Lives of the First World War

Abraham "Abe" Waddington (4 February 1893 – 28 October 1959), was a professional cricketer for Yorkshire, who played in two Test matches for England, Abraham Waddington was born in Clayton, Bradford, His family owned a fat-refining business managed by his father, Sam. When he left school, Waddington joined the family firm as a lorry driver, occasionally working in the refinery. Waddington volunteered for the Bradford Pals battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment.. On 1 July 1916, during the first day of the Somme, Waddington was wounded by shrapnel at Serre, and took shelter in a crater in no man's land with other wounded soldiers. One of these was the Yorkshire cricketer Lt. Major William Booth, who was mortally wounded. Waddington comforted Booth while the cricketer died in his arms, After recovering, Waddington transferred to the RFC.

Yorkshire's squad which overcame the odds and captured the first County Championship title after World War One in 1919. Back row, from left, Arthur Dolphin, Roy Kilner, Abe Waddington, Billy Williams, Herbert Sutcliffe. Middle, George Hirst, Wilfred Rhodes, Mr Cecil Burton, Mr Rockley Wilson, David Denton. Front, Percy Holmes, Emmott Robinson.