The Coming Storm, page 21
Bowling averages
Lieutenant Peter Henry Blagg
Oxford University
Ten first-class matches
1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Died 18 March 1943, aged 24
Right-handed bat/Wicketkeeper
‘showed valor which has rarely been surpassed’
Peter Blagg was born on 11 September 1918 in Basford, Nottinghamshire. He was the son of Thomas Noel Blagg and Dorothy née Willis. He was educated at Shrewsbury where his sporting abilities were quickly recognized and he was selected to play in the first XI playing between 1935 and 1937. He made appearances against Malvern, Rossall, Repton, Uppingham and Repton. He also represented the Young Amateurs against the Young Professionals. On leaving Shrewsbury he went up to Oriel College Oxford. In 1939 he gained his blue for cricket, replaced the regular Oxford wicketkeeper Manning Clark (191591), and played for Oxford on ten occasions.
Blagg made his first-class debut for Oxford University against Derbyshire on 10 May 1939, at the University Parks. Derbyshire won the toss and decided to bat making 210. In reply Oxford made 72. Blagg was bowled by the England test cricketer William Henry Copson (Wisden player of the year 1937) for zero. Copson took five wickets for 12 during the innings. In their second innings Derbyshire made 72. Blagg caught two and stumped one, the England test cricketer Denis Smith bowled Stewart Pether for 36, Albert Ennion Groucott Rhodes bowled by Pether for two, and stumped Copson bowled Pether for zero. Pether took five wickets during the innings for seven runs. Oxford made 47 during their second innings, Blagg making one before being bowled by Copson. Copson took five wickets for nine and Alfred Pope took five wickets for 30.
He went on to play against Lancashire, West Indies in England, Free Foresters, Leicestershire, Somerset, Surrey, Sussex and the MCC. In the match against the MCC Blagg stumped three off the leg spin of Algernon Marsham, including the legendary Denis Compton.
Blagg made his final first-class appearance for Oxford against the old enemy Cambridge. The match was played at Lord’s on 1 July 1939. Oxford won the toss and decided to bat making 313. Blagg was zero not out. Alan Shirreff took five wickets for 64. Cambridge made 157. Blagg caught Jack Webster off the bowling of David Henry Macindoe for four. In their second innings Oxford made 273 for two. In their second innings Cambridge made 384, Patrick Dickinson making a century. Gwynn Evans took five wickets for 127. Oxford won by 45 runs.
During his career Blagg made 67 runs, his highest score being 28 against Somerset. He also took 17 catches and made 12 stumpings. He also received his blue for football in 1939.
During the war he was commissioned into the 1st Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, later becoming a lieutenant. He was killed in action during the Battle of Donbaik (in Burma) on 18 March 1943 while attacking at Japanese strongpoint. The action failed in its objective and the Royal Welsh Fusiliers lost 162 casualties, but they won two DSOs and two MMs. After the war, Field Marshal Slim said of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers that ‘they showed valor which has rarely been surpassed,’ in a battle which he admitted should never have been fought.
Blagg’s body was never discovered or identified and he is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial, face nine.
Batting and fielding averages
Bowling averages
Captain Geoffrey Everingham Fletcher
Oxford, Somerset
Five first-class matches
1st Battalion Rifle Brigade
Died 27 March 1943, aged 23
Right-handed bat
‘We will never know what great heights he might have reached’
Geoffrey Fletcher was born on 20 July 1919 in Charterhouse, Godalming, Surrey. He was the son of Major Philip Cawthorne MC and Edith Maud Fletcher of Hinton Charterhouse, Somerset. He was educated at Marlborough where he was a good enough cricketer to be selected for the first XI. He played against Harrow, Wellington, Winchester, Cheltenham College, Rugby and Eton. He also played Lord’s School against The Rest and for the Public Schools against the Army. Wisden said that he was ‘one of the best school cricketers of the year’.
