•
Reg Anderson – An
England international in 1938–39. Played for
Dulwich Hamlet (1934–1938 and 1939–1940) and
Cardiff City (1938–1939). A sergeant in the
Royal Air Force (RAF), he died when his bomber was shot down by flak during a mine-laying operation over the
Heligoland Bight on 24 February 1942 aged 25. •
Matthew Armstrong – played for
Darlington (1936–1939) and before enlistment for
Aston Villa. Died during service as private with
Royal Army Medical Corps in the Middle East on 12 July 1941 aged 22. •
Claude Ashton – an England international team captain in one match, against
Northern Ireland (1925). An amateur who played in various positions for
Corinthians. A squadron leader in the
Auxiliary Air Force, he was killed in a mid-air collision on training flight near
Caernarfon, Wales on 31 October 1942 aged 41. • Brian Atkins – played as youth for
Everton before being posted overseas as he was selected for first team. A leading aircraftsman in the
RAF Regiment, he died while serving at
Portello, Italy, on 22 April 1944 aged 22. •
Arthur Bacon – played for
Chesterfield (1923–25 and 1932–33),
Derby County (1925–27),
Manchester City (1927–28),
Reading (1928–32),
Coventry City (1933–35) and
Burton Town. A civilian during the war, reportedly a Special Constable and fireman, he was killed during an air raid in
Derby on 27 July 1942 aged 37. •
Hiley Bamsey – played for
Exeter City (1935–1938). A
sergeant in the
Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, he was killed in Iraq on 31 December 1943 aged 27. •
Arthur Baxter – played for
Barnsley (1938–1939). Died serving as private with the
London Scottish of the
Gordon Highlanders in the
Battle of Rimini in
Italy on 5 September 1944 aged 32. •
Albert Bonass – played for
Darlington (1932–33),
York City (1933–34),
Hartlepools United (1934–36),
Chesterfield (1936–39) and
Queen's Park Rangers (1939–45). He survived the war, in which he served as a
Metropolitan Police War Reservist and a sergeant in the
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR), but was killed on a training flight when his
Short Stirling bomber crashed at
Tockwith, Yorkshire, on 9 October 1945 aged 34. •
Billy Bryan – played for
Swindon Town (1936–1938) and
Wrexham (1939–40). Died during the
Battle of Normandy on 2 August 1944 aged 31 when serving as a
private in the
Dorsetshire Regiment. •
George Bullock – played for Barnsley (1936–1940). Died in a road accident near
Appleton, Cheshire while serving as naval airman in the
Fleet Air Arm on 31 May 1943 aged 27. •
Alec Campbell – played for
Southampton (1919–1926), manager of
Chesterfield (1927). Died of
pneumonia in
Portsmouth while serving as a second lieutenant in the
Royal Artillery on 16 June 1943 aged 53. •
Leslie Cant – goalkeeper who played in the Football League for
Bury (1933–34),
Stockport County and
Southport (both 1934–35). A lance-corporal in the
Durham Light Infantry, he was killed in an explosion during the North African campaign in Tunisia on 19 January 1943 aged 35. •
Norman Catlin – played for
Southampton (1935–1937). A
Royal Navy seaman, he lost his life in the controversial sinking of off the coast of
Crete on 22 May 1941 aged 23. •
William Chalmers – played for
Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic (1932–1938). Died accidentally at
Grimsby while serving as a gunner in the Royal Artillery on 7 October 1943 aged 31. •
Charlie Clark – played for Queens Park Rangers (1935–1938). Clark
died of wounds during the
Tunisian campaign on 1 March 1943 aged 27 when serving as lance sergeant in the
Hampshire Regiment. •
Albert Clarke – played for
Blackburn Rovers (1938–1944). Killed in France on 16 June 1944 aged 27 when serving as private in the
