WALTER William Dudley was a bit of a football hero in the early years of the last century – especially at Forest during the promotion years 1906-07.

But then he went off to war and became another kind of hero, one who was decorated for his gallantry under fire.

Dudley went from professional footballer to gunner, manning huge howitzers with the 110th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery on the Western Front.

A year after landing in France in September 1917, his devotion to duty was recognised by the award of the Military Medal.

He had earned it. In the winter of 1917, he was caught in a German gas attack and had to be shipped back to a Voluntary Aid Detachment hospital in Worcester.

But Dudley, who played 300 games for Forest before the war, made a full recovery and went back to France, his personal battle honours including Passchendaele, Vimy Ridge and Messines.

The first local people knew about his heroism came with an announcement in the Football Post in October 1918, less than a month before the end of the war, that Dudley "the old Forest player", had won the Military Medal.

An unnamed ex-teammate later wrote: "The days of Dudley and (George Henry "Ginger") Maltby make a memorable page in the history of the Reds. They were doughty defenders when at their best, as opposing forwards had good reason to know.

"Bill Dudley was...a character. He used to keep us all alive on the railway journeys with his dry wit."

Miner's son Dudley, originally from Rotherham, joined the Reds in 1900, and it is believed that, at the time, he was also working down the pit.

He remained with Forest until May 1914, the highlight being the 1906-07 season when Forest won the Second Division championship.

He also took part in Forest's pioneering tour to South America in 1905, previously featured in Bygones, when they played a series of friendlies against local opposition in Uruguay and Argentina.

His final appearance for the first team was on November 29, 1913, when Forest were hammered 8-0 at Leeds City.

He then played with Mansfield Mechanics in the Central Alliance before turning out for Doncaster in the Midland League.

Before going off to war in 1916, he is listed as landlord of the Hop Bloom Inn, in Blue Bell Hill, St Ann's, but there is little evidence of his life after the First World War and the story concludes with a death notice, in 1958, of Walter W Dudley, in the Don Valley, South Yorkshire.

Dudley's fascinating story is not the only eye-catcher in the new edition of the Lenton Times.

Recently on this page, we looked at Nottingham's love affair with lidos and, coincidentally, the Times carries an article by Chris Noble on Highfields lido, funded by Sir Jesse Boot and opened in 1924.

Mr Noble writes: "My first visit to Highfields was in 1958, as a boy of seven. I didn't like it. I couldn't swim and the water was cold and uninviting.

"One thing did impress me though: the 'groovy' look of the lounging teenage boys. I remember thinking 'one day that will be me'. I began that path to grooviness in 1964."

For the rest of Chris Noble's memories, and some interesting old pictures, pick up a copy of the Lenton Times. It also contains memories of headmistress turned round-the-world cyclist Anne Mustoe.

Issue 29 is now on sale, price £1.50. Copies of the current issue, and previous editions, can be obtained from the City Information Centre.

See the website www.lenton times.co.uk for details.