On leaving Marlborough, Fletcher went up to New College Oxford as a scholar. During the 1939 season he was among a large number of freshmen at Oxford identified by Wisden as ‘particularly promising’. He played both cricket and hockey for his university. He made his debut for Oxford University against Derbyshire on 10 May 1939 at the University Parks. Derbyshire won the toss and decided to bat making 210. Fletcher made two catches, the England test cricketer Denis Smith (Wisden cricketer of the year 1936) off the bowling of Gwynn Evans for 15, and the England test cricketer Leslie Fletcher Townsend (Wisden cricketer of the year 1934) off the bowling of David Henry Macindoe for 11. In reply Oxford made 72. Fletcher made 13 before being caught by Albert Edward Alderman off the bowling of the England test cricketer George Henry Pope. Copson took five wickets for 12. In their second innings Derbyshire made 72, Stewart Pether taking five wickets for seven. In their second innings Oxford made 47, Fletcher making three before being bowled by Alfred Pope (George’s older brother). Alfred took five wickets for 30. Copson took five wickets for nine.
He made his second appearance for Oxford against Lancashire on 17 May 1939 at the University Parks. Oxford won the toss and decided to bat making 117, Fletcher making ten before being caught by Albert Nutter off the bowling of the England test player Richard Pollard for ten. Richard Pollard took five wickets for 39. In their first innings Lancashire made 200. In their second innings Oxford made 227. Fletcher made 65 which Wisden described as ‘faultless’ before being caught by Richard Pollard off the bowling of the England test cricketer Len Hopwood. The match was drawn.
Fletcher next played for Oxford University against the West Indies in England on 24 May 1939, at the University Parks. The West Indies won the toss and elected to bat making 480. Three of their batsmen made centuries, Herbert Peter Bayley 104, John Cameron 106 not out, and Ernest Albert Vivian Williams 126 not out. Fletcher bowled one over and took no wickets for 15. In reply Oxford made 232. Fletcher made 12 before being bowled by John Cameron. Forced to follow on, Oxford made 243. Fletcher made 14 before being bowled by Williams. The West Indies won by an innings and five runs.
Fletcher made his final first-class appearance for Oxford University against Somerset on 17 June 1939 at the Recreation Ground, Bath. Somerset won the toss and decided to bat making 226, David Russell Hayward taking six wickets for 79. In reply Oxford made 120, Fletcher making 14 before being caught by the England test cricketer Harold Gimblett (Wisden cricketer of the year 1953) off the bowling of the England test cricketer Arthur Wellard (Wisden cricketer of the year 1936). Wellard took seven wickets for 57 during the innings. In their second innings Somerset made 257. In reply Oxford made 144. Fletcher was stumped by Walter Luckes of the bowling of Herbert Buse for a duck. William Andrews took five wickets for 43. Somerset won by 219.
Fletcher made his final first-class appearance for Somerset against Northamptonshire in the county championship on 29 July 1939 at the County Ground, Northamptonshire. Somerset won the toss and decided to bat making 157. Fletcher, batting in the middle order, made 19 not out. Bill Merritt took five wickets for 42. In reply Northamptonshire made 246, their opener Eric Dixon making 123. The England test cricketer Arthur Wellard took seven wickets for 91. In their second innings Somerset made 290, Fletcher making 15 before being caught by Robert Nelson off the bowling of Christopher William Stuart Lubbock. In their second innings Northamptonshire made 110, Fletcher catching John Edward Timms off the bowling of Arthur Wellard for ten. Wellard took five wickets off the innings for 41. The match was eventually drawn.
Following the outbreak of the Second World War on 23 March 1940, Fletcher took a commission as a second lieutenant in the Rifle Brigade. He was posted to North Africa to serve with the Eight Army. He was killed in action on 27 March 1943 during an assault on the Mareth Line in the Matmata Hills, Tunisia, during Operation Pugilist.
He is buried in the Sfax War Cemetery, grave reference XI. VI. E. 14. and is also commemorated on the Godalming War Memorial 1939-43.
Batting and fielding averages
Bowling averages
Paul Ewart Francis Cressall
British Guiana
Four first-class appearances
Civilian judge
Died 8 April 1943, aged 50
Right-hand bat
A high court judge and victim of the Japanese
Paul (Frank) Cressall was born in Bromley, Kent, on 2 May 1893, the son of Paul and Katherine Mary Elizabeth Cressall of 35 Charleville Mansions, West Kensington. He was educated at Cranleigh where he played in the first XI, captaining the side in his final year.
