COURTESY OF THE EVERTON FOOTBALL CLUB HERITAGE SOCIETY

Some of the names on this list of Everton players who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars are unfamiliar. As footballers, some were international stars, others were youngsters with immense potential. As servicemen, they gave their lives fighting for our freedom. While we owe a debt to these fallen heroes who we can never repay, we can honour their sacrifice.

They shall not grow old as we who are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

FIRST WORLD WAR

Lieutenant Frank Everard Boundy MC
17th Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment
Boundy was one of the founder members of the Everton Football Club in Valparaiso, Chile. Shortly after war was declared, he sailed home to volunteer for military service during World War One. He won the Military Cross before he died on the Somme on 30 July 1916, aged 21.

Private James Brannick
37816 11th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers
Brannick signed for Everton in November 1912. He only made three appearances, scoring twice, before moving to St Mirren in May 1914. He was killed on 10 August 1917 during the attack known as Passchendaele. He was 28 years old.

Private Frederick Collinson
2213, 1st/5th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers
Collinson played for Everton reserves in 1892 at the newly built Goodison Park, before being sold to Bury for £10. He played for Bury regularly during the 1890’s and at the age of 41 he was sent out to Gallipoli where he lost his life on 15 May 1915.

Second Lieutenant Malcolm Goulding Fraser
2nd Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Born in Edinburgh, Fraser moved to Chile as a youngster, and was one of the founder members of the Everton Football Club in 1909. He was in Britain when war broke out and fought on the devastating first day at the Battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916, where he lost his life, aged just 20.

Corporal Thomas Gracie
19024, 16th Battalion, Royal Scots
Gracie travelled with the Scotland team to play against England at Goodison in 1911 and although the Morton forward was not capped, he signed for Everton immediately after the game. He made 19 appearances before moving to Liverpool, and then on to Heart of Midlothian. He enlisted in 1914 but passed away on 23 October 1915 with leukaemia, aged 26.

Private David Bruce Murray
S/3845, 11th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Signed from Rangers in 1903, Murray played just twice before joining Liverpool. Further moves followed, to Hull and then Leeds City. He fought through the Battle of Loos in late September 1915, but on 10 December 1915 he lost his life on the same battlefield, aged 28.

Corporal Harry Fitzroy Norris
12028, 11th Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment
Norris was on Everton’s books around 1906. He landed in France in May 1915 and Commonwealth War Graves Commission records suggest he died of wounds on 27
August 1915, aged 30.

Private Thomas Norse
2117, 1st/4th Battalion, East Lancashire
Norse played two reserve games for Everton in March 1903. He was killed in action at Gallipoli on 24 June 1915, aged 34.

Lance-Corporal Leigh Richmond Roose MM
PS/10898, 9th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
Roose was the most charismatic footballer of his era. A Welsh international he joined Everton from Stoke in 1904 and played 24 times for the Club. He was killed in action at the Battle of the Somme in October 1916, aged 38.

Private James Roy
202382, 5th/6th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Roy signed for Everton in December 1913 and he won a Central League championship medal. He died of wounds on the Hindenburg line on 24 April 1917.

Private Donald Sloan
S/9311, 8th Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Sloan joined Everton from Belfast Distillery FC in April 1906. He played six games before joining Liverpool in 1908. He was killed when a heavy German mortar hit his dugout near St Laurent-Blagny, Arras, on New Year’s Day 1917

Lance Corporal Wilfred Toman
358176, 2nd/10th Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool) Regiment
Toman played for Aberdeen, Dundee and Burnley before moving to Everton in 1899 for a record fee of £100. He scored nine goals in 27 games before switching to Southampton. While in the front line in northern France he died on 2 May 1917.

Sergeant Richard C Wynn
20955, 12th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment
Wynn was born in Walton and signed amateur forms for Everton for the 1911-12 season. He was released in June 1912 and later played for Chester and Middlesbrough. He died on 9 August 1919, aged 27, from injuries suffered in an accident while serving in France.

SECOND WORLD WAR

Leading Aircraftman Brian Atkins
1436367, 2788 Squadron, RAF Regiment
Atkins progressed through the youth ranks at Everton but was posted overseas in the very week he had been selected to play for the first team. He died at Portella on 22 April 1944, aged 22.

Sergeant Alfred Penlington
1024856, 221 Squadron, RAF
Penlington played in the Chester League before signing for Everton, where he played in the B team. He joined the RAF and died when his plane took off from Malta but failed to return. He was 23 years old.

Lance Corporal William W. Reid
2755000, 2nd Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
Reid was a reserve goalkeeper for Everton. He was killed on 29 May 1941 when his ship came under fire. He was buried at sea, aged 22.

Leading Aircraftman Thomas Robson
1031627, RAF Volunteer Reserve
Robson joined Everton from Blyth Spartans and played in the 1929-30 season. In all he played 29 times before moving to Sheffield Wednesday. He was in the RAF when his death from a heart condition was announced on 10 April 1942. He was 34.

Pilot Officer William Sumner
177350, RAF Volunteer Reserve
Sumner made a few wartime appearances for Everton after a swift rise from the B team during the 1940-41 season. He lost his life in a flying accident on 22 May 1944 at Trichinopoly, in India, aged 21.