Battle of Britain Trophy

[Colin Patterson]

Apologies if this has been discussed before and I missed it.

Below are a few snippets I found relating to the period 1948-1969, although I have no knowledge of the actual duration of the competition:

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1948 ??? Battle of Britain. London ENG – RF Boxall 4/5, DB Pritchard 3.5, G Wood 3, NT Honan 2, HI Woolverton 1.5, Ms E Saunders 1 (6)

1954 Sep. Battle of Britain. Final. London ENG – GJ Martin, MJ Franklin 2.5/3, EC Hughes, GC Nurse 0.5 (4). Martin won the playoff to make it two wins in succession. In the contest for the remaining places, Miss Eileen Tranmer took the best lady competitor prize. Martin won the play-off for the trophy. Held at the National Chess Centre, the overall turn-out was a record 160. £30 was collected for the RAF Benevolent Fund, but £19 went back out in prizes!

1955 Sep. Battle of Britain. London ENG – LW Barden, JB Hawson, M Rogan 2/3, A Lukowicz 0 (4). It was fitting that Rogan (USA) and Lukowicz (a Polish airman) could represent two of Britain’s strongest wartime allies. Barden won out in the three-way play-off for first place.

1964 Sep. Battle of Britain. London ENG – MJ Basman 3/3, NA Perkins 2, WF Coles 1, A Bernfield 0 (4). A fundraiser for the RAF Benevolent Fund. Qualifying events were held at monthly intervals to arrive at the four finalists. The winner’s trophy is held for a year.

1965 Sep. Battle of Britain. London ENG – JD Taylor, GHF Tredinnick, T Van Dyke, E Tranmer (4)

1966 Sep. Battle of Britain. London ENG – Final - E Tranmer, G Speed 2.5/3, S Reuben, EC Cameron 0.5 (4). Speed later won a playoff with Miss Tranmer for the right to hold the trophy for one year. The others received a Battle of London medallion. Main prize money was £7 each to the co-winners. In the semi-finals, Tranmer bt KG Hyde, Speed bt WND Gregory, Reuben bt GJ Folwell, Cameron bt D Futter (all single games).

1969 Sep. Battle of Britain. London ENG – JE Scholes 3/3, PG Killick 2, LA Edwards 1, D Levens 0 (4)

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I remember reading in one of the chess magazines that it was a very impressive trophy. I may even have seen a photo of it. A large Spitfire sitting proudly on the top if my memory is correct.

Does anyone have any details of results for the years that I am missing above?

Does anyone know what happened to the trophy?

Final thought. The 100 year anniversary of the Battle of Britain is only about 18 years away, so if this trophy is in the back of your cupboard, please think about giving it to the ECF and we can start planning a big celebratory tournament. I will even make a donation if I am still alive then.

[Roger de Coverly]

1969 Sep. Battle of Britain. London ENG – JE Scholes 3/3, PG Killick 2, LA Edwards 1, D Levens 0 (4)

That might have been the last ever one. I cannot recall any mention or discussion of it after that.

[Ian Thompson]

I played in a Battle of Britain tournament between March and July 1979 - a knockout event played at people's homes with some conditions about the venue having to be in the London area unless agreed otherwise.

[Matt Mackenzie]

So, any advance on 1979?

I think this competition has been discussed before, but not sure if it was ever established when it finally ended.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"I may even have seen a photo of it. A large Spitfire sitting proudly on the top if my memory is correct."

Yes - I think the photo was in "Chess".

I think the early rounds were regionalised, then the final four played off in the Midlands? I never got beyond round 2, so have no personal knowledge. Boxall was an appropriate first winner as he learned to play chess whilst in the RAF.

[Ken Norman]

This is the information I have perhaps somebody can fill in the gaps.


