Chris Duffy, Royal Welch Fusiliers and Charlton Athletic

Hi All,
I hope someone can help.
Apart form WW2 history one of my other passions is Charlton Athletic FC (don't laugh). Anyway tody is 65 years since we won the FA Cup, the winning goal was scored by Chris Duffy, Duffy was accidentally shot while in a plane (I assume his glider) on the way to France, so I have been told. Chris Duffy was in the Royal Welch Fusiliers during the war, so because of my interest in WW2 I have been tasked with finding out more about Duffy but so far I have not come up with much.
So ladies and Gents I bow to your superior knowledge and if anyone can shed any more light on this subject please let me know.

Thanks in advance.
Jim

 

Jim
There is someone else on this forum who loves Charlton Athletic-so you are not alone-bet he will be along soon !

Lesley

 

Lesley,
So there are 2 of us, blimey. ;o)

Thanks for the info.
Jim

 

I alway thought they were called Charlton Nil an least that how they use to say it on final score

 

Hi Jim,

Lesley knows that I follow the Addicks. Unfortunately I've not been able to go see them for a while, but thank goodness for CAFC Player and Charlton Live.

With regard to Duffy, if he were in a Glider when shot, I assume he must have transfered from the RWF to another unit.

Regards - Rob

Come on you Reds.

 

Although not a Charlton supporter, I know the area fairly well, so if you want to make the numbers up for a crowd count me in !!!


:p

 

I alway thought they were called Charlton Nil an least that how they use to say it on final score

You can't have listened to Final Score at all this year.

 

All the usual jokes I see. We've heard them all.

In the 80's, I had to walk half way around the ground just to get a light for my cigarette.

 

lol!

 

Thanks Guys n Gals, especially for the gags.
Heres mine:-

I called the ticket office and said 'what times kick off?' they said, 'what time can you make it?'

ramacal - Its a shame you cant get down The Valley, anyway we are Champions. Ive been going there for nearly 40 years. Myself and my 3 kids all have Season Tickets, great family football club. Not forgetting the work that our most (in)famous supporter Jim Davidson does for the military.

All - Back on topic, if anyone does have any more info I would love to tie in the Charlton D-day link.

Thanks again.
Jim

 

Helloo,

Found a bit on Chris Duffy in a PDF which I'll throw up here. He was on the beaches on D-Day so it's unlikely he went in by glider or plane.

Bartram The Blitz and Beyond

 

Jim

In the Valiant 500 by Colin Cameron, he also quotes Chris Duffy as serving in the RWF. It also mentions that he accidently shot himself as his plane landed on D-Day.

Cheers - Rob

 

Thanks Cee, great piece!

Rob - Yes I had heard he shot himself, so I assumed he was in a glider, however this contradicts the info in the PDF from Cee.

Hey ho -The plot thickens.

Thanks both.

 

Chris Duffy

Yeah, that is curious. Whatever the case it was great to see that Duffy was able to return to the game after the war. A couple of links for the 1944 War Cup Final, as it was called, attended by Eisenhower.

Football League Cup Final 1944 - Pathe

FA Cup Final: General Eisenhower presents cup - ITN

 

Name doesn't ring a bell. No RWF personnel were involved in plane based activities during D-Day.

Some were however on the beaches (at some stage) as an Advance Party, but that whole area is very, very grey. I'd say its the usual 'he was on D-Day' but he went in with the bulk of the Div a few weeks later.

 

Cee-Thanks for the update

Swiper-Thats some positive info.

Thanks (again)

Jim

 

Jim,

I have to agree with Robert about Chris Duffy being transferred into an airborne unit.

I seem to recollect my late father telling me that he served in Italy and Greece with a Charlton Athletic professional player, who I think was a goalkeeper.

I know that they kept in touch for years and the player returned to the club and provided tickets for my dad whenever he played at Deepdale or other Lancashire clubs.

I am sorry that I cannot remember the name of the player.

Regards
Tom

 

If that is the case then he would have been in 6 (Royal Welch) Battalion, the Parachute Regiment. Who fought in Italy, Southern France (Op Dragoon) and Greece.

Which makes far more sense!
No mention of him in Red Dragon, RWF history by PK Kemp and John Graves.

 

Hi Tom - The goalkeeper may have been Sam Bartram, he was a PT instructor during the war with the RAF. Many thanks for the info. I think we are getting some pieces together.

Swiper - Agree this would make more sense.

This is all very intriguing, I cannot thank you all enough for your time.
Jim

 

Jim,

Here's a video version of Bartram, The Blitz and Beyond that may be of interest if you haven't caught it already. It appears to have been part of a larger educational project. From what I can see from a quick scan there's nothing new there on Duffy.

Bartram, THE BLITZ and Beyond on Vimeo

(23 minutes - 109 MBs)