History of Swindon Town F.C.
1939–45: War years
1939–45: War years
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Three games into the 1939–40 season, the Football League was cancelled due to the outbreak of [World War II](/wiki/World_War_II "World War II"). Swindon Town joined the Wartime South West Regional League and, owing to military call\-ups, fielded a total of 46 different players during the season. These players included staff and wartime guests (such as [Danny Blanchflower](/wiki/Danny_Blanchflower "Danny Blanchflower")), with some retired players associated with the club also taking part.

At the end of the 1939–40 season, the [War Department](/wiki/War_Department_%28UK%29 "War Department (UK)") requisitioned the County Ground for use as a [Prisoner\-of\-war camp](/wiki/Prisoner-of-war_camp "Prisoner-of-war camp"), Swindon Town as a football club effectively ceased to be for the duration. The club's assets and players were sold or transferred until the season restarted.

Three Swindon Town F.C players—Alan Fowler, [Willie Imrie](/wiki/Willie_Imrie "Willie Imrie") and Dennis Olney—were killed in action during the war and are commemorated with a memorial inside the ground above the players tunnel.


What happened to Swindon Town as a football club during World War II?