Kirjahaku

This book traces the lives of an ordinary working class family in the North West of England during that traumatic period in our history referred to as the Great War. The story which deals with the exploits of three brothers who fought in the war and the parents left behind to worry is a 'faction'. All of the military details that surround the service of the three brothers is as true and correct a record as can be gleaned from the relevant war diaries of the Regiments in which they served. Each of the brothers in their own way served King and Country while it is true to say the parents who sat at home also served. Harriet Wakefield took solace in her strict Wesleyan beliefs early in the war but found her faith seriously challenged as the war progressed. Her God unfortunately provided her with one great and even more challenge with the war almost at its end.It is a story that is probably repeated in many families up and down the country but it is still a story that needs to be told even though we are 100 years on from those tragic events. I feel sure the reader will associate the feelings, sense of loss and futility that Harriet and Joseph Wakefield felt in their own family history.

The tour down under in 1950 proved to be a momentous one. There were many reasons for this but the major one was that it destroyed the aura of English invincibility with regard to the international game of Rugby League. The Ashes were lost for the first time in three decades, the two Tests in New Zealand were also lost. For the first time the England team lost four consecutive Test matches.On the tour one of the managers was guilty of being less judicious in his remarks particularly after the loss of the second Test in Brisbane. That game was dominated by controversial referring decisions not least being the sending from the field of two English players within two minutes of each other. The loss of that second Test match affected the players for the rest of the tour.The deciding Test match won by Australia in truth should never have been played due to the state of the Sydney Cricket Ground. Rumours circulated of there being a Test team and a mid week team also that the two managers were not seeing eye to eye.In spite of all the problems the tour saw a record profit and the players a record bonus. However the Rugby League Council was forced to defend the managers from a number of allegations associated with their actions whilst on the tour. With the ending of the tour gone forever was the English domination of the international game world wide.

This book covers a 95 year period of one family, in particular father and son. Who lived in Chorley and Lytham in the North of England. Humphrey Whittle born into a wealthy mining family was to play a major part in two sporting events in Lancashire. The first was back in 1878 when the rage was for floodlighting sporting events. Sheffield were the first to play Association Football under lights while Broughton were the first to play Rugby Union under lights. Humphrey's Chorley Rugby Union Club were to attempt a floodlit game only to see it descend into a farce. In that same year he was instrumental in organising the second oldest Rugby Union Cup Competition that was played in Blackpool. He and the Chorley team lifted the cup which is still in existence today.Sadly with his footballing exploits at an end and family life beginning he was to suffer the most traumatic of disasters. In a situation mirrored somewhat by Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover unfortunately his ending was much more final. In spite of this scandal in Victorian times he by strength of character was able to rise up and become not only the Major of Chorley but also of Lytham on the Fylde Coast.His only son Montagu was to see active service in the Royal Flying Corp in World War One. After the end of the war obtaining a degree from Oxford he re-enlisted with the now Royal Air Force and was stationed in the Middle East. By the time World War Two broke out he had reached the rank of Group Captain in Coastal Command. A flying accident while based in Iceland set in motion a series of events that were to cumulate in a tragic conclusion. This book describes the lives and events of both Humphrey and Montagu and will be of interest to sports fans and those with an interest in the exploits of Montagu in both World Wars.