Remembering Sheffield Wednesday's World War II heroes as VE Day comes to a close

As Victory in Europe Day comes to a close, we remember the Sheffield Wednesday players, coaches and trainers who played their part in World War II.

May 8th 2025 marked 80 years since VE Day, the day that saw Britain and the allied forces formally accept Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender after almost six years of war across the globe. It was a monumental step en route to victory, with the conflict finally coming to an end a few months’ later on September 2nd 1945.

As with so many other football clubs, a number of Wednesday men fought and died for their country between 1939 and 1945, and here we look back in tribute in honour of their service...

Eddie Quigley of Sheffield Wednesday sees an effort savedplaceholder image
Eddie Quigley of Sheffield Wednesday sees an effort saved | S&G and Barratts/EMPICS Sport

Sheffield Wednesday’s World War II heroes:

Walter Aveyard – Army (Burma)

Keith Bannister – Royal Air Force

Jim Briscoe – Royal Navy

Tom Brolly – Army

Alan Brown (manager) – Royal Air Force

Horace Burrows – Sherwood Foresters Regiment

Ted Catlin - Army

Bob Curry - Army

Norman Curtis - Army

Allenby Driver – Army Royal Artillery Home

George Drury - RAF

Derwick Goodfellow – Royal Marines

Johnny Jordan – RAF, flew Spitfires in Battle of Britain

Vin Kenny – Royal Engineers, involved in Normandy Landings

Eddie Kilshaw – RAF

William Knox (trainer) – RAF

Maurice Lindley (coach) – Royal Artillery

Arnold Lowes – Royal Artillery

Matt MacKenzie – RAF (Lancaster Bombers)

Albert Morton – Army

Frank Moss – Navy

Edgar Packard - Army

Eddie Quigley – Royal Navy

David Russell – RAF

Ernest Scholfield - RAF

Frank Synn – Navy

Alan Smith - RAF

Tom Smith – Army

Roy Smith – RAMC

Jackie Thompson – Navy

Ronnie Thompson - RAF

Cyril Walker – RAF

Fred Walker – Army

Tommy Ward - Navy

Harry Ware – Army

Arnie Webster - Army

Frank Westlake – RAF

Doug Witcomb - RAF

Dennis Woodhead - RAF

Thank you to Jason Dickinson, Sheffield Wednesday historian, for his detailed list of the Owls WWII veterans.

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