Dimming of the Day

71 July 1914 husband’s honour and that she had done what any good wife would do. The British press marvelled at the strange ways of foreigners. Against Essex’s 428, Leicestershire managed 92 against Douglas and Tremlin, but they were 276-2 at the second attempt with Sam Coe unbeaten on 135. At the Oval Sussex offered slightly stiffer resistance after starting their second innings 77 behind and losing 6-75, then recovering to 225 all out so at least setting a target. J.,H.Vincett, who had already taken five for 32, made 73. At Trent Bridge John Gunn made 142 not out against Kent to give Nottinghamshire a substantial lead. The Daily Express reported that A.P.Freeman had taken five for 6 for Kent II against Staffordshire, bowled out for 85 for a substantial Kent win (Freeman had five for 57 in the first innings) The paper also listed the players going on tour with Blackheath Wanderers to South Devon. By 30 July, hostilities had broken out between Austria and Serbia. The Times reported a huge demand for insurance against war risks, even though rates had tripled or even quadrupled. Business was about to be suspended on the German stock exchange. In a small piece the paper announced that the fortresses at Liege and Namur were now on a war footing. President Poincare had returned from his visit to St Petersburg. The France had passed a German torpedo boat near Kiel and had ritually exchanged salutes. At the Gare du Nord the President was met by a large crowd cheering and singing the Marseillaise. Despite occasional cries of ‘Vive la guerre!’ The Times stressed that the demonstration was patriotic rather than warlike. Russia was still biding her time. But on all sides armies were lumbering into action, and there was a feeling that the process might have become automatic and unstoppable. Mr Asquith had said that the situation was one of ‘extreme gravity’. It was reported from Berlin that the German attitude was that the Austro-Serbian situation was past saving, that relations between Austria and Russia were their own business, but Russian mobilisation posed a threat. There was no talk of Western Europe. Albanians in Kosovo were threatening to join in against Serbia. The Stock Exchange had gone to pieces at this stage with as many as seven members hammered, though things calmed down as the day went on. The Times said, ‘Europe is on the verge of a war more general and more terrible than the ‘Great War’ of one hundred years ago.’ If France or the Belgian frontier was menaced ‘we shall know how to act’. Surrey indeed beat Sussex, but what had looked like a formality ended as a win by one wicket as they went from 133-5 to 145-9 in pursuit of 149. K.H.C.Woodroffe took six for 43, almost snatching victory. This was Kenneth Woodroffe’s best performance of a short career. He had just come down from his second year at Cambridge, winning blues in both years, and had played for Hampshire against the South Africans in 1912 while still at school, taking five for 33. This was his first game for Sussex, his county of birth. He died near Neuve Chapelle in May 1915.