On leaving school he settled in British Guiana. While there he made four first-class appearances for British Guiana, making his debut for them on 12 January 1912 against Trinidad at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown. British Guiana won the toss and decided to field. Trinidad made 249. Cressall took no wickets but caught Lebrun Samuel Constantine off the bowling of Frederick Henri Abraham for 37. In their first innings British Guiana made 97. Cressall made 15 before being caught by the West Indian test cricketer Joseph Small off the bowling of Andre Cipriani. Forced to follow on, British Guiana made 116. Cressall made two before being bowled by Joseph Cephas Rogers. Rogers took seven wickets during the innings for 25 off 14 overs. Trinidad won by an innings and 36 runs.
His next match was against the MCC on 1 March 1913 at Bourda, George Town. Cressall was run out for zero in the first innings and not out four in the second. The MCC won by 66 runs.
His third appearance came on 11 March 1913, again against the MCC at the Bourda. Cressall made ten before being caught by Sydney Smith off the bowling of Arthur Plantagenet Francis Cecil Somerset. In his second innings Cressall made eight before being caught by Edward Humphreys off the bowling of Sydney Smith. Cressall also bowled five overs taking one wicket for 14: Mordaunt Henry Caspers Doll for 50. The MCC won by an innings and 85 runs.
During the First World War Cressall was commissioned into the British West Indies Regiment, rising to the rank of captain and serving in both Africa and Palestine and winning an MC in 1918 (London Gazette 27 July 1918).
On returning to British Guiana he made one final first-class appearance, against Trinidad on 23 September 1922 once again at the Bourda. British Guiana won the toss and decided to field. Trinidad made 107. In reply British Guiana made 133, Cressall making 23 before being bowled by Joseph Small. The Trinidad bowler Victor Pascall took five wickets for 36. In their second innings Trinidad made 190. In reply British Guiana made 135. Cressall made six before being caught by George Alric Dewhurst off the bowling of Pascall. Pascall took six wickets for 26. Trinidad won by 29 runs.
Cressall was called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn in 1923, and appointed a stipendiary magistrate in British Guiana the following year. After seven years’ service in that position he was posted to Jerusalem as chief magistrate and became president of the British courts in Palestine in 1936. Due to the death of the previous puisne judge Roger Lindsell in 1941, Cressall was offered the job and took it, travelling to Hong Kong to take up the position.
He arrived in Hong Kong in April 1941. Unable to escape the Japanese invasion Cressall was captured and interned. He was held prisoner at the Stanley Internment Camp. He died aged 50 of paralysis on 8 April 1943. The paralysis started in his legs and then moved to the rest of his body including his lungs. The disease was diagnosed as spreading paralysis of the spinal cord.
Shortly before the war he had been appointed chairman of the public enquiry relating to corruption in the Public Works and the Air Raid Precautions (ARP) departments. This was a major scandal at the time. Although it was known he had all the relevant papers with him when he was captured, they were never seen again and the case was dropped after the war.
During his internment Paul Cressall wrote a collection of verse, which is now held in the Hong Kong Public Records Office.
His wife Olga died in 1955. They had three children, Harry, Joan and Peter.
Batting and fielding averages
Bowling averages
Cressall can be seen in the middle row, second from the right.
323478 Sergeant Charles Thomas Worsfold Mayo
Somerset
Six first-class matches
Royal Armoured Corps/North Somerset Yeomanry
Died 10 April 1943, aged 40
Right-handed bat
‘Despite going to Eton, insisted in staying with the ranks’
Charles Mayo was born on 5 February 1903 in Victoria, British Columbia. He was the son of Henry Herbert Worsfold and Florence Bartlett Mayo. At Eton his natural talent for cricket was quickly recognized and he was selected to play in the XI. Between 1919 and 1920 he appeared in matches against, Oxford University Authentics, Eton Ramblers, Free Foresters, MCC, Harrow, Liverpool and Winchester. He played in a number of matches with Gubby Allen (Sir George Oswald Browning Allen 1902-89) who went on to captain England in eleven test matches.
