110 years after the start of the Great War in 1914, the Trent Bridge heritage team are revisiting their project from 2018, with the aiming of telling fresh stories and reflecting on the work they did six years ago.

Here, they focus on the individuals who served during the conflict, and were fortunate enough to live to see the return of peace.

 

Arthur Carr was a young officer who received his call up papers whilst batting against Surrey – and declined to accept them until his innings was finished.

His war service was more distinguished and he was twice ‘mentioned in dispatches’ for courage in action.

Carr returned to Nottinghamshire CCC after the war to captain the championship winning side of 1929 and to be the first Notts player to captain England in a Test match at Trent Bridge.

The brothers John and George Gunn, Joe Hardstaff snr, and architect Harry Goodall were among Notts cricketers that served in the armed forces and survived to tell their tales.

Of course, ‘served’ does not just mean ‘served in the military’. Many thousands of people, including some from Nottinghamshire cricket, served in civilian capacities to support the war effort.

Top order batter Wilf Payton, for instance, ‘attested’ (reported for enlistment) but his engineering skills were considered more valuable and he ‘served’ in industry throughout the war.

The splendidly-named Tinsley Lindley, who was much better known as a footballer with Nottingham Forest than as a cricketer, served as the Chief Officer of the Nottingham Special Constabulary and as Deputy Director of the Nottinghamshire Territorial Association during WWI. He was awarded the OBE in 1918 for these services, and in 1935 received further recognition when he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.

At the outbreak of war, the Nottinghamshire Committee placed the two Pavilions (the current building and the Ladies’ Pavilion, where the Hound Road stand is today) in the hands of the military authorities.

‘The Pavilion VAD Hospital’ was established, staffed largely by female volunteers and funded by donations. Dr George Ogg Gauld was a well-known local doctor, based at Bagthorpe Infirmary (now the City Hospital) who supported the staff at The Pavilion Hospital in his own time.    

Dr Gauld played 14 First-Class matches for Notts between 1913 and 1919, captaining the side in Arthur Carr’s absence; he played in various wartime matches at Trent Bridge, including a guest appearance for the Police XI in 1915.

He later served the club as Honorary Secretary from 1922 to 1935, and as a Committee member for 27 years.