Here are copies of entries in the “Red Cross Wartime Log” of W/O A.J. Fuge a navigator on 158 Squadron (Halifaxes.) He was shot down 17th April 1943. They consist of the score cards and write up of a cricket game played between Australia and England at Fallingbostel in August of 1944. There is a summary of the game from a chap called Kaplan who umpired the game and I believe played Test Cricket for South Africa before the war.
Kaplan's write up of the game. The glorious uncertainty of cricket was much in evidence in the cricket Test Match between England and Australia on August 27th and 28th. A 9th wicket stand of 44 runs saved the Australians, who batted first, from complete disaster. Left hander Davis rose to the occasion with 30 invaluable runs, Smith (4for13) and Harris (3for39) were the best English bowlers. England’s innings started surprisingly with 51 o the board with the loss of two wickets when Burbridge was sinfully run out at 79 an inexplicable collapse occurred and the side was all out for 84. Fuge batted well for his 26 and “Mr Extras” weighed in with 18. Leiper’s analysis of 4 for 4 was a phenomenal performance. Australia, enjoying a small lead of 9 runs, were in a parlous position at close of play. Brilliant bowling by Harris (4 for 3 runs) saw five Australians tumble out for 9 runs. Resuming next morning they fared little better and a disastrous innings closed for 30 runs. Harris’s final figures were 6 overs, 1 maiden, 11 runs, 6 wickets his effort placed England in an impregnable position. Requiring but 40 runs to win, England opened steadily, but were soon in trouble. True to the legend of their fighting ability on the cricket field the Aussies fought back so magnificently that the whole nature of the game was changed. The air became charged with electricity and the large crowd were kept on tender hooks. Needing 10 runs to win Ames, England’s last man in joined Fuge, the only batsman to withstand the onslaught. In breathless silence 5 valuable runs were added and England needed but 4 to draw and 5 to win. Ames then hit a terrific drive to the deep and Buchan, fielding wide had to run. Leaping in the air he bought off a glorious one handed catch to give the Australians the match by 4 runs. Gaulton and Leiper bowled unchanged, the former taking 4 wickets for 8 runs in 7 overs, and the latter 5 wickets for 21 runs in 6.6 overs. Fuge, who opened the innings carried his bat for 14 runs. He batted very correctly and his only fault lay in not collaring the bowling when the last few batsmen were at the wicket. England owed her defeat to weak and inconsistent batting. The steady Australian attack took advantage of this and turned to good account every mistake made. The match was a grand one and the magnificent thrilling finish augurs well for the other big games to be played in the Stalag. Written by C.J. Kaplan captain of the Army XI and the South African Test Team and once opening batsman for the Orange Free State (S.A.)
Name: C J Kaplan Rank: S/Sgt. Army Number: 22126 POW Number: 30538 Camp Type: Stalag Camp Number: 357 Camp Location: Kopernikus, Poland Section: South African Land Forces : Officers and Other Ranks TD edited to add: Name: A J Fuge Rank: Warrant Officer Army Number: 1388591 Regiment: Royal Air Force : Officers & Other Ranks POW Number: 8 Camp Type: Stalag Camp Number: 357 Camp Location: Kopernikus, Poland Section: Royal Air Force : Officers & Other Ranks
Very interesting post. Am I reading the score sheet correctly and England fielded two players with the surname of Fuge?? I hope this helps pad out the story - the Aussie fielder who finished England's chances of winning was Ken Buchan (Warrant Officer BUCHAN, KENNETH CAVAN 415892 RAAF - note that his middle name is variously given as Cavan & Cowan) MORE WA MEN FREED Former 'A' grade Subiaco cricketer and member of W.A's. State lacrosse team, 35-year-old W.O. Kenneth Cowan Buchan has been liberated, is safe in England. Cable has been received from him by his mother Mrs A. M. Buchan, of 42 Williams Road, Nedlands. Warrant Officer Buchan was taken prisoner when his Halifax was brought down over Germany on January 20 last year. Of the crew of seven, two only are known to have been saved. No word has been received of the others. **************************************************************************************************************************************** CRICKETER FREED Ken Buchan in London. News was received on Saturday by his relatives that the former Subiaco "A" grade cricketer, Ken Buchan had been released from a German prison camp and is now in London. During his enforced stay in Germany, Buchan did not lose touch with cricket as will be seen from the following extract from the February number of the "Notes on Activities" issued by the Red Cross Society: "News has arrived from Stalag 357, where there are 359 Australians, that Australia had topped the score for the season's cricket. Results were very close, Australia defeating England by only three runs, a wonderful catch by Ken Buchan (RAAF) of WA, winning the game for Australia."
