[HerefordBull]

Jack Cock became a member of the famed 17th Middlesex, footballers battalion which also included possibly the first black infantry officer in the British Army, Walter Tull of Northampton Town. Having a "pals" regiment of footballers proved popular and later a second was formed, the 23rd Middlesex.

Amongst those that became embraced under these Middlesex pals umbrellas were the 16th Royal Scots raised by George McCrae in Edinburgh which featured many sportsman and representatives for many teams but is famed by the signing up of at least 16 players from Heart of Midlothian.

Jack Cock would have seen action on the Somme (2016) and Arras ( 2017) rising to the rank of Lance Sergeant which would have been almost certainly been a field appointment during that dreadful war. He survived the war as we know going on to play for a number of clubs. Walter Tull was not so lucky returning to France in 1918 just in time for the Germans Spring offensive ( Kaiserschlacht) and was killed in action at Bapaume.

Anybody interested in these footballers pals regiments of the 1st World War read "McCraes Battalion" by Jack Alexander. The 16th at the Somme fought near Contalmaison where there is a Cairn constucted in 2004 from Scottish stone. At Longueval there is another memorial to the footballers battalions in general which was championed by former Hereford United and Huddersfield Town player ( loan) Phil Stant. ( he had served in the SAS so his interest was understandable) To sign for Hereford the club bought him out the army.