A Game Sustained

87 4: Running out of steam: 1917 ‘I should not like in years to come to show a cricket medal with 1917 on it. Who could be proud of winning such a medal in the present war times? We are trying to keep the game alive, not win championship medals.’ Comments reported from a Yorkshire Council meeting, April 1917 At the end of 1916, David Lloyd George became Prime Minister. Changes in the leadership in the French army led to a rethink in Allied strategy after a long period of stalemate and, despite the enormous death toll, the experience of 1916 had helped to improve the standing and morale of the British army. April 1917 saw enormous French losses before the British forces were heavily involved around Ypres in June and July, and later in the year around Passchendaele, which saw a quarter of a million casualties on both sides. The end of 1917 saw the battle of Cambrai. 61 The death toll associated with these brutal campaigns cast a dark cloud over every aspect of British society and cricket was no exception. In January 1917, ‘Old Ebor’ noted that it is a ‘melancholy fact that about 600 cricketers of some note – chiefly county players and public-school boys – have either been killed in action or died of wounds. On the other hand, almost 500 have been mentioned in despatches or received an award from the King for duty done.’ The continuing demands from the army led to more men being called up. Shortages of commodities also had a direct impact on the game. The Rochdale flannel mills were working ‘flat out’ on Government work and experienced labour shortages. In February, they would normally have been busy producing cricket clothing but there was no trade in these goods in 1917. Leather was also in short supply and the Bradford League committee announced that only one ball would be used in league matches (although use of a second one was the subject of an argument between Saltaire and Idle later in the year, which led to an agreement that two balls should be