Devonshire Regiment. •
David Clyne – played for
Queen's Park (1937–1939) in the
Scottish League. A flight sergeant in the RAFVR, he was killed in a training accident whilst piloting a
Catalina flying boat at
Vatersay, Scotland, on 12 May 1944 aged 27. •
Joe Coen – played for
Celtic (1931–32) and
Luton Town (1934–1939). A leading aircraftsman in the RAF, he died on 15 October 1941 aged 34, in a mid-air collision on a training accident at
RAF Cranwell. •
Tom Cooper – England international, making 15 appearances between 1927 and 1934. Played for
Port Vale (1924–1926),
Derby County (1926–1934) and
Liverpool (1934–1940). Died serving the
Corps of Military Police in England on 25 June 1940 aged 36 after his motorcycle struck a lorry. •
Haydn Dackins – played for
Swansea Town (1934–1935) and
Port Vale (1935–1936). He was killed in action in
Sicily on 2 August 1943 aged 31, when serving in the
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. • Bobby Daniel – played for
Arsenal but never made a first-team appearance. Served as flight sergeant in the RAFVR, disappeared in action on a
bombing raid over Berlin on 24 December 1943. •
Ernie Davies – played for
Tranmere Rovers (1936–1940). Died off North Africa serving as corporal in the
King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) on 17 August 1942 aged 36, when his troopship
S.S. Princess Marguerite was torpedoed en route to
Cyprus. • Bill Dean – played for Arsenal (1940–1941). A stoker in the Royal Navy, he was killed in the sinking of his ship,
HMS Naiad south of
Crete on 11 March 1942. •
Stanley Docking – played for
Newcastle United (1934–1938). Died accidentally whilst serving as an
aircraftman in the RAFVR on 27 May 1940 aged 25. •
Joe Donnachie (junior) – played for Everton,
Bolton Wanderers and
Chester City before enlistment. Killed in aircraft accident while serving as sergeant in the RAFVR on 12 October 1944 aged 32. •
Tom Douglas – played for
Blackpool (1931–1933) and
Burnley (1933–1936). Died on active service in
French Algeria serving as a
sapper in the
Royal Engineers on 6 March 1943 aged 32. •
Andy Ducat – England international six times between 1910 and 1920. Played for
Southend United (1903–05), Arsenal (1905–12),
Aston Villa (1912–21) which he captained to an
FA Cup win in 1920, and
Fulham (1921–24) of which he became manager in 1924–26. He served in the Surrey
Home Guard during the war and died of a heart attack batting in an inter-unit cricket match against Sussex's Home Guard at
Lord's Cricket Ground on 23 July 1942 aged 56. •
Stan Duff – played for Tranmere Rovers (1937–1938). Died in a training accident while serving as leading aircraftman with the RAFVR on 9 September 1941 aged 22. •
David Fenner – played for
Airdrieonians (1938–1939) in the
Scottish League. A flying officer with the RAF, he was killed on 25 February 1945 aged 31 when his bomber crashed in the Netherlands. •
Fred Fisher – A wartime England international in 1941. Played for
Millwall (1938–1944). A sergeant air gunner with the RAFVR, he was killed when his bomber was shot down by a night fighter over France on 26 July 1944 aged 34. •
Ivan Flowers – played for
Mansfield Town (1938–1940). Killed in action during the Battle of Normandy on 8 July 1944 while serving as a sergeant in the
Royal Norfolk Regiment aged 25. •
Alan Fowler – played for
Swindon Town. A sergeant
PT Instructor with the
Dorsetshire Regiment he was killed in action shortly after
D-day on 10 July 1944 aged 32. • Hugh Glass – played for Arsenal (1938–1939). A
Merchant Navy seaman, he was killed when his ship was torpedoed on 26 November 1942 aged 23. •
Robert Gordon – played for
