Lives in Cricket No 1 - Allan Watkins

Chapter Two An Easy War For Stoker Watkins Though Allan could not have known it, the declaration of war meant that he had played for the last time under the captaincy of the aristocratic Maurice Turnbull. For the labourer’s son from Usk, the skipper-cum-secretary was a daunting figure. “He was a bit of an upper crust, not only with me but all the players.” This had been Phil Clift’s view too: “We had to stand to attention in his office.” But Allan also recalls Turnbull’s indomitable spirit on the field, where his talent shone through to the last, with 156 in Glamorgan’s final match, against Leicestershire at Aylestone Road. Off the field, too, there was style and panache in all that Turnbull did. “He was a madman, in a car at least. He didn’t think that red lights in Cardiff mattered. Evidently he got killed in the war doing the same thing. The orders were to retreat, but he got fed up of retreating so he thought, ‘To hell with this, I’m going to advance.’ And he got himself mown down. That would be typical of Maurice Turnbull.” A major in the Welsh Guards, Turnbull lost his life bravely, on 5 August, 1944, mown down by machine gun fire as he tried to immobilise the leading vehicle in a column of German tanks making their way down a narrow lane near Montchamp in Normandy. Turnbull had been the inspiration behind Glamorgan’s fight for financial survival throughout the 1930s, and one of his last duties was to write to the players at the end of the 1939 season. “I’ve still got his letter,” Allan said, rummaging in his desk. Dated 21 September, it informed him of the closing down of the office and the termination of his contract. The letter continued: ‘Realising the hardship involved for you, the Committee has voted you one month’s winter salary to be paid immediately and cheque is enclosed. In addition £100 talent money has been awarded and will be distributed next week together with any balances due to you.’ 19