The role of British internees and Prisoners of War in the Dutch cricket world (1914-1918)

It was "a remarkable band of cricketers" that came to the Netherlands in 1917 as a result of an exchange of prisoners of war. Partly due to the efforts of the grand old man of national cricket, Carstjan Posthuma, they were able to  participate in the First Division competition. This is about their adventures.

How it happened

When Germany invaded neutral Belgium on August 4, 1914, the Belgian army withdrew to the fortified city of Antwerp. The Belgian army command wanted to give up the city and withdrew the army to the south. England was strongly against this and sent Minister of the Navy, Winston Churchill to Antwerp to persuade the Belgians to hold out as long as possible. Churchill used three brigades at his own initiative to help the Belgians.

The Third Royal Naval Brigade consisted of well-trained professional marines already on the mainland. The first and second brigades consisted of reservists, supplemented by war volunteers. "Winston's little army," as the Royal Naval Division was mockingly called, eventually had to withdraw. During that manoeuvre, the first brigade was cut off from the rest.

In order not to be taken prisoner of war in Germany, Commodore Wilfred Henderson and his men crossed the border of the neutral Netherlands in Zeelandic Flanders. They were disarmed and made to understand that they would be placed in a guarded camp during the war, in accordance with international law. Thus, not able to return to their country and participate in the war again.

Cricket in Timbertown

The 1500 marines ended up in Groningen in a specially built barracks camp that is soon called Timbertown. The camp was a village in itself, with a recreation room cum church hall, an administration building, a post office, a library, a sports hall and an infirmary. The soldiers were bored and did a lot of sports, including cricket. When Rood and Witter W. van Manen heard that, he travelled with a team to Groningen to see what ordinary Dutch cricketers could do against the Timbertowners. As a result of his visit, some players started playing for Dutch clubs (HCC, Rood and Wit) in 1916. More and more English names were appearing in the reports of the "single" matches that were played. Their contribution often determined the result. It was clear that the Dutch could still learn something.

Four P.O.W.teams registered

In 1917 our country was faced with another major English "invasion". Because the Dutch government wanted to cultivate some goodwill among the belligerent parties, Minister Loudon proposed that soldiers and officers who had spent more than eighteen months in British or German captivity would be eligible for internment on neutral Dutch soil. The costs of this operation to be borne by the warring parties. In total, about 16,000 British and German prisoners of war benefitted from this scheme. The British officers mainly ended up in The Hague and Scheveningen. There they put together their Prisoners of War cricket teams (P.O.W.teams) in early 1918, which competed in the national league that year.

In "H.C.C. 1878-1928 ", according to the following quote, people look back with mixed feelings on this" English "cricket year:

"1918 was a curious year in our country's cricket history. It will be noted from the overviews of previous seasons what an important role the English internees played in our cricket, but now we can rightly speak of an English invasion. After all, our neutral country was chosen (sic!) to accommodate prisoners of war of the warring powers, and Scheveningen became the headquarters of the English. On the former exhibition site, now recreated in Westbroek Park, they were lord and master, and it was not long before soldiers and sergeants were seen in the training nets struggling to bowl out their superiors!"

According to the 'NRC', Dutch cricket will suffer from the 'English disease' this summer and it is recommended that the title be awarded to the Dutch team that is highest in the rankings at the end of the season.

There is also great English superiority visible during Haarlem cricket week at the end of August. It makes "Het Sportblad" sigh that it is a battle for the Dutch against the quay. What can you do against cricketers from a country where this sport is practiced at a very high level "mainly because of the better positions" (sic!) In addition, the Prisoners of War have all day to devote themselves to their favourite sport”

"They have an excellent opportunity to practice in Scheveningen. Especially when it comes to batting. As there are several English soldiers who are charged with bowling to the officers, which they are of course happy to do as there will be a little extra to be earned."

To conclude the 1918 season, a game between Mr. Kesslers XI and a Prisoners of War combination. The following players took office:

Mr. Kessler's XI P.O.W. combination

• Mr. J.H.H. Kessler | Maj. G.H.S. Fowke
• F. J. W. Rincker Capt.| J.C.W. Mac Bryan
• Jhr. C.W. Feith | Jr Capt. B.A.W. Henslow
• Jhr. C. Feith | Sr Capt. E.L. Armitage
• W. Eigeman |  Capt. C.G. Graves
• Mr. G. Hamburger |  Capt. G.E.D. Greene
• W. van Waveren Lt. G.E.V. Crutchley
• Cj. Posthuma | Lt. H. Forman
• A.J M. de Beus | Lt. M.B. Burrows
• A.A. Breeder |  Lt. YES. Caldwell
• P. de Groot

The newspapers speak of a fairly weak Dutch national team and found it normal that things didn't work out well on the first day. The torrential rains on the second day came as a release. In the evening, the English received a large number of guests for a banquet in the Hotel Royal. It was a chic affair with the hosts showing off their uniforms, while the guests were dressed in evening attire.

It was the last performance of the English cricketers, "after all, a few months later the Armistice (11 November 1918) released mankind from the war and the prisoners of war were also able to return to their hearths." (H.C.C. 1878-1928).

Wise lessons, for a moment

They were only around for a short time, but nevertheless their influence was great, at least for a while. They were therefore certainly amicable cricketers to be seen on the Dutch fields as internees or Prisoners of War during the First World War. They pointed out to their Dutch colleagues the usefulness of intensive training sessions in which not only batting and bowling are sharpened, but also fielding. For the Dutch players that was by far the least cared for part of the game.

The lessons from the English were undoubtedly taken to heart for a while, but very soon they reverted to their old pattern. After all, legion are the stories about Dutch cricket toppers from the twenties and thirties whose preparation for the season consisted of fifteen minutes of not too intensive exercise during the lunch break. They sometimes didn't even take their jackets off!