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Vital Football Legend
Lincoln City players who lost their lives in The Great War:
9 August 1916 James Comrie
3 October 1916 Arthur Hulme
9 April 1917 Peter Mackin
15 July 1917 Thomas Strong
16 November 1917 George Kennedy
22 March 1918 Harry Potter
24 July 1918 Tom Asnip
Thomas Asnip:
Born 18 February 1883, Sheffield.
1 Second Division appearance for City in a 2-0 defeat at Manchester United on 15 October 1904 (attendance: 15,000).
Originally joined the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment; Lance Corporal with the North Staffordshire Regiment at the time of his death.
Killed 24 July 1918 (aged 35), Second Battle of the Marne, West Flanders. Ironically, this was the last German offensive of the war. Tom was the last former Lincoln City player to be killed in WWI.
Buried: Locre No.10 Cemetery, Loker, Belgium.
James Comrie:
Born 31 March 1881, Denny.
12 Second Division appearances for City in 1910-11 season; scored 1 goal, in a 1-0 win at Birmingham on 15 April 1911 (attendance: 10,000).
Private with the 1st/7th Northumberland Fusiliers.
Killed 9 August 1916 (aged 35) at Meteren, Ypres, probably by mortar fire while out of line. Jimmy was the first former Lincoln City player to be killed in the war.
Buried: Not known. Commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres.
Arthur Hulme:
Born 18 December 1877, Leek.
29 Second Division appearances in 1897-98, scoring 12 goals.
Corporal in the 7th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment.
Killed 3 October 1916 (aged 38) at Gueudecourt, France during the Battle of the Somme.
Buried: His body was never recovered. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Picardy.
George Kennedy:
Born 12 March 1882, Dumfries.
42 Second Division appearances for City between 1906 and 1908. Known for being part of the City team that knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge on 16 January 1907. Later played for Chelsea after City manager David Calderhead moved there in May 1907. Emigrated to Canada in June 1914.
Company Sergeant Major in the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders Regiment) of the Canadian Infantry at the time of his death.
Received the Military Medal and the Distinguished Conduct Medal, both for gallantry, and was Mentioned in Despatches.
Killed 16 November 1917 (aged 35) at the Third Battle of Ypres.
Buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, Ypres, Belgium.
Peter Mackin:
Born 1878, Gateshead.
City's records show him as 'Machin' but his surname was definitely 'Mackin', born in Gateshead of Irish parents. Signed from Sunderland in 1905 as part of the Dennis O'Donnell transfer, and made 54 appearances for City, scoring 21 goals. Was also part of the team that won at Chelsea with George Kennedy.
Private in the 24th Battalion of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers at the time of his death.
Wounded at the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916; his brother Thomas was killed that day.
Killed on Easter Monday, 9 April 1917 (aged 38) on the opening day of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, France (part of the wider Battle of Arras).
Buried in Roclincourt Military Cemetery, Northern France.
Thomas Strong:
Born 1890, Newcastle.
Despite spending three seasons at Lincoln, Tom only made 8 first team appearances before the war interrupted his career.
Private in the 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment at the time of his death.
Killed on 15 July 1917 (aged 27) at Pas-de-Calais, France.
Buried in Croisilles Railway Cemetery, Croisilles, Northern France.
Mention should also be made of Harry Potter, who joined Lincoln from Bradford City in 1910 but never made a first team appearance. Born in Bradford on 24 November 1884, Harry originally enlisted with the West Yorkshire Regiment and was transferred to the Lincolnshire Regiment in July 1917. He was killed on 22 March 1918 (aged 33) during fighting near the village of Mory, Northern France as the German retreat began. His body was never found, and he is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing at Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, Northern France.
9 August 1916 James Comrie
3 October 1916 Arthur Hulme
9 April 1917 Peter Mackin
15 July 1917 Thomas Strong
16 November 1917 George Kennedy
22 March 1918 Harry Potter
24 July 1918 Tom Asnip
Thomas Asnip:
Born 18 February 1883, Sheffield.
1 Second Division appearance for City in a 2-0 defeat at Manchester United on 15 October 1904 (attendance: 15,000).
Originally joined the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment; Lance Corporal with the North Staffordshire Regiment at the time of his death.
Killed 24 July 1918 (aged 35), Second Battle of the Marne, West Flanders. Ironically, this was the last German offensive of the war. Tom was the last former Lincoln City player to be killed in WWI.
Buried: Locre No.10 Cemetery, Loker, Belgium.
James Comrie:
Born 31 March 1881, Denny.
12 Second Division appearances for City in 1910-11 season; scored 1 goal, in a 1-0 win at Birmingham on 15 April 1911 (attendance: 10,000).
Private with the 1st/7th Northumberland Fusiliers.
Killed 9 August 1916 (aged 35) at Meteren, Ypres, probably by mortar fire while out of line. Jimmy was the first former Lincoln City player to be killed in the war.
Buried: Not known. Commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres.
Arthur Hulme:
Born 18 December 1877, Leek.
29 Second Division appearances in 1897-98, scoring 12 goals.
Corporal in the 7th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment.
Killed 3 October 1916 (aged 38) at Gueudecourt, France during the Battle of the Somme.
Buried: His body was never recovered. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, Picardy.
George Kennedy:
Born 12 March 1882, Dumfries.
42 Second Division appearances for City between 1906 and 1908. Known for being part of the City team that knocked Chelsea out of the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge on 16 January 1907. Later played for Chelsea after City manager David Calderhead moved there in May 1907. Emigrated to Canada in June 1914.
Company Sergeant Major in the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders Regiment) of the Canadian Infantry at the time of his death.
Received the Military Medal and the Distinguished Conduct Medal, both for gallantry, and was Mentioned in Despatches.
Killed 16 November 1917 (aged 35) at the Third Battle of Ypres.
Buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, Ypres, Belgium.
Peter Mackin:
Born 1878, Gateshead.
City's records show him as 'Machin' but his surname was definitely 'Mackin', born in Gateshead of Irish parents. Signed from Sunderland in 1905 as part of the Dennis O'Donnell transfer, and made 54 appearances for City, scoring 21 goals. Was also part of the team that won at Chelsea with George Kennedy.
Private in the 24th Battalion of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers at the time of his death.
Wounded at the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916; his brother Thomas was killed that day.
Killed on Easter Monday, 9 April 1917 (aged 38) on the opening day of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, France (part of the wider Battle of Arras).
Buried in Roclincourt Military Cemetery, Northern France.
Thomas Strong:
Born 1890, Newcastle.
Despite spending three seasons at Lincoln, Tom only made 8 first team appearances before the war interrupted his career.
Private in the 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment at the time of his death.
Killed on 15 July 1917 (aged 27) at Pas-de-Calais, France.
Buried in Croisilles Railway Cemetery, Croisilles, Northern France.
Mention should also be made of Harry Potter, who joined Lincoln from Bradford City in 1910 but never made a first team appearance. Born in Bradford on 24 November 1884, Harry originally enlisted with the West Yorkshire Regiment and was transferred to the Lincolnshire Regiment in July 1917. He was killed on 22 March 1918 (aged 33) during fighting near the village of Mory, Northern France as the German retreat began. His body was never found, and he is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing at Faubourg-d'Amiens Cemetery, Arras, Northern France.