Mayo went on to make six first-class appearances for Somerset in May-July 1928, all in the county championship. He made his first-class debut for Somerset against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on 12 May. Nottinghamshire won the toss and decided to bat making 333. Mayo caught Willis Walker off the bowling of William Territt Greswell for 39. The England test player Jack White took six wickets for 90. In reply Somerset made 159, Mayo making 35 before being run out. Forced to follow on, Somerset made 260, Mayo making the highest score of the innings with 60. Sam Staples took six wickets for 85. In their second innings Nottinghamshire made 87 for three. Nottinghamshire won by seven wickets.
He made his next appearance against Warwickshire at Edgbaston on 16 May. Mayo made 48 in his only innings. The match was drawn.
He next turned out against Derbyshire at Queens Park, Chesterfield on 19 May. The weather closed in and Mayo failed to bat. The match was drawn.
Mayo next appeared against Kent on 26 May at the Country Ground, Taunton. Mayo made 16 and 13. Kent won by 84.
Mayo played against Gloucestershire next at the Fry’s Ground, Bristol on 30 May. He made zero and five. Gloucestershire won by ten wickets.
He made his final first-class appearance against Derbyshire at the County Ground, Taunton on 25 July. Somerset won the toss and decided to bat making 213. Mayo made 14 before being caught by the England test player Thomas Stanley Worthington (Wisden cricketer of the year 1937) off the bowling of Garnet Morley Lee. Cecil Charles Coles Case made 98 not out, running out of partners before he could make his century. Charles Kerrison Hill Hill-Wood took five wickets for 76. In reply Derbyshire made 302. Mayo caught Worthington off the bowling of the England test cricketer Jack White for four. In their second innings Somerset made 178. Mayo batting number three made two before being bowled by Hill-Wood. In their second innings Derbyshire made 90 for five. Mayo caught Lee off the bowling of White for seven. Derbyshire won by four wickets.
Unusually for a man who went to Eton College, Mayo enlisted into the ranks, first the North Somerset Yeomanry, then transferring to the Royal Armoured Corps. He was promoted to sergeant before being killed in action on 10 April 1943.
He is buried in Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, grave reference 4. J. 8.
Batting and fielding averages
Bowling averages
Flying Officer John Hamilton Bryan Barnes
(Flying instructor)
Ireland
One first-class appearance
RAF Volunteer Reserve
Died 22 April 1943, aged 26
Right-handed bat/Right arm fast
‘And now ’tis man who dares assault the sky’
John Barnes was born on 14 November 1916 in Armagh, the son of Robert and Martha Barnes. He was educated at the Royal School, Armagh before being employed by the local gas company.
He made one first-class appearance, for Ireland against New Zealand on 11 December 1937 at the Observatory Lane, Rathmines, Dublin. Ireland won the toss and decided to bat making 79. Barnes made zero before being bowled by Norman Gallichan. In reply New Zealand made 64. Barnes bowled six overs taking no wickets for seven. James Chrysostom Boucher took seven wickets for 13. In their second innings Ireland made 30. Barnes was run out for one. John Cowie took six wickets for three during the innings. During their second innings New Zealand made 46 for two. New Zealand won by eight wickets.
In 1938 Barnes joined the RAF rising to the rank of flying officer. During the war he served as a flying instructor and was killed in a flying accident on 22 April 1943 at Kneesall in Nottinghamshire. His body was returned to Ireland and is now in the Armagh (St Marks) Church of Ireland Churchyard, new ground, row 4, grave 5. He left a widow, Kathleen.
Batting and fielding averages
Bowling averages
Lieutenant Colonel Leigh Arbuthnot Alexander
Europeans (India)
Five first-class matches
2nd King Edward VII’s Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor
Rifles) Commanding 3rd Battlion
Died 28 April 1943, aged 45
‘Led his men with the greatest bravery to the very end’
Leigh Alexander was born on 4 July 1898 in Umzinto, a town around 70 kilometres from Durban in the Kwazulu/Natal province of South Africa. He was the son of Major William Alexander and Ethel Rubina Arbuthnot of Etchingham, Sussex. He was educated at Glenalmond College in Scotland. Deciding on a career in the army Leigh was commissioned into the Indian Army on 27 October 1917, aged 19. He was posted to the Officers’ Cadet College in Quetta before being gazetted 2nd lieutenant in the 2/5 Royal Gurkha Rifles and posted to Abbottabad. During the First World War Alexander served with the 2/5 Royal Gurkha Rifle Frontier Force on the Northwest Frontier.
