Cray Valley Paper Mill F.C., the works football team of W. Nash Paper Mill, St. Paul’s Cray, was formed in 1919, the year following the end of the 1914-18 ‘Great War for Civilisation’.

Naturally, a number of our original players and committee members had served in the armed forces during the First War, and, although few club records survive from that time, a named club photograph from the 1920-21 season, that had previously hung in the old club pavilion, provides us with clues about the military service of some of our earliest players and committee members.

By cross-referencing these names with the employees commemorated on the Memorial Tablet on the site of the old mill, who had both served, and made the supreme sacrifice between 1914-18, and by also checking online records, I have been able to ascertain the following details of military service of some of our earliest players and committee members:

William Nash, Club President and owner of the Paper Mill, which he’d joined aged 15. He oversaw its modernisation and development and served during the Great War as a Captain with the 4th (Territorial) Royal West Kent Regiment, first in India, and later on Major-General Wilfrid Malleson's staff in Persia, and then in Russia during the Civil War that followed the Russian Revolution. Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the M.B.E. (Military Division), he was later promoted Colonel and also served in France during the Second War where he was taken Prisoner of War in 1940 during the retreat to Dunkirk. Again Mentioned in Despatches, he was also awarded the Territorial Decoration (T.D.). and in later life was appointed a C.B.E. (Civil Division) for political and community service. Post war he developed a recruitment policy of employing former service personnel. His name appears on the Memorial Tablet.

As does that of his brother Gordon Nash, a Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force, was tragically killed in an aircraft collision whilst on a training exercise over Dartford, on 7 May 1918. Gordon is buried in Foots Cray Baptist Churchyard. Colonel Nash appears in the 1920-21 club photograph.

Harry Woodgate. Club Trainer, he was born in 1880 and worked as a Furnace Stoker at the Paper Mill. He served during the Great War as a Private with the 4th (Territorial) Royal West Kent Regiment, with regimental number 22463, before transferring into the Royal Army Service Corps with regimental number M/332776. His name appears on the Memorial Tablet, and he also appears in the 1920-21 club photograph.

T. Hayes. Club Captain. His name appears on the Memorial Tablet, but, regrettably, I
have been unable to confirm exact details of his service. He played for the club during the 1920-21 season and appears in the club photograph.

Harry Young. Club Vice-Captain. Born in 1895, he initially worked as Gardener before joining his brother Charlie who worked at the paper mill. His name appears on the Memorial Tablet, but, regrettably, I have been unable to confirm exact details of his service. He played for the club during the 1920-21 season and appears in the team photograph.

As does his younger brother Sidney. W. Arnold Young . Committee Member. His name appears on the Memorial Tablet, but, regrettably, I have been unable to confirm exact details of his service. He appears in the 1920-21 club photograph.

John Edward Barrow. Goalkeeper. Born in 1900, he worked as a Machine Man and
Paper Maker at the Paper Mill, and served during the Great War as a Lance Corporal with the 6th (City of London) London Regiment, with regimental number 32412, on the Western Front from 11 March 1917 to 13 March 1919. A long time employee of the mill, he later also served during the Second War as a Private with the W. Nash Paper Mill detachment of the Auxiliary Fire Service, based at the mill. His name appears on the Memorial Tablet. He played for the club during the 1920-21 season and appears in the club photograph.

Alfred Capon. Born in 1887, he worked as a Paper Underlayerman at the Paper Mill and joined the 4th (Territorial) Royal West Kent Regiment as a pre-war Territorial soldier with regimental number 1118, He first served during the Great War with the 7th North Staffordshire Regiment, with regimental number 203690, and saw later service as a Corporal with the Royal West Kent Regiment. His name appears on the Memorial Tablet. He played for the club during the 1920-21 season and appears in the club photograph.

Robert Cecil Libby. Born in 1899, he appears to have started work at W. Nash Paper
Mill after the Great War, in which he had served on the Western Front as a Private in the 16th (Queen’s Westminsters) London Regiment. He played for the club during the 1920-21 season and appears in the club photograph.

Herbert Frederick Salmon. Born in 1896, he worked as a Paper Warehouseman at the
mill and served during the Great War as a Lance Corporal with the Coldstream Guards, with regimental number 13774, on the Western Front from 15 August 1915. He later also served during the Second War as an Air Raid Precautions (A.R.P.) Warden in St. Pauls Cray. His name appears on the Memorial Tablet. He played for the club during the 1920-21 season and appears in the club photograph.

William Cyril Salmon. He was born in 1899 and served during the Great War with the
2nd (City of London) London Regiment, with regimental number GS/79572, on the Western Front from 18 March 1918 to 24 April 1918. His name appears on the Memorial Tablet. Like his brother Herbert Salmon , he played for the club during the 1920-21 season and also appears in the club photograph.

David Stevens. Born in 1896, he worked as a Paper Machine Hand at the mill and served during the Great War as a Private in the 12th King’s Royal Rifle Corps, with regimental number R/12185, having signed up together, with consecutive service numbers, with his brother Alfred Stevens, who was similarly employed at the mill. They served together on the Western Front from 3 November 1915, and their names both appear on the Memorial Tablet. Tragically, Alfred is another of the six employees from the mill to have made the supreme sacrifice, having been killed in action during the Battle of the Somme, on 4 September 1916. Their younger brother Harry Stevens also worked at the mill and similarly served in the armed forces during the Great War, and is also recorded on the Memorial Tablet. Unfortunately, I have been unable to confirm exact details of Harry’s service. David played for the club during the 1920-21 season and appears in the club photograph.

We will remember them.

The full article including additional photos can be found in the match day programme v Horsham. Please do purchase a copy if you can, cost £3 of which £1 will be donated by the club to the Royal British Legion.