Godfrey Firbank
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Godfrey Christopher Firbank MC
(19 June 1895–8 July 1947) was an English cricket
er. A left-arm orthodox spin
bowler, he played first-class cricket
for the Army
and for the Combined Services
in addition to international matches for Egypt
.
Born in Somerset
in 1895, Firbank served in the Gloucestershire Regiment and then (from 1917) the Coldstream Guards
during the First World War, reaching the rank of Lieutenant
and receiving the Military Cross
. He was promoted Captain
in 1924 and Major
in 1939. He retired as a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1945.
Godfrey Firbank made his first-class debut in May 1922, playing for the Combined Services against Essex
. He also played for the Household Brigade team against Eton College the same month.
After playing for I Zingari
against the Royal Engineers in July 1925 he went on a tour of Egypt
in April 1925 with the Free Foresters
, playing two matches against the Egyptian national side. Back in England
, he played for the Army against the Royal Navy
at Lord's
that summer, his last first-class match.
He later returned to Egypt, this time playing for the national side in three matches against HM Martineau's XI
between 1929 and 1930. He died in Hampshire
in 1947, aged 52.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(19 June 1895–8 July 1947) was an English cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
er. A left-arm orthodox spin
Left-arm orthodox spin
Left-arm orthodox spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket.Left-arm orthodox spin is bowled by a left arm bowler using the fingers to spin the ball from right to left of the cricket pitch...
bowler, he played first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for the Army
British Army cricket team
The Army cricket team is a cricket side representing the British Army. The team played a number of first-class matches between 1912 and 1939, although a combined "Army and Navy" side had played two games against a combined Oxford and Cambridge team in 1910 and 1911...
and for the Combined Services
Combined Services cricket team
The Combined Services cricket team represents the British armed forces. The team played at first-class level in England for more than forty years in the mid-twentieth century. Their first first-class match was against Gentlemen of England at Lord's in 1920, while their last was against Oxford...
in addition to international matches for Egypt
Egypt national cricket team
The Egypt national cricket team was the team that represented the country of Egypt in international cricket matches. They were active from 1909 until World War II.-Early years:...
.
Born in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
in 1895, Firbank served in the Gloucestershire Regiment and then (from 1917) the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
during the First World War, reaching the rank of Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
and receiving the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
. He was promoted Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in 1924 and Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in 1939. He retired as a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1945.
Godfrey Firbank made his first-class debut in May 1922, playing for the Combined Services against Essex
Essex County Cricket Club
Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games...
. He also played for the Household Brigade team against Eton College the same month.
After playing for I Zingari
I Zingari
I Zingari are English and Australian amateur cricket clubs.-History:...
against the Royal Engineers in July 1925 he went on a tour of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in April 1925 with the Free Foresters
Free Foresters Cricket Club
Free Foresters Cricket Club is an English amateur cricket club, established in 1856 for players from the Midland counties of England. It is a 'wandering' club, having no home ground....
, playing two matches against the Egyptian national side. Back in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, he played for the Army against the Royal Navy
Royal Navy Cricket Club
The Royal Navy Cricket Club is a cricket team representing the British Royal Navy and based at the United Services Recreation Ground, Portsmouth, Hampshire...
at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
that summer, his last first-class match.
He later returned to Egypt, this time playing for the national side in three matches against HM Martineau's XI
Hubert Martineau
Hubert Melville Martineau was an English patron of cricket and organiser of his own team. He also played three first-class matches between 1931 and 1932...
between 1929 and 1930. He died in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
in 1947, aged 52.