Frederick Gerald Hudson ChalkDFC, born Gerald Frederick Hudson Chalk and known as Gerry Chalk, (7 September 1910 – 17 February 1943) was an English amateur cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman who played first-class cricket for Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and MCC between 1931 and 1939, captaining both Oxford and Kent. Chalk died in 1943, shot down over northern France whilst serving as a Spitfire pilot in the Royal Air Force.
Chalk won his cricket Blue in 1931 as a freshman at Oxford, making his first-class cricket debut for the university against Kent in May.[4] He played in 46 first-class matches for the university, captaining the side in 1934.[5] He scored a century in the 1934 University Match, an innings which Wisden described as "brilliant", and made six centuries for the university side.[3][4]
Having first played for Kent's Second XI in the Minor Counties Championship in 1928, Chalk made his first-class debut of the county in July 1933 against Middlesex at the Bat and Ball Ground in Gravesend.[4] Working as a teacher at Malvern College from 1934 to 1938,[6] he played for the county on a fairly regular basis during the summer holidays each season until 1938 when he was appointed captain of the side. He played throughout the next two seasons, making a total of 101 appearances for the county.[4]
Chalk made 1,000 runs both seasons he was captain of Kent and was described as "skilful" in defence, with the ability to score effectively and field well.[3] He scored five centuries for Kent, with his highest score of 198 being made at Tonbridge against Sussex in 1939.[3][4] He was considered an "excellent captain in the field" who was effective at managing his bowling attack and who was aggressive in pursuing victories.[3] In 1939 he promoted fast scoring bowler Alan Watt to bat alongside Arthur Fagg in Kent's second innings at Colchester. Fagg scored a double century in both innings of the match, the only time this has been achieved in first-class cricket.[7] He scored a century in the penultimate match of Kent's 1939 season in August against Yorkshire at Dover, carrying his bat through Kent's first innings against Hedley Verity's bowling, and played his final first-class match against Lancashire later the same month.[3][4][8]
As well as playing cricket, Chalk was a hockey player. He played for Oxford University and the Surrey county side, winning a hockey Blue.[4]
Military service and deathedit
At the outbreak of World War II, Chalk joined the Honourable Artillery Company as a gunner before transferring to the RAF. He won the Distinguished Flying Cross in June 1941 serving as a rear gunner in 218 Squadron during a bombing raid on Hannover. The citation for the award described his "cool and accurate fire" which " undoubtedly saved his aircraft and probably destroyed the attacker".[3]
He took a pilot's course and was promoted to Flight Lieutenant in 1942, commanding a flight of Spitfire fighters in 124 Squadron.[1][3] His aircraft was shot down over Louches in northern France, probably by a Fw 190 of JG 26, on 17 February 1943. He was one of 4 British pilots shot down that day, with 2 dying, one being fatally wounded, and another evading capture.[11] He was officially listed as Missing in Action and his obituary appeared in Wisden in 1945, having been listed as presumed dead in January 1944.[3][12] His body was identified in the 1980s and his remains transferred to the Terlincthun British Cemetery near Wimille in 1989, having originally been listed on the Runnymede Memorial.[1][8]
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Frederick Gerald Hudson Chalk DFC born Gerald Frederick Hudson Chalk and known as Gerry Chalk 7 September 1910 17 February 1943 was an English amateur cricketer He was a right handed batsman who played first class cricket for Oxford University Kent County Cricket Club and MCC between 1931 and 1939 captaining both Oxford and Kent Chalk died in 1943 shot down over northern France whilst serving as a Spitfire pilot in the Royal Air Force Gerry ChalkPersonal informationFull nameFrederick Gerald Hudson ChalkBorn 1910 09 07 7 September 1910Sydenham LondonDied17 February 1943 1943 02 17 aged 32 Louches Pas de Calais FranceBattingRight handedDomestic team informationYearsTeam1931 1934Oxford University1933 1939KentCareer statisticsCompetition First classMatches 156Runs scored 6 732Batting average 28 16100s 50s 11 31Top score 198Balls bowled 605Wickets 7Bowling average 58 425 wickets in innings 010 wickets in match 0Best bowling 2 22Catches stumpings 62 Source CricInfo 22 March 2009 Contents 1 Early life 2 Cricket career 3 Military service and death 4 References 5 External linksEarly life editChalk was born in Sydenham in Kent in 1910 He was the son of Arthur and Edith Chalk of Cooden Beach in Sussex 1 He was coached at Uppingham by Punter Humphreys who had been a professional in the Kent sides which won four County Championship titles in the years before World War I 2 He attended Uppingham School where he played cricket leading the school in batting average in 1928 3 He went up to Brasenose College Oxford in 1930 3 Cricket career