BoxRec

Dear All,

This is about my late father-in-law, Lt. Col. Arthur William Channon MAJOR Born 1894 died 1962.

My family, including AWCM's widow, live together.

She remembers that her husband was Army Middleweight Boxing Champion. I cannot give you any other details except for his units from when he enlisted...

He enlisted Gloucester Regiment, Army Cyclists Corps 2.9.14, went to France 25.3.15 as part of 48 Division DCC, transferred 1/6 Bt. Royal Warwicks in 1916 and was commissioned 26.4.17 to 2 Bt. Suffolks. Major battles: Somme 1916. Zonnebeke (near Ypres) 1917. Neuville Vitasse (near Arras) Spring, 1918

He was associated in some way with the Gloucesters from aged 14 in 1908. We have a photograph of him in with Gloucester's cap badge smoking a Sherlock Holmes pipe

From 1918-1919 he was at Archangel, Russia with Ironside. From 1919-1922 in India. 1922 decommissioned. Recalled 1939 and served with Royal West African Frontier Force. In Military Government, Sicily 1943-45 and Germany 1945-47.

Can you confirm any details about being Middleweight Army Champion? What I can't understand is when these soldiers would have had time to box in championships. APTC Aldershot Museum, Gloucesters Museum, Nat Archives & MOD can't help.

You will be my hero if you come up with anything!!!

Best regards,

George Major.

I checked my records for the King's Trophy held in 1918 and the AEF and Inter-allied bouts of 1919 but did not see him listed.

Was he related to Mike Channon ?

Oh sorry, didn't notice that Major was his last name.

Dear Delisa,

I'm really grateful for your reply and hope you see this post.

First, it's nice to learn that it was called the King's Trophy.

Second, if you have records for years other than 1918/19, can you have a look at them, please.

By a process of elimination, since he enlisted in September 1914 when he was still 19, that would seem a sensible first date to look at.

Then he was on the Western Front April 1915 to April 1918. Then Russia from 1918/19. Then India 1919 to 1922 when he was decommisioned (aged 28) before being called up again in 1938 (aged 44). And so, possible time frame is 1914-1922.

Best regards,

George Major.