The Football Battalion The 17th Service Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment was a First World War Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment , part of the British Army , which was formed as a Pals battalion . The core of the battalion was a group of professional footballers , which was the reason for its most commonly used name , The Football Battalion . The Battalion fought in the Battle of the Somme amongst others , and soldiers who fought for the 17th included Second Lt . Walter Tull , who was the first black Infantry Officer in the British Army . History . During the First World War there had been an initial push by clubs for professional football to continue in order to keep the public ' s spirits up . This stance was not widely agreed with and public opinion turned against professional footballers . One soldier , serving in France , wrote to a British newspaper to complain that " hundreds of thousands of able - bodied young roughs were watching hirelings playing football " while others were serving their country . The suggestion was even made that King George V should cease being a patron of The Football Association . Sir Arthur Conan Doyle publicly objected and appealed for footballers to volunteer for service , saying " If a footballer has strength of limb , let them serve and march in the field of battle " . William Joynson - Hicks formed the battalion on 12 December 1914 at Fulham town hall after Secretary of State for War , Lord Kitchener , suggested it as part of the Pals battalion scheme . England international Frank Buckley became the first player to join , out of thirty players who signed up at its formation . The formation was announced to the general public on 1 January 1915 . During Army training , the players were allowed leave on a Saturday to return to their clubs to take part in games . However , the clubs found themselves having to subsidise the train fares as the Army did not pay for them . By the following March , 122 professional footballers had signed up for the battalion , which led to press complaints as there were some 1800 eligible footballers . These recruits included the whole of Clapton Orient ( later to be known as Leyton Orient ) – the entire Heart of Midlothian team had signed up prior to the formation of the battalion . In addition to footballers , officials and referees also joined the 17th , along with football fans themselves . Many football players deliberately chose to avoid the battalion by joining other regiments , causing the War Office to initially have difficulties filling the battalion . A number of decorations were issued to the soldiers with the battalion . Lyndon Sandoe , of Cardiff City and Wales , was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal with bar , and the Military Medal . Northampton Town ' s Walter Tull was recommended for the Military Cross during the war , and became the first Black Infantry Officer in the British Army . The battalion suffered heavy losses , including at the Battle of Delville Wood and the Battle of Guillemont during the Battle of the Somme . During the First World War , the battalion lost more than a thousand men , including 462 in one battle alone at the Battle of Arras in 1917 . Legacy . A memorial to the Football Battalion was unveiled in 2010 in Longueval , France . It was attended by members of the Football Supporters ' Federation and representatives of more than 20 clubs . It had been paid for through donations received from football supporters having been promoted by former professional footballer and SAS soldier Phil Stant . The ceremony was conducted by Father Owen Beament of Millwall F . C . , and a two - minute silence was started by Gareth Ainsworth . A granite memorial to the three Clapton Orient players who died in the Battle of the Somme whilst members of the battalion was unveiled in 2011 , located in Northern France . Over 200 Leyton Orient supporters travelled for the unveiling , which commemorated the lives of Richard McFadden , William Jonas and George Scott .