The following servicemen had at some point in their careers, played for Queen’s Park Rangers Football Club, and all tragically lost their lives serving their country.
Albert Edward Bonass: Albert was one of the RAF crew who lost their lives when their Stirling bomber crashed at Tockwith, near York, in October 1945.
Born in Acomb, near York, Albert joined Darlington as an amateur and in 1933 he signed as a professional for York City. He later moved on to Hartlepools United and in June 1939, Albert arrived at Loftus Road from Chesterfield. He went on to make 61 appearances for the R’s.
During the early war years, he was attached to the Police War Reserve and played several times for the National Police team.
He was married with one daughter.
Albert ‘Ben’ Butler: He was the first professional footballer serving in the ranks of the 17th Middlesex to lose his life.
Frank Cannon made 29 appearances for the Rangers before moving on to West Ham United. Sgt. Frank Cannon died from his wounds whilst on his way to the dressing station. He left a wife and two children.
Charlie Clarke made six appearances for QPR between 1936 and 1938 and was a Luton Town player at the time of his death in 1943.
Joseph Dines won more than 30 amateur caps for England and he also played in all three matches for the Great Britain team in the 1912 Olympics, which earned him a gold medal. Joseph was cut down by machine gun fire on the Western Front in September 1918.
Albert Edwards made 17 first team appearances for the Rangers between 1902 and 1905. He had also played for the likes of Aston Villa, Swindon Town, Bristol City and Newport County. Albert lost his life in the Great War.
Alan Fowler guested a few times for the R’s during 1940/41 and also during the 1943/44 season. Sgt. Fowler was actually on Swindon Town’s books when he was killed during the D-Day landings.
Oscar Horace Stanley Linkson: He joined the 1st Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment and Oscar went missing during the battle to take Guillemont Station. Oscar’s body was never found. His mother never accepted that her son was dead, choosing to believe that he had run away to escape what she had believed to be an unhappy marriage.
Evelyn Henry Lintott was signed from Plymouth Argyle as an amateur in 1907 and he made his Rangers debut later that year against New Brompton. He was QPR’s first full England international and went on to make seven appearances for his country.
Lt. Lintott was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme after leading his platoon of the 15th West Yorkshire Regiment, ‘The Leeds Pals’, over the top.
Robert McLaren Law: His one appearance was made in the final Southern League match of the 1910/11 season against Plymouth Argyle. Pte. Law served with the 4th Battalion Cameron Highlanders. He died from his wounds in 1915.
John H. Pennifer joined QPR in 1913 and after making nine appearances, he enlisted the following year. John lost his life at the Battle of the Somme.
Albert Rogers joined the Rangers in 1907 and later played for Bristol Rovers. Albert was killed in action in April 1918.
H. V. Thornton’s QPR debut came in 1911. He was one of the many players to join the Footballer’s Battalion (the 17th Middlesex Regiment). Harry lost his life in France.
John Tosswill made three appearances for the Rangers. He joined the Royal Engineers and became a dispatch rider. Corporal Tosswill passed away on the operating table in Eastbourne Military Hospital in 1915.
Also to be remembered are two R’s fans who sadly lost their lives during the conflict in Afghanistan:
Lance Corporal Tom Keogh came from the Hallfield Estate in Paddington and was just 24 when he died from a gunshot wound in Sangin, Helmand Province.
And acting Corporal David Barnsdale – 33 Engineer Regiment (Explosives Ordnance Disposal). He was the same age as Tom when he lost his life clearing explosive devices. His parents laid a wreath on the centre-circle, prior to the Burnley home game in 2010.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
Steve Russell
Thanks to Colin Woodley, Peter Trott & Gordon Macey (Rest in Peace) for their assistance