Brian Gomm

Born at Castle Cary, Gomm attended Sexey's School, Bruton, where he distinguished himself as an athlete,[1] and subsequently studied physical education at Dudley Training College and Carnegie College, Leeds.[2]

He played cricket for Frome and Men o’Mendip[3] and made “some substantial scores” as a right-handed batsman in the Somerset second team before being selected for the county’s first eleven.

He made his first-class debut against Essex at Wells in July 1939,[4] batting at No. 8 in Somerset’s first innings and at No. 4 in their second. In a very low-scoring game, in which Somerset’s two innings only totalled 123 runs, he made 0 and 5,[5] but he was effective in the field, attracting attention early on with a “lightning throw-in” that resulted in the run-out of the Essex opener Laurie Eastman.[6] In Somerset’s next match, against Northamptonshire at Northampton, he batted at No. 9 and scored 2, but was not called upon in the second innings. A left-arm medium-pacer, he bowled three eight-ball overs without success.[7]

By the time of his selection for Somerset’s first eleven he was in training with the Militia at Catterick, having been conscripted after the Munich Crisis. He was released to play in the Essex and Northamptonshire matches at Somerset’s request, agreed to forfeit all other leave during his six months’ training, and received the accolade of being “the first Militiaman to play first-class cricket”.[8]

Following his return to England in 1945, he played for West Bromwich Dartmouth when the club won the First Division championship in the Birmingham Cricket League for the fifth successive year. His unbeaten 63 made a key contribution to the club’s victory over Walsall but was somewhat eclipsed by Eric Hollies’ bowling figures of 9 for 62.[9]

In 1949 and 1950 he played in non-first class matches for The Army, as a batsman only, scoring 84 in one innings against the Royal Air Force at Lord's.[10]

In 1935-6 Gomm played centre-forward for Shepton Mallet Town Football Club. At the outset of the 1936-7 season, when due to proceed to Dudley Training College, he was signed by Yeovil Town (then called Yeovil and Petters United), subsequently playing in several Southern and Western League games for the club.[11]

At Dudley he captained the college’s soccer team[12] and, when later based at Smethwick, began to play for West Bromwich Albion in Central League matches.[13] He was a member of Corinthian F.C. by 1938 and, after the merger with Casuals F.C., played for the club in the Isthmian League.[14] He was due to tour Greece with the club at Easter 1939 but the uncertain political situation resulted in the tour’s abandonment;[15] had it proceeded he would not have played in Yeovil's match against Norwich City Reserves, during which he sustained a leg injury that terminated his football for the season.[16]

He was first capped by the Somerset County Football Association in 1937 and in the following year recommended by its council for consideration when an English amateur international team was selected.[17] Probably as a consequence he was included in the Football Association Amateur XI which played the Royal Air Force at Cranwell in December that year.[18] In January 1939 he also played for Yorkshire Amateur A.F.C. in an FA Amateur Cup fixture.[19]

After a war-imposed interval he resumed football at Birmingham in the autumn of 1945 and had been “scoring freely for the reserves” (including a hat-trick against Derby) when he was promoted to lead West Bromwich’s first team as centre-forward against Luton in December.[20] He again opened the attack in the match against Arsenal in January 1946 but, after a disappointing start to the game, was moved to play outside-right after half-time.[21] He was next due to play centre-forward in the FA Cup match against Fulham but had to withdraw due to an injury suffered while playing in an Army mid-week fixture (Southern Command v A.A.Command, in which he had scored all four of the victorious Southern’s goals).[22] He last appeared for the West Bromwich first team against Plymouth Argyle in February, scoring once.[23]

Playing for Army Crusaders against Cambridge University Falcons in February 1954, he delivered a hat-trick that failed to avert the Crusaders’ 3-6 defeat.[24]

Gomm was a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Corps of Signals, attached to the Indian Signal Corps in 1941;[25] he was a Lieutenant, acting Captain, when mentioned in despatches in June 1942,[26] but was a prisoner of war in Italy by the end of that year.[27] Promoted substantive Captain in 1946 and Major in 1953, he retired in the latter rank in 1955.[28]

On leaving military service, he became one of several ex-Army officers recruited to work for Perkins Engines by its chairman, Sir Montague Prichard, who believed that experience in strategic planning and leadership were key credentials for success in commercial management. He was given charge of Perkins’ South African subsidiary in 1957[29] and was subsequently general sales manager for several of the Group’s European regions.[30]