Dimming of the Day

79 Many of us believed that the Russians would occupy Berlin (and perhaps catch the Kaiser) before Christmas. The newspapers informed us that German soldiers crucified Belgian babies. Stories of that kind were taken for granted: to have disbelieved them would have been unpatriotic. 30 Bertrand Russell was surprised, During the hot days at the end of July, I was at Cambridge, discussing the situation with all and sundry. I found it impossible to believe that Europe would be so mad as to plunge into war, but I was persuaded that, if there was a war, England would be involved. I felt strongly that England ought to remain neutral, and I collected the signatures of a large number of Professors and Fellows to a statement which appeared in the Manchester Guardian to that effect. The day war was declared, almost all of them changed their minds. 31 Neville Cardus said in his autobiography that when war broke out he immediately offered himself to the army but to neither his surprise nor dismay he was turned down because of short-sightedness. He was coaching at Shrewsbury School that summer and at this point became the Headmaster’s secretary (his predecessor having enlisted). For the moment all regular reservists were required to proceed immediately to the place of joining on their identity certificates and those on leave were recalled. The two super-Dreadnoughts being built for Turkey were commandeered for the Royal Navy instead. The Times was heavily promoting the cause of Lord Kitchener as Minister for War. The Kent County Cricket Club put out a statement. It read, The committee of the Kent CCC trust that the public will not suppose that in deciding as far as lies in their power to adhere to the programme of matches they are indifferent to the grave crisis which affects the country. Their decision is due to their solicitude for the club’s employees, whose earnings would be materially affected if county matches were not played. Dover Week would be played, but luncheon would not be provided for the public (though presumably it would for the members). But reports here were for the cricket played on the last day of peace. At Canterbury, during the afternoon, the Band of the 6 th Dragoon Guards played the Marseillaise and the Russian National Anthem. Sussex went on to 384 and Kent were all out for 291. The Oval was to be taken over immediately for military purposes, so there would presumably be no more cricket there once the ongoing match was over. Surrey reached 542 and Nottinghamshire were 230-5. Barrackers 30 Siegfried Sassoon, Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man, Faber & Faber, 1942, p201. 31 Bertrand Russell, Autobiography, George Allan & Unwim 1968 volume 2 p.15 August 1914