27th v. 10th battalions' football match on World War I battlefield in France starts a South Australian tradition
Australian soldiers in an impromptu game of football during World War I.
Image courtesy Australian War Memorial
South Australia’s 27th Battalion in April 1917 played in what was described as “the most unique game of football ever contested”.
The Australian football match between the 27th and the 28th Battalion from Western Australia was decided on a battlefield on the World War I western front in France. The playing area was among the heavy trench system that made up the German front line before the Somme offensive in 1916.
The 27th defeated the 28th Battalion; another victory on its way to becoming the champions of the Australian army’s 2nd Division. Their brother, South Australian Battalion, the 10th, became champions of 1st Division.
The setting for the April 1917 football game is described in The Blue and Brown Diamond – History of the 27th Battalion (AIF) on Active Service by W. Dolman and H.M. Skinner (Adelaide; Lonnen & Cope, 1921):
“The ground was situated amidst the heavy system of entrenchments that constituted the German front line prior to the great Somme offensive in July 1916. The famous La Boiselle crater, the blowing up of which was the signal for the advance, was about 1,100 yards away.
“Practically surrounded by trenches, the ground was frozen and strewn with pieces of barbed wire and fragments of shells. Sheltering from the cold wind, the spectators viewed the game from the trenches, their heads just visible above the ground. A few plucky volunteers held the goal posts in position during the game.”
The 27th defeated the 28th Battalion and eventually won the 1st Division championship. Their brother, South Australian Battalion, the 10th, became champions of 1st Division.
The South Australian 27th and 10th teams would meet just once on the western front. The troops had to route march 12km to get to the site. The football teams were transported in wagons to save them for the game. When the troops met, one soldier reported that it was “like a miniature South Australia”.
The 27th won the day by two points in a high-standard match. On the western front, the 27th had played 36 matches, winning 31 of these and losing just five. It was the champion team of the 1st and 2nd divisions during and after the war.
In July 1919, the first post-war football match in Adelaide between the 27th and 10th battalions' ex Diggers was played within a Peace Day event. Afterwards, it became a traditional Anzac Day event at Adelaide Oval. A businessman, Mr Heylen, donated a trophy, and for 10 years the 10th, 27th, 43rd and an artillery unit, played double-header matches.
By 1929, the Diggers decided they were “getting a bit past” playing football and the Anzac Day Shield was presented ultimately to the 27th Battalion as the most successful team over the years. The Anzac Day Shield later became an efficiency award for the citizen military forces.
The Adelaide Oval Anzac Day match tradition was continued by the South Australian National Football League.
