The Orient Buglers & Pipes – The Somme 2006 (The First Wave)
Further to the interest gained following Several Acts of Remembrance held on the pitch at a Leyton Orient home match on the Saturday nearest to Remembrance Sunday, along with the successful publication of Stephen Jenkins’ book They Took The Lead in 2005, which tells the remarkable true story of Clapton Orient’s major contribution to the 17th Bn Middlesex Regiment – The Footballers’ Battalion, in the Great War, Steve took it upon himself to liaise with Vic Brandon of the Leyton Branch Royal British Legion, about the logistics and possibility of organizing a trip to the Somme battlefields, for Leyton Orient supporters to visit the O’s war graves and other places of interest. Vic was experienced in organising such trips and it was not long before plans started to come together for the first O’s Somme Tour which was to take place in July 2006.
Clapton Orient Football Club (now Leyton Orient), were the first English football club to enlist en masse to serve King and Country. In total forty-one players, staff and supporters signed on the dotted line. Three players; William Jonas, Richard McFadden and George Scott, paid the ultimate price, giving up their lives during the Battle of the Somme in 1916, with thirteen other players wounded, including the ‘keeper Jimmy Hugall who was wounded three times, sustaining an injury to his eye in the process and yet returned to playing professional football after the war.
Sadly Vic died suddenly in March 2005, but fortunately his colleague at the legion Les Bailey, was able to pick up the reigns and continue working on the tour with Steve. Whilst Steve was responsible for taking bookings and organizing the itinerary, it was Les who took care of the accommodation and coaches.
Knowing that memorial services were to take place at the Orient war graves and that the legion were to supply three pipers to assist with this, Steve called upon his two friends and former fellow buglers in the 17th Waltham Forest Boys’ Brigade Company, namely Norman Coe and Bob Sargeant, to join him to form the Leyton Orient Buglers, allowing both Last Post and Reveille to be played, along with a lament from the pipers during each memorial service on the trip.
As regards the three O’s footballers that died, Pte William Jonas’ body could not be retrieved after being killed in 
Delville Wood 27th July 1916, so it was left to the elements and subsequently lost. Consequently, he is remembered with honour at the imposing and impressive Thiepval Memorial. CSM Richard McFadden MM died 23rd October 1916 following wounds received from a shell-blast whilst leading a line of troops along a trench. He was initially taken to a farm in the village of Couin which had been commandeered by the British and converted into a field hospital, but sadly died the following day and was buried in the cemetery that was established adjacent to the farm. Pte George Scott, was wounded whilst fighting near Le Cateau and was taken prisoner by the Germans. Sadly he died whilst in a German Military Hospital in St Quentin on 16th August 1916.
Although the pipers wore their official uniform, which included full tartan regalia and bearskins, the buglers at that time had no official uniform, so for this first trip, they wore a navy blue Leyton Orient polo shirt with black trousers, socks and shoes.
Over 120 O’s supporters and friends of the Club travelled in thee coaches on this first official tour and the thing that struck everyone was just how hot it was, making one realise how uncomfortable it must have been for those that fought on the Somme battlefields in the height of summer.
The tour was a big success which lead to thoughts of planning for another one in 2008!
