Captain WILFRED PERCY NEVILL
Regiment & Unit/Ship
East Yorkshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Date of Death
Died 01 July 1916
Photographer: Johan Pauwels
- Secondary Unit, Regiment attd. 8th Bn. East Surrey Regiment
- Country of Service United Kingdom
- Additional Info Captain Nevill bought four footballs, one for each of his platoons. The idea being that on the day of the First Battle of the Somme, the footballs would be "kicked into No Mans Land" as far towards the German line as was possible, and the winner would receive a prize from the Captain, who "kicked off" the first ball - the prize was never collected as Nevill died on the day. One of the footballs was inscribed : "The Great European Cup, The Final, East Surreys v Bavarians, Kick Off at Zero". Two examples are now held by National Army Museum and the Queen's Regiment Museum, Howe Barracks, Canterbury, Kent.
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