WOFF Buchan was captured following the loss of Halifax LK958 of 76SQN RAF - info on the crash shows that the only other survivor was another RAAF member M.F. Curry (Warrant Officer CURRY, MICHAEL FREDERICK 420830 RAAF). Looking at the scoresheet and signatures makes me think he was also on the Aussie team.
“Leiper” is most probably Warrant Officer LEIPER, WALTER JAMES 426888 – who discharged from the RAAF in 1974 (new service number A11385) – he is identified on the nominal roll as having been a POW WOFF Leiper was captured following the loss of Halifax LW557 of 578SQN RAF *************************************************************************************************************************************************** “Gaulton” is most probably Warrant Officer GAULTON, KENNETH JAMES FREDERICK 404669 - he is identified on the nominal roll as having been a POW WOFF Gaulton was captured following the loss of Manchester L7432 of 50SQN RAF *************************************************************************************************************************************************** Flight Lieutenant FALKINER, FRASER 400220 http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?10574-Wellington-XIII-MP705 AUS400220 Sgt (Pilot) Fraser "Jum" FALKINER RAAF, was shot down on 27-10-1941 in No.72 Sqn Spitfire Vb W3704, and remained a prisoner of war for the duration. ******************************************************************************************************************************************* Warrant Officer RAYMOND, FRANCIS OSWALD 405057 of 458SQN ******************************************************************************************************************************************* Warrant Officer OLIVER, ALFRED CHARLES HENRY 414159 of 466SQN *************************************************************************************************************************************************** "Pert" is most likely to be army Sergeant PERT, JAMES ANDREW NX53456 of 3 AT REGT (probably 2/3rd AntiTank Regiment), he is identified on the nominal roll as having been a POW & his name appears on a list provided by the Vatican of POWs held by the Italians as of late June 1941 (http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/27945010)
So I make the teams out as: ENGLAND FUGE (see post #5) MARTYN TIBBETTS KNIGHT DANCE SMITH, A SMITH, H HARRIS AMES BURBRIDGE FUGE AUSTRALIA SHIERLAW (see - http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/55879-gresse-germany-raf-friendly-fire-incident/?hl=shierlaw#entry651258) BUCHAN (see post #7) (see - http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/46091-76-619-squadron-losses-1944/?hl=415892#entry542993) CURRY (see post #8) (see - http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/46091-76-619-squadron-losses-1944/?hl=415892#entry542993) GAULTON (see post #9) LEIPER (see post #9) PERT (see post #9) FALKINER (see post #9) RAYMOND (see post #9) OLIVER (see post #9) DAVIS WARDELL (aha - Warrant Officer WARDILL, DAVID RICHARD 400423 RAAF POW) I finally worked out Wardell being Wardill by using http://www.rafcommands.com/old-site/air-force-pows/ - I am now trying to match some of the remaining names.
This cricket match appears to have been the second in a series: TEST MATCH IN A STALAG I came across refreshing details of the farthest north test match between England and Australia, written up in Sir Pelham Warner's annual, "Cricketer." This match was played at Stalag Luft 6, in July, 1943. J. G. Shierlaw (Medindie, South Australia) captained the Australian XI, and Burbridge the English team. The game lasted two days, and ended up most dramatically. Australians, going in first, made 88, Englishmen, 111 Australian second innings, 99, and with the Englishmen only wanting 74 runs to win and two hours to do it in. Raymond and Connolly, the Australian bowlers, brought the innings to an exciting finish, for one after the other fell, and with the score at nine for 62. England needed only 12 runs for victory. Last man in (Harris) gave a difficult chance, and Smith dived full length and brought off one of the finest catches of the game, which ended by Australia winning by three runs. John Shierlaw (RAAF), trained in Rhodesia, was at Malta through the blitz, and received the Malta Cross. He was taken prisoner with his crew in March, 1943.
I read an article in Wisden Cricket Monthly in the 80s or early 90s about a series of Test Matches between Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa that were played in WWII PoW camps. My recollection is that the camps in question were in Poland, possibly quite close to Auschwitz. The magazine later merged with The Cricketer under the name The Wisden Cricketer but is now called The Cricketer. Unfortunately I did not keep my copies.
There were in fact three tests at. Luft 6. 1st on 17th July '43 2nd on 21st August '43 3rd on 28th August '43