editChalk won his cricket Blue in 1931 as a freshman at Oxford making his first class cricket debut for the university against Kent in May 4 He played in 46 first class matches for the university captaining the side in 1934 5 He scored a century in the 1934 University Match an innings which Wisden described as brilliant and made six centuries for the university side 3 4 Having first played for Kent s Second XI in the Minor Counties Championship in 1928 Chalk made his first class debut of the county in July 1933 against Middlesex at the Bat and Ball Ground in Gravesend 4 Working as a teacher at Malvern College from 1934 to 1938 6 he played for the county on a fairly regular basis during the summer holidays each season until 1938 when he was appointed captain of the side He played throughout the next two seasons making a total of 101 appearances for the county 4 Chalk made 1 000 runs both seasons he was captain of Kent and was described as skilful in defence with the ability to score effectively and field well 3 He scored five centuries for Kent with his highest score of 198 being made at Tonbridge against Sussex in 1939 3 4 He was considered an excellent captain in the field who was effective at managing his bowling attack and who was aggressive in pursuing victories 3 In 1939 he promoted fast scoring bowler Alan Watt to bat alongside Arthur Fagg in Kent s second innings at Colchester Fagg scored a double century in both innings of the match the only time this has been achieved in first class cricket 7 He scored a century in the penultimate match of Kent s 1939 season in August against Yorkshire at Dover carrying his bat through Kent s first innings against Hedley Verity s bowling and played his final first class match against Lancashire later the same month 3 4 8 As well as playing for Oxford and Kent Chalk played in two Gentlemen v Players matches and played four times for Marylebone Cricket Club MCC He appeared for an England XI against the touring Indians in 1936 and for the Gentlemen of England in against Don Bradman s Australian side in 1938 4 Chalk s extended family of cricket playing relatives included his uncle Harold Prest who played for Kent either side of World War I He married Rosemary Foster 1 the daughter of Geoffrey Foster who had played for both Kent and Worcestershire 9 His brother in law Peter Foster played under Chalk s captaincy at Kent in 1939 10 As well as playing cricket Chalk was a hockey player He played for Oxford University and the Surrey county side winning a hockey Blue 4 Military service and death editAt the outbreak of World War II Chalk joined the Honourable Artillery Company as a gunner before transferring to the RAF He won the Distinguished Flying Cross in June 1941 serving as a rear gunner in 218 Squadron during a bombing raid on Hannover The citation for the award described his cool and accurate fire which undoubtedly saved his aircraft and probably destroyed the attacker 3 He took a pilot s course and was promoted to Flight Lieutenant in 1942 commanding a flight of Spitfire fighters in 124 Squadron 1 3 His aircraft was shot down over Louches in northern France probably by a Fw 190 of JG 26 on 17 February 1943 He was one of 4 British pilots shot down that day with 2 dying one being fatally wounded and another evading capture 11 He was officially listed as Missing in Action and his obituary appeared in Wisden in 1945 having been listed as presumed dead in January 1944 3 12 His body was identified in the 1980s and his remains transferred to the Terlincthun British Cemetery near Wimille in 1989 having originally been listed on the Runnymede Memorial 1 8 References edit a b c d Chalk Frederick Gerald Hudson Commonwealth War Graves Commission Retrieved 2017 04 16 Humphreys Edward Obituaries in 1949 Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1950 Retrieved 2017 04 16 a b c d e f g h i j Frederick Chalk Obituary Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1945 Retrieved 2017 04 16 a b c d e f g h Gerry Chalk CricketArchive Retrieved 2017 04 16 OUCC captains Archived 16 April 2017 at the Wayback Machine University Cricket at Oxford Retrieved 2017 04 16 G C Charles Appleton CBE DSO DFC RAF Commands Archive Retrieved 2017 04 16 Mukherjee A 2016 Arthur Fagg scores double hundred in each innings Cricket Country 2016 07 15 Retrieved 2017 04 16 a b Gill M 2005 Growing into War pp 62 63 The History Press Available online Retrieved 2017 04 16 Foster Geoffrey N Obituaries in 1971 Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1972 Retrieved 2017 04 16 Foster Peter Geoffrey Obituaries in 1994 Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1995 Retrieved 2017 04 16 81389 F L Frederick Chalk DFC RAF Commands Archive Retrieved 2017 04 16 Ogley R 1997 Kent A Chronicle of the Century Volume Two 1925 1949 p 137 Froglets ISBN 978 1 872337 84 5External links editGerry Chalk at ESPNcricinfo Sporting positions Preceded byRonnie Bryan and Bryan Valentine Kent County Cricket Club captain1938 1939 Succeeded byBryan Valentine Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gerry Chalk amp oldid 1210983686, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
