Julian Grenfell’s famous poem, “Into Battle,” was written in the Trenches the day after he had fought the champion of his division in France; and there were few who read it who did not recall that previous victory of his over Tye, the fireman, which will never be forgotten in Johannesburg. Three times he was laid on his back. In the third round he knocked the fireman out, “and he never moved for twenty seconds.... I was 11 st. 4 lb., and he was 11 st. 3 lb. I think it was the best fight I shall ever have.” He found a better in the Ypres Salient, and again he wrote:--“I cannot tell you how wonderful our men were, going straight for the first time into a fierce fire. They surpassed my utmost expectations. I have never been so fit or nearly so happy in my life before.” For such men it is impossible to sorrow. These brothers and their comrades were taken from us in the full noon of their splendid sunlight; and on its fiercest throb of high endeavour the brave heart of each one of them stopped beating. Their memories stand, to me, for all that may be meant, achieved, or promised in such courage, such endurance, aye, such instantaneous cataclysm as Mr. Bohun Lynch’s chapters at their best recall. His tale has obviously a sordid side, yet more evidently a brutal one. But the red thread of honourable resolution runs through the warp and woof of it; and these are not days when we may dare to minimise the value of the pluck that conquers pain. THEODORE A. COOK. _June, 1922._ NOTE Certain passages in this book, notably in the Introduction, and in the second part, dealing with recent contests, are substantially based, and in some instances literally culled, from articles which I wrote for _The Daily Chronicle_, _The Field_, _Land and Water_, _The Outlook_, and _The London Mercury_, and to the editors of these journals I owe my best thanks for much kindness and consideration. CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE vii INTRODUCTION xix PART I.--KNUCKLES CHAP. I. JOHN BROUGHTON AND JACK SLACK 3 II. TOM JOHNSON AND ISAAC PERRINS 7 III. RICHARD HUMPHRIES, DANIEL MENDOZA, AND JOHN JACKSON 12 IV. JEM BELCHER 23 V. JEM BELCHER AND TOM CRIBB 30 VI. JOHN GULLEY 34 VII. JEM BELCHER’S LAST FIGHT 41 VIII. TOM CRIBB AND MOLINEUX 44 IX. JACK SCROGGINS AND NED TURNER 55 X. JACK RANDALL AND NED TURNER 60 XI. BILL NEATE AND TOM HICKMAN 64