages and the First World War project. Author of Discovering Words, Discovering Words in the Kitchen, Evolving English Explored, Team Talk - sporting words & their origins, Trench Talk - the Language of the First World War (with Peter Doyle); How to Cure the Plague; The Finishing Touch; and Words and the First World War; Tommy French. As an artist I work in printmaking, performance, public engagement, curating and intervention; and I lead museum tours.
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