As STAR had not visited the graves of the former players who had lost their lives
whilst serving in the Army during World War One (the Remembrance trip
planned for 2020 was cancelled owing to the Covid Pandemic) and I was going
to Belgium and northern France to seek out the graves of and memorials to
family members I asked the STAR Board if it would be content for me to pay my
respects at the graves of and memorials to former Biscuitmen in the area that I
was visiting.
In all I visited the graves of five former players:
- Jack Huggins,
- Ted Mitchell,
- Ben Butler,
- Alex McCurdie, and
- Freddie Wheatcroft.
I laid a small sustainable wreath on behalf of STAR on each of the graves.
In addition, I visited the Memorials to the Missing at Le Touret, the Menin Gate
and Arras and paid my respects to:
- Joe Dickenson,
- Jimmy Comrie,
- and Walter Tull.
Finally, whilst not a footballer, I visited the grave of Ronald Poulton-Palmer,
former England Rugby captain and an heir to the Huntly and Palmer empire.
Paul Ellix
