Forget Never, Oublier Jamais, Vergessen Niemals: Commemorative Cricket Match

Sunday 10 August 2014

Commemorative Cricket Match

On the 4th August 1914, members of the Wickford Cricket Club played what was unknown to them the last match they would ever play together. With war declared that evening, 10 of their players would sacrifice their lives between 1914-1918 on the battlefields of Europe.

The Basildon Borough Heritage Group organised a charity 20/20 cricket match between Wickford Cricket Club and a team of Basildon All Stars including Former Leader of Basildon Council – Tony Ball, Pole Vaulting Olympian Kevin Hughes and 2013 Junior International Sports Super Star Charlie Gerada to name but a few.

The match took place on 4th August 2014 at 6pm at Wickford Cricket Club and aimed to raise funds to replace a commemorative plaque that was once located in the Cricket Club pavilion.

Former England selector Doug Insole was present to lend his support to the event.

Commenting on the cricket match, Project Manager Lisa Smith said: “100 years on it is vitally important that as a community we remember the sacrifice that men and women made during The Great War. The charity cricket match provides us with an opportunity to remember the bravery of the 1914 Wickford Cricket Club and we are delighted that so many local dignitaries have given up their time to commemorate this event”
The final score 199 Wickford Cricket Club, 101 Basildon All Stars.

Wickford Cricket Club Warming up

Basildon All Stars Warming up

Umpires -Graham Jellie – Ex Wanstead and Hutton Cricketer currently Sheppard and Neame umpire, also qualified cricket coach and Graham Smith – Local Cricketer and Sheppard and Neame Umpire

The Basildon All Stars - Tony Ball, Ken Porter, Kevin Blake, Kevin Hughes, Charlie Gerada, Alex Spooner, Chris Spooner, Rob Newson, Russell Dennis, Dean Smith, Trevor Linahan and Steve Newman

John Potton - Captain, Jack McCarthy, Liam Rouse, Greg Jerome, Lee Stace, Anthony McKenna, Sam Spooner, Ryan Carey, Jason Curnick, Josh Sloane and Dave Harrison

Doug Insole reads out the names of the fallen Wickford Cricket club team from 1914

And we are off!

Photographers at the ready

The Final score board

Doug Insole presented a commemorative medal to all the cricketers that took part, the umpires and the scorers

Twinning Chair person, Bob Sheridan presents Doug Insole with a commemorative medal as an appreciation for his support for The Great War Project.

The Basildon Borough Heritage Group recently received £50,600 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) for an exciting project, Forget Never, Oublier Jamias, Vergessen Niemals, initiated by local MP Stephen Metcalfe and co-ordinated by The Basildon Borough Heritage Group in conjunction with Basildon Twinning. Linking with Basildon's Twin Towns, Meaux in France and Heiligenhaus in Germany, BBHG plans to deliver a series of commemorative projects discussing what life was like in the 3 towns between 1914 and 1918.

Through the planned events the BBHG aim to broaden people’s understanding of the war, to

commemorate and remember those that were caught up in it, to tell well known stories from fresh perspectives and to inspire and encourage learning in the years ahead.

If you would like to find out more information about our project please email Project Manager, Lisa Smith at : the_laboratory@hotmail.co.uk

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About Us

The Forget Never, Oublier Jamais, Vergessen Niemals is a project initiated by local MP Stephen M...etcalfe and coordinated by The Basildon Borough Heritage Group. Linking with Basildon's twinning towns, Meaux in France and Heiligenhaus in Germany, BBHG plans to deliver a series of commemorative projects discussing what life was like in the 3 towns.
During the course of the BBHG aim to deliver a number of projects involving participation from residents of the three towns. Projects include but are not exclusive to:
*Constructing a trench that will operate throughout the four years of the project at Wat Tyler Country Park
*The Council at Heiligenhaus are organising a history conference in August
Basildon will host an end of year Concert in St. Martin’s Church involving musical and dramatic contributions from all three towns.
*Meaux will host a re-enactment of the Christmas Truce from 1914 which will include a football match.
* St Martin's in Basildon will host a Christmas concert featuring music by a German folk group and playlets of 3 telling the stories of 3 soldiers - 1 from each town.
*The main thrust of our work, however, will be an exhibition that will be mobile. We are asking residents of the three towns to explore what their town was like in 1914. It is important that we all value that populations from England, Germany and France were affected by the conflict and that as a result of the War our societies changed forever. The exhibition will involve photographs, letters, artefacts, historical research based on many different subjects, art and writings reflecting opinions and thoughts as well as factual information.
Through these events the BHBG aim to broaden people’s understanding of the war, to commemorate and remember those that were caught up in it, to tell well known stories from fresh perspectives and to inspire and encourage learning in the years ahead. To inform, educate and share findings with the public through the mobile exhibition, film, educational resources and social media – creating a sustainable legacy