For our today they gave their tomorrow

LATER this year the nation will be commemorating the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War, writes Steve Sowden, of the Yeovil Press.

The Great War – which it was strangely dubbed considering it was actually a catastrophic four-year struggle of death and destruction which claimed the lives of millions – began on July 28, 1914, and lasted until November 11, 1918.

More than nine million combatants were killed. The names of 226 men from Yeovil who lost their lives during the First World War are inscribed on the War Memorial in the Borough; it is more than likely that many more names are etched on the memorials in the city of Sheffield from where Yeovil Town's visitors to Huish Park yesterday (March 8, 2014) came from.

One hundred years ago on March 7, 1914, Yeovil Town beat the then-called Bournemouth Wanderers 3-1 in the Dorset and District League at the old ground of Pen Mill with two of the goals scored by the prolific Johnny Hayward who netted a mammoth 548 goals for the Glovers.

In June 1914 Yeovil were accepted into the Western League, but it all became irrelevant with the outbreak of the First World War.

When hostilities with Germany ceased four years later Yeovil Town had lost several playing members. The Larcombe brothers, Charlie and Dicky, were both killed in action in France, while S. Bowerman and E. J. Luffman, both prominent playing members before the War, were other fatalities of the Great War.

With the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War nearly upon us, it does seem slightly bizarre that we often talk about Yeovil Town fighting for their lives at the wrong end of the Sky Bet Championship, while last Saturday and the Glovers were digging in and battling for a point at Reading.

Yesterday’s clash with Sheffield Wednesday was another battle; players had to scrap if their lives depended on it; all in the name of three points and the war against relegation.

It is easy to get carried away with the emotion of football and use descriptive talk which is, perhaps, way over the top. We should not forget that we are – at the end of the day – talking about a game which is not a matter of life or death, regardless of what Bill Shankly once famously said.

Perhaps the two photos below of crowds of people on Yeovil train stations perfectly illustrate the past 100 years.

For our today they gave their tomorrow.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Men stand on the platform of Yeovil Train Station in 1914 ready to go off to fight in the First World War.

PHOTO - ABOVE: Yeovil Town fans crowd onto the platform of Yeovil Junction ready to go to Wembley to watch the Glovers in the League One Play-Off Final in May 2013.

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