Huddersfield Town (1937–1939). Died on 18 September 1940 of pulmonary
tuberculosis while serving as leading aircraftman in the RAF. •
Harry Goslin – played for Bolton Wanderers (1930–1939). Served with the
Bolton Artillery, rising to Lieutenant and being awarded
MC. Mortally wounded in action in Italy and died 18 December 1943 aged 34. •
Sid Gueran – played for
Southampton (1936–1938). He was killed serving with the Royal Engineers' 1st Parachute Squadron in action in the
Battle of Arnhem on 18 September 1944 aged 27. •
Ernest Hall – played for Newcastle United (1935–1936) and
Brighton & Hove Albion (1937–1938). A pilot officer in the RAFVR, he was killed serving as a
Vickers Wellington bomber pilot in raid on
St Polten, Austria, on 7 July 1944 aged 27. •
Harry Hampson – played for
Southport (1936–1938) and Sheffield United (1938–1940). Died in England of
septicaemia serving with the
Royal Armoured Corps as a corporal on 24 June 1942 aged 24. •
George Handley – played for
Crystal Palace (1934–1935). Died during the invasion of Sicily while serving as lance corporal with the
South Staffordshire Regiment on 9 July 1943 aged 31. •
Dennis Higgins – played for
Fulham (1935–39). He was killed in action in
North Africa on 25 September 1942 aged 26 serving with the
Durham Light Infantry. •
Alex Highet – played for
Queen's Park (1938) in the
Scottish League. A
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve seaman, he was killed when his ship was mined in the
English Channel on 14 October 1940 aged 26. •
Willie Imrie – a Scottish international in 1929, he played for
Blackburn Rovers (1929–1934) and
Newcastle United (1933–1938). Died of cancer, whilst serving as a corporal with the RAF, in hospital at
Windygates,
Fife, on 26 December 1944 aged 36. •
Bill Isaac – played for
Brighton & Hove Albion (1939–1940). Died of
meningitis on 14 April 1941 aged 22 while serving as a
bombardier with the Royal Artillery. •
Alex Jackson – Scotland football international 1925–30. Played for Huddersfield Town (1925–1930) and
Chelsea (1930–1932). He survived the war, but was killed in a road incident in Egypt on 15 November 1946 aged 41 while serving as a
major in the
Royal Pioneer Corps. •
Sam Jennings – played for several clubs, including
Reading (1921–1924),
Brighton & Hove Albion (1925–1928) and Port Vale (1929–1931), and was manager at
Rochdale (1937–1938). Died while serving on 26 August 1944, aged 45. •
Alex Johnson – played for Norwich City (1938–1939). Killed in an aviation accident in
Oman on 31 July 1944 aged 26, whilst serving as corporal in the RAFVR. •
George Jordan – played for
Cowdenbeath (1938–1940) in the
Scottish League. Killed during the
Western Allied invasion of France on 8 July 1944 aged 27 while serving with the
Black Watch. •
Jack Kearns – played as full back for
Wolverhampton Wanderers (1936–37),
Millwall (1937–38) and Tranmere Rovers (1938–39). Died while serving in England as bombardier in the Royal Artillery on 14 February 1945 aged 31. •
Alfred Keeling – played for
Bradford (Park Avenue) (1937–1939). A sergeant in the RAFVR, he was shot down and killed over the
Bay of Biscay on 1 December 1942 aged 21. • Leslie Lack – played for Arsenal but never made a first-team appearance. Served as sergeant in the RAF, killed by
friendly fire while returning from a mission in his
Spitfire on 18 March 1943 aged 22. •
Les Milner – played for
York City (1937–1939). Killed serving as sergeant in the
Seaforth Highlanders near
Bayeux on 25 June 1944 aged 26. •
Fred Mills – played for Port Vale (1932–1934) and
Leeds United (1934–1939). Killed by an explosive device at
Blerick, Holland, while serving as gunner with the
Royal Artillery on 5 December 1944, aged 34. •
