During August we received the sad news of the passing of one of our former players, Richard Edwin Boyd, who played for the Hamlet during the Second World War era.

At the time of his death, Richard was believed to be the oldest living former player, as he celebrated his century last year. He passed away in his home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on August 17th.

Richard played as both a member of the Junior side and as a first team regular during wartime football, winning the London Minor Cup in the 1939-40 season with the Juniors. He would also live through the Blitz bombings, go on to serve in the RAF during World War 2 and make 33 bombing missions across Europe, and then after receiving a Distinguished Flying Cross for his services for his country, would survive a plane crash during peacetime in 1946.

During that accident he suffered major injuries to his leg, which was broken at the knee and out of shape, whilst he also endured injuries to his pelvis and lower back. Such was his strength of character that he made it back on to the playing surface of his beloved Champion Hill again in 1947, but his leg did not hold out during the game and he would be forced to retire at the age of just 26, and end his flying career too.

After a period of time working with the British Overseas Airways Corporation at Heathrow, Richard and his wife Rita would move to the USA permanently in 1956, where he continued to live until his passing.

Everyone at Dulwich would like to pass on our condolences to Richard's family and friends.

You can read more about Richard from this brilliant article by The Hamlet Historian in April 2017: http://thehamlethistorian.blogspot.com/2017/04/boyd-in-sky.html