Lives in Cricket No 15 - Michael Falcon

Chapter Seven Second World War and Beyond Now aged 51, Michael Falcon was too old for active service, but the majority of his Norfolk team-mates were eligible and were duly called up. The process started whilst the 1939 cricket season was still in mid-flow: Basil Rought-Rought and John Wood found themselves with the 5th Norfolks in Sussex as early as 17 July, although, as Basil managed to get leave for a few games, that was little hardship. In contrast to the situation in 1914 at the start of First World War, the 1939 season was finished before hostilities broke out and, although preparations for war were taking place at the same time as the cricket, no Norfolk matches were cancelled and few players were rendered unavailable due to the call of duty. Michael Falcon did his best for Geoff Edrich, who had been offered a professional engagement with Hampshire for 1940, by getting his call-up for the militia deferred until the end of the 1939 season, in the hope that the world situation would improve, but of course it was a vain wish. By the time Geoff had to report to Colchester to sign up, all hope of playing for Hampshire in 1940 had vanished. Michael Falcon did his bit by signing up for the Local Defence Volunteers, later to be renamed the Home Guard, and was appointed commander of the 14th Platoon, 4th Company, 6th Battalion of the Norfolk Home Guard, based at Lingwood. His son, Michael Gascoigne, remembers that Falcon brought the same thorough, competitive nature to civil defence as he did to Minor Counties cricket. Exercises were often carried out at Holkham Hall and Thetford Heath and Falcon’s platoon were regular winners of trophies such as the battalion and divisional championships for tactical battle drill. His daughter, Sybil, remembers that her father was immensely proud of his platoon, which was made up of local farming men who, she said, would have followed him anywhere. His gift of leadership was not confined to the cricket field. Sybil’s sister, Anne, recalls that Falcon’s Sunday mornings during the war were taken up with Home Guard duties, which he would conduct with immense enthusiasm and dedication, dressed in thick khaki and with huge regulation boots. He would return to Burlingham 101