Peter Monaghan – played for Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic (1937–1940). Killed in the Netherlands on 21 January 1945 aged 27, whilst serving as a private with the
Highland Light Infantry. •
Jimmy Morgan – played for
Hamilton Academical (1932–1941) in the Scottish League. Killed in a plane crash, while serving as flight lieutenant in the RAFVR, in the
North Atlantic Ocean off
Trevose Head, Cornwall, on 31 July 1944 aged 32. •
David Murphy – played for
Middlesbrough (1937–1939). Killed in Italy on 19 September 1944 aged 27 while serving as a gunner in the Royal Artillery. •
Jim Olney – played for Birmingham (1936–1938) and
Swindon Town (1938–44). Killed in Belgium on 14 September 1944 aged 30 while serving as lance sergeant in the Coldstream Guards. •
William Parr – played for Arsenal (1940). Died in an aircraft crash near
RAF St Mawgan training as a sergeant with the RAFVR on 8 March 1942 aged 26. • Alfred Penlington – played for Everton (1940–1941). A sergeant in the RAFVR, he was lost when his
Vickers Wellington was shot down over the
Mediterranean Sea on 18 April 1943 aged 23. •
Albert Potter – played for
Exeter City (1922–27),
Wigan Borough (1927–29) and
Colwyn Bay United (1929–30). A civilian during the war, served as an
Air Raid Warden when killed in the
Exeter Blitz on 4 May 1942 aged 44. •
Albert Powell – played for Swindon Town (1928–1929) and
Coventry City (1929–30). Died on active service in the UK as gunner with the Royal Artillery on 23 October 1940 aged 32. •
Sidney Pugh – played for Arsenal (1938–1944). Killed in a flying accident training as flying officer in the RAF at
Seighford, Staffordshire, on 15 April 1944 aged 24. •
Henry Race – played for
Nottingham Forest (1933–1937). Killed at El Alamein in North Africa as a
corporal with the
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders on 24 October 1942 aged 36. •
Hubert Redwood – played for
Manchester United (1933–1940). Died on 28 October 1943 of tuberculosis, aged 30, while serving as corporal with the
South Lancashire Regiment. • William Reid – reserve goalkeeper for Everton. A lance corporal in the
Black Watch, he was killed when ship transporting him was sunk off Greece on 30 May 1941 aged 22. •
Gerald Roberts – Full-back who played for Tranmere Rovers (1932–33). Killed in the
Battle of Normandy on 16 July 1944 aged 36, when serving as a serjeant with
144th Regiment Royal Armoured Corps (formerly 8th Battalion
East Lancashire Regiment). •
Grenville Roberts – played for Nottingham Forest (1937–1939). Died of wounds serving with the
West Yorkshire Regiment at
Dunkirk on 3 June 1940 aged 20. •
Herbie Roberts – onetime England international against
Wales (1931). Played for Arsenal (1926–1937). He died of
erysipelas on 17 June 1944 aged 39, while on active duty as lieutenant with the
Royal Fusiliers. • Eric Robinson – played for
York City (1940–1941) and
Wolverhampton Wanderers (1941–1942). Drowned during a training exercise on the
River Derwent, Yorkshire while serving with the
East Lancashire Regiment on 20 August 1942 aged 23. •
Tom Robson – played for Everton (1929–1930) and
Northampton Town (1934–1937). Died of a heart condition serving as a
leading aircraftman in the RAFVR on 10 April 1942 aged 34. •
Henry Salmon – played for
Stoke City (1932–33),
Millwall (1933–34),
Southport (1936–37) and before enlistment for
Shrewsbury Town. Killed during the
Battle for Caen serving as sergeant in the
Royal Warwickshire Regiment on 30 July 1944 aged 34. •
George Salvidge – played for
Hull City (1938–1940). A lance-corporal in the
York and Lancaster Regiment, Salvidge was killed in action near
Tobruk on 23 November 1941 aged 21. •
Percy Saunders – played for
