Last view for the Boleyn Soldiers

Soldiers join the crowd at the Boleyn, its September the second and the country is on tenterhooks preparing for possible war, The Germans had invaded Poland and Britains prime minister, Neville Chamberlain, had issued Hitler a last ultimatum, withdraw or face war.

Around the country though the usual Saturday trip to football continued, and at Upton Park West Ham faced Leicester City in what was a Division 2 league game, it was actually the last Division 2 game played that season as the very next day war was declared and all current football leagues were stopped. 

West Hams last pre war team that day were

Harry Medhurst,

Charlie Bicknell,

Ted Fenton,   

Charlie Walker,

Richard Walker,

Joe Cockroft,

Stan Burton,

Archie, Macaulay,

Cliff Hubbard,

Len Gouldon,

Jackie Wood.

West Ham lost the game, played in front of 13,400 fans, 2-0. Their first defeat after winning the two previous games, away to Plymouth and then home 2-1 against Fulham. 

Football didn’t resume until late October with the league re-organised into a regional competition.
The season would end in glory for the hammers though by winning the War cup at Wembley., defeating Leicester as it happens on the way

Newspaper reports of the game show that West Ham were the dominant team in the game, with England international Len Gouldon performing on the wing

The Final league table before war broke out