Publicaties

Shahzada Mohammad Yusuf: He was a Non-Collegiate student at Cambridge University (and so a member of Fitzwilliam House, the institution of which Non-Collegiate students were members). He became a member of Cambridge University in January 1923 and was a member until June 1927. He was a member of the All India Hockey Club which toured the continent in 1925. He played hockey for Fitzwilliam House and captained the team in 1926-27 season. He studied Agriculture and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Ordinary Degree in June 1927. In October and November 1927 he played for Cambridge University in their trial matches. On 23 November 1927 he represented Cambridge University against Wimbledon Hockey Club, which included Jaipal Singh. He did travel with the team to Amsterdam and played in four of the five matches at the Olympics. Jaipal Singh, Shahzada Mohammad Yusuf and Nawab of Pataudi knew each other socially and had played together with the All India Club team. They had also played against each other with their college and University teams.

The whereabouts of C V Carberry, who had played for St Xavier College, Calcutta, who had gone to London, could not be ascertained and he did not join the team either in England or the Olympics.

Albert Barmes Rosser, Hon Secretary of Bengal Hockey Association, was appointed as team manager. It was decided at the meeting in Delhi in December 1927 to approach Colonel Bruce Turnbull, who was in England at the time, to be the coach as he had a good deal of experience of hockey both in India and England.

The 13 players and manager sailed to England from Bombay (now Mumbai) on 10th March 1928. They had gathered in Bombay two days earlier and played an exhibition match a day before they sailed. This was the first time that they had met and played together as a team.

Colonel Bruce Turnbull was appointed Business Manager of the IHF in England and he was responsible for arranging all fixtures in England and the continent before the Olympic Games. He did manage to get top class fixtures in London after the Easter break – a period when the cricket season had just begun. And he did manage to arrange five fixtures at the famous Folkestone festival during Easter.

When the Indian team arrived in Tilbury, England, on Friday 30th March 1928, they were given a hearty welcome to England by a number of officials and visitors, including Major Edward Ricketts who was acting on behalf of Colonel Bruce Turnbull, Business Manager.

The day after their arrival, on Saturday, 31st March 1928, they played a powerful Combined Services team at the Officers Club, Aldershot. The Services team, which included seven internationals, one English probable and two divisional representatives, were:

1. Commander J D Campbell (Royal Navy)

2.Commander C H L Woodhouse (Royal Navy)

3.Lieut Commander T N D’Arcy (Royal Navy and Ireland)

4.Lieut H A Hinds (Royal Navy)

5.Schoolmaster I D Lawrence (Royal Navy and England)

6.Lieut T H Ely (Army and Ireland)

7.Lieut R F Leitch (Army and Ireland)

8.Lieut J D Cairnes (Army and Ireland)

9. Captain F M Eagar (Army and Ireland)

10. Lieut P G Rogers (Army and England)

11. Flight Lieut Hampton (Royal Air Force)

The match, bully-off at 3 PM was played on a wet muddy ground and therefore it was found possible to play only 25 minutes each way. The Indian team lost 1-2, Dhyan Chand scoring India’s only goal. Major Edward Ricketts (India) and Flight Lieut E B C Betts umpired the match.

The Indian team played two matches at Merton Abbey in London before the Folkestone Easter tournament. They defeated a London XI that included six internationals, 5-2. They defeated an Anglo Scottish team, which also included six internationals, 7-2.

22.05.1928: At 1500 hrs at the Olympic Stadium, India played their last Pool A match against Switzerland. Jaipal Singh had not returned from England where he had gone after last Sunday’s match against Denmark and Leslie Hammond returned to his position as left-back. William Goodsir-Cullen returned as left-half, Maurice Gateley as right-winger in place of Shaukar Ali who was ill, with Frederick Seaman playing as left-inside and Shahzada Yusuf playing as left-winger. India defeated Switzerland 6-0 after leading 2-0 at half-time. George Marthins opened the scoring for India in the 6th minute and Maurice Gateley added another in the 26th minute to give India a 2-0 lead at half-time. Dhyan Chand scored two goals in quick succession in the 53rd and 55th minute to increase India’s lead to 4-0. Shahzada Yusuf added one and Maurice Gateley scored the last goal in the 65th minute. As winners of Division A, India qualified to play in the final of the Olympic Games against the winners of Division B*.

*(Some Indian sources have the scorers as Dhyan Chand 4, Maurice Gateley 1 and George Marthins 1)

“The Dutch and the Asians, who were delighted with their warm welcome in Amsterdam, hit it off. Earlier they had not felt at ease in England, where they had experienced arrogance and chill. In the Netherlands they were welcome and the meetings on the hockey pitch took place in a very friendly spirit from the beginning”.

Out of gratitude for the Dutch hospitality the British Indians proved themselves patient teachers who helped the Dutch hockey players where they could. According to De Waal the Netherlands owed their excellent performance in the Games and the fact that they even defeated Germany, the number one in Europe, to the Asian lessons. This feat was greeted with great enthusiasm by the British Indians. To their great amazement the Dutch hockey players were carried around on the shoulders of their friends from the Far East after their victory over Germany.

TAIL PIECE: Three days before the final, the FIH formally approved India’s membership, Colonel Bruce Turnbull was appointed to the FIH Council. Provisional admission was granted on 6th May. Thus, India became the first non-European country to become an FIH member. Edward Wallace Claud Ricketts, Bruce Turnbull and Albert Barmes Roser were the three officials from India at the Amsterdam 1928 Olympic Games.