Sunderland (1937–1939) and
Brentford (1939). A sergeant in the
Royal Army Ordnance Corps, he was killed when his ship was torpedoed in the
Indian Ocean on 2/3 March 1942 aged 25. •
George Scott – played for
Aberdeen (1936-1939) in the
Scottish League. A sergeant and air gunner in the RAF, he was killed in an air accident when his plane crashed into
Dornoch Firth on 26 July 1942 aged 27. •
Wilf Shaw – played for
Doncaster Rovers (1930–1944). Killed in
Operation Veritable on 20 February 1945 aged 32 when serving with the
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. •
Ralph Shields – played for Huddersfield Town (1914–1920). A member of the
Second Australian Imperial Force as private in the
Australian Army Service Corps, Shields was taken prisoner by the Japanese and died at the
Sandakan POW camp on 21 November 1944 aged 52. •
Walter Sidebottom – played for Bolton Wanderers (1939–1941). Killed serving as an able seaman on board when the ship was sunk off France on 23 October 1943 aged 22. •
Charlie Sillett – played for Southampton (1931–1938). He was killed in a
U-boat attack off
Lizard Point while on an allied
convoy while serving as able seaman with the
Royal Navy on 27 February 1945 aged 38. •
Allan Sliman – played for
Bristol City (1932–1938) and player-manager of
Chelmsford City (1938–40). An RAF flight engineer, he died at
Ely, Cambridgeshire of wounds received on air bomber operations on 14 April 1945 aged 39. •
Walter Spratt – played for Brentford (1911–1915 and 1920–1921) and Manchester United (1915–20). A civilian during the war, he was killed by a
V-2 rocket in
Southwark, London, on 22 January 1945 aged 54. •
Eric Stephenson – England international player in 1938. Played for
Leeds United (1935–1941). Killed in
British Burma on 8 September 1944 aged 29 as a Major in the British Indian Army's
2nd Gurkha Rifles. • William Sumner – played for Everton (1940–41) before enlistment. A pilot officer in the RAFVR, he was killed in a flying accident at
Trichinopoly, India on 22 May 1944 aged 21. •
John Thomson – played for Hamilton Academical (1932–1941) in the Scottish League. Died in Normandy serving as a private in the Seaforth Highlanders on 30 July 1944 aged 28. •
Jimmy Tompkins – played for
Fulham (1934–1939). A Major in the
Royal Fusiliers, he was killed during Normandy campaign on 10 July 1944 aged 30 when attached to
Hampshire Regiment. •
Sandy Torrance – played for
Bristol City (1921–28) and
Bath City. A civilian in the war who served as a
Fire Guard, he died from air raid injuries in
Bedminster, Bristol on 14 April 1941 aged 39. •
Ernie Tuckett – played for Arsenal (1932–1937) and Fulham (1938–45). Killed in an aircraft accident serving as corporal in the RAF on 27 May 1945 aged 31. •
Edwin Watson – played for Huddersfield Town (1937–1938). A flight sergeant in the RAF, he was killed when his
Short Sunderland flying boat was shot down during an anti-submarine sweep in the Bay of Biscay on 12 June 1944 aged 30. •
Jack Watson – played as
centre-back in the Football League for Tranmere Rovers (1933–36). Killed in action serving as a captain in the Royal Artillery on the
Gothic Line in Italy on 9 September 1944 aged 32. •
Walter Webster – played for
Rochdale and
Barrow. Killed in Tunisia serving as a private with the Parachute Regiment on 17 November 1942 aged 36. •
David Willacy – played for Preston North End (1938–1939). Killed in a training accident serving as sergeant with the RAFVR on 1 September 1941 aged 25. • Bob Wrigglesworth – played for Chesterfield Amateurs (1935). A
flight sergeant with the RAFVR, he died of
hypothermia after his bomber was shot down over the
Aegean Sea on 23 January 1943 aged 24. ==Greece==