BATTLE OF BRITAIN TROPHY
Year Winner score Semi-finalists Number of entries
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
1948 R.F. Boxall 4/5 D.B.Pritchard 3.5/5, G.Wood 3/5, N/T/Honan 2/5 H.I.Woolverton 1.5/5, Miss 119
1949 No Tournament
1950 No Tournament
1951 No Tournament
1952 N.Hammond 3/3 V.Berger, M.Blaine, P.G.Challis 75
1953 G.J.Martin 2.5/3 E.C.Hughes 1.5, A.Y.Green 1, N.Hammond 1 84
1954 G.J.Martin 2.5/3 G.J.Martin, M.J.Franklin 2.5/3, E.C. Hughes, G.C. Nurse 0/3 Martin WON PLAYOFF 160
1955 L.W.Barden j J.B. Hawson,M. Rogan 2/3 A.Lukowicz 0/3 118
1956 J.A.Fuller 2.5/3 M.J.Franklin 2/3, K.C.Messere 1.5/3, J.B.Hawson 0/3 185
1957 D.N.Bellis L.J.Mills 206
1958 J.B.Howson K.C.Messere 178
1959 M.J.Franklin 3/3 H.P.Lieske 205
1960 M.J.Franklin N.A.Perkins 166
1961 M.J.Franklin 2/3 R.Payne 2/3 Frankin won Play-0ff 204
1962 M.J.Franklin B.W.Pike 189
1963 R.H.Fertozegi D.Parr 185
1964 M.J.Basman , N.A. Perkins 2/3, W.F. Coles 1/3, A.Bernfield 0/3 175
1965 J.D.Taylor G.H.F Tredinnick, T. Van Dyke, Miss E.Tranmer 218
1966 G.Speed G.Speed & Miss E. Tranmer 2.5/3 S.Reuben & E.C.Cameron 0.5/3 208
1967 R.H.Watson L.A.Edwards 237
1968 J.E.Scholes 209
1969 J.E.Scholes P.G.Killick 2/3 L.A. Edwards 1/3 D.G. Levens 0/3 244
1970 J.E.Scholes 3/3 J.G.Isted, R.S.Sefton 247
1971 A.J.Morley and A.N.Morris 176
1972 P.C.Doye R.W.O'Brian 196
1973
1974 M.J.Yeo R.Payne 177
1975
1976 R.Payne
1977 P.A.Brown G.F.Steele1/3, J.L.A.Stone 1/3, K.Vickers 1/3
1978

[John Saunders]

Yes, it has been discussed before, quite extensively...

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=11344&hilit=battle ... in#p257161

[Colin Patterson]

Oh right, I should have remembered the previous discussion, especially as I contributed.

I think it was mainly the whereabouts of the trophy that was on my mind, but looking back at the previous comments, it seems it wasn't in such good shape by the 1970s, so may not be a great loss after all.

[John Saunders]

First, the good news...

Coincidentally, whilst browsing an old CHESS Magazine today, I stumbled on a photo—actually two photos—of the aforementioned Battle of Britain Trophy.

Now, the bad news... both were poor photos which barely show the Spitfire sitting atop the trophy. Don't blame the scanner, the original in the magazine wasn't great. For what it's worth...

1952battleofbritain-.jpg

[John Upham]

Great clipping John!

[John Townsend]

Was that Victor Buerger who Hammond beat in the finals? If so, he must have played exceptionally well. Or had Buerger's form dropped right off by 1952?

[John Saunders]

Was that Victor Buerger who Hammond beat in the finals? If so, he must have played exceptionally well. Or had Buerger's form dropped right off by 1952?

Must have been. Leonard Barden tells the story of how Victor B(u)erger made a very late return to active play in the 1981 Lloyds Bank Masters - see the note I have appended on BritBase.

[John Townsend]

Thanks for that, John.

The photo shows N. Hammond opposite "R. T. Boxall". Should that perhaps be R. F. Boxall (Ronald Frank), whom Ken Norman listed above as winner of the trophy in 1948? (I have to admit I'm not too hot on these photos, as I thought it was Victor Buerger!)