If the First World War destroyed Edwardian football, World War II tore apart an already wounded game.
In September 1939, football in England was suspended again. Stadiums were closed, clubs fragmented and players dispersed to military units, factories and airfields. War leagues existed, but they were unofficial: survival mattered more than results.
For many footballers, the Second World War was not their first experience of conflict. Some had grown up in the shadow of the Great War. Others had already served during him as boys.
Once again, the footballers answered the call.
Again, some never returned.
| player | club | position | age | Date of death | Cause / Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Goslin | Bolton Wanderers | half wing | 34 | December 18, 1943 | Killed in action, Italy |
| Berry Nieuwenhuys | Liverpool | ahead | 27 | 1943 | plane crash |
| Bob Baxter | Middlesbrough | defender | 30 | 1941 | Air raid, United Kingdom |
| Duncan McKenzie | Arsenal (personal) | former player | 27 | 1940 | Dunkirk campaign |
⚪ Harry Goslin – Bolton Wanderers
The captain who led his men to war
Harry Goslin was more than just a footballer – he was a leader in every sense of the word.
A tough, smart one half wingGoslin captained Bolton Wanderers in the late 1930s, earning respect for his authority on the pitch and his calm presence off it.
When war broke out in 1939, Goslin did not hesitate. He led a group of Bolton players to enlist together, setting an example that reverberated throughout English football.
Unlike many footballers who served at home, Goslin was commissioned as a British army officer and deployed overseas.
In 1943, he was fighting in the Italian campaigna brutal and often overlooked theater of war marked by mountainous terrain, entrenched German positions and relentless fighting.
turned on December 18, 1943during operations close to Bleeding Riverit was Harry Goslin killed in action.
He was 34 years old.
Harry Goslin – Service Summary
| detail | information |
|---|---|
| club | Bolton Wanderers |
| position | half wing |
| role | British Army Officer |
| Age at death | 34 |
| date | December 18, 1943 |
| location | Italy |
Legacy:
Bolton Wanderers continue to honor Goslin as one of the club’s greatest servants, not just for his football but for his wartime leadership.
🔴 Berry “Hekkie” Nieuwenhuys – Liverpool
A forward lost in the skies of World War II
Berry Nieuwenhuys represented a changing face of English football.
A South African international forwardhe joined Liverpool in the late 1930s, bringing pace, power and a more modern attacking style to the English game.
His career at Liverpool was brief. The war came before it could really begin.
Nieuwenhuys returned to military service with the South African Air Forcewhere he trained as aircrew, a role with one of the highest casualty rates of the entire war.
In 1943while on active duty, Nieuwenhuys was killed in a plane crash.
He was fair 27 years.
Berry Nieuwenhuys – Service summary
| detail | information |
|---|---|
| club | Liverpool |
| position | ahead |
| Military Service | South African Air Force |
| Age at death | 27 |
| year | 1943 |
| cause | plane crash |
Legacy:
Nieuwenhuys’ death is a reminder that World War II expanded the battlefield beyond the trenches: into the skies, the seas and the home front.
🔵 Bob Baxter – Middlesbrough
Died at home during the Blitz
Not all footballers died abroad.
Bob Baxter was one Defense of the First Division with Middlesbrough when war broke out. Like many players, he stayed in Britain, contributing to the war effort while football operated in fragmented regional competitions.
during the BlitzGerman bombing targeted industrial cities in England.
In 1941it was Baxter killed during an airstrike.
I was 30 years old.
Bob Baxter – Service Summary
| detail | information |
|---|---|
| club | Middlesbrough |
| position | defender |
| Age at death | 30 |
| year | 1941 |
| cause | Air Raid (United Kingdom) |
Legacy:
Baxter’s death underscores a stark reality of World War II: footballers weren’t just soldiers; they were civilians under fire in their homes.
🔴 Duncan McKenzie – Arsenal
A life lost during Britain’s darkest hour
Duncan McKenzie had been an associate arsenal as a player before the war and then worked within the club structure.
In 1940, Britain faced one of its most desperate moments: the evacuation of Dunkirk.
McKenzie was serving with the British Army during the campaign.
He was killed during operations connected with Dunkirkone of the thousands of lives lost during the chaotic retreat.
Duncan McKenzie – Service Summary
| detail | information |
|---|---|
| club | arsenal |
| role | Former player/staff |
| Age at death | 27 |
| year | 1940 |
| location | France |
Combined impact on English football
| war | years | State of football | lost players |
|---|---|---|---|
| First World War | 1914–1918 | Suspended 1915–1919 | Dozens of professionals |
| Second World War | 1939–1945 | Suspended 1939–1946 | Players killed worldwide |
In both wars:
- The footballers served as a children, gunners, pilots, officers
- Some died instantly
- Some died of wounds
- Some were killed at home
- Some never played again even though they survived
🕊️ Why this story matters now
Football is often described as an escape from the real world.
History shows that it never was.
At a time when war is once again dominating global headlines, football’s past reminds us that the game has always been shaped by conflict, sacrifice and loss.
These players did not retire.
They didn’t move.
No games were missed.
were lost in history and football.
⚽ Final whistle
When football resumed after each war, crowds returned and records were broken.
But the teams were never complete.
The true cost of war is measured not only in battles won or lost, but in runs never finished, goals never scored and players who never returned home.
