U is for Uhlenhorst Connections - Bedford School Hockey

Between 1978 and 1990 Bedford became one of the strongest hockey playing schools in the country, winning four national titles at the indoor game and being a runner-up in the National outdoor competition. There are many reasons for the schools hockey success. One of the main ones being the school's strong link with H.T.C Uhlenhorst Mülheim, who were European Club Champions at one point. 

The connection started in 1980 when Tim Machin (Master i/c Hockey, Bedford School) visited Mülheim as the assistant manager of the England Under 18 team. As a result of developing contacts, Bedford took Under 18 and Under 16 sides to visit Uhlenhorst in March 1981. 

Due to a miscalculation of travelling time, Bedford arrived in Mülheim at 8am rather than 6pm. One of the boys collapsed and was rushed to hospital, and later two other boys needed hospital attention due to hockey accidents. However, the Under 18 side achieved a 5-5 draw in the first match.

The trip showed the skill and sophistication gaps that existed at junior level between the top German clubs and the top English schools. It became evident from Bedford's point of view that the game could not be take to a high level in two and a half months' in the worst weather of the year, but rather had to be worked at in a much more year round sense, and starting at an earlier age. Although,  one of the best sides that Bedford has ever produced, that of 1988, never played against Uhlenhorst.

Bedford's visits to Mülheim were known as 'the English week'. Since 1981 Bedford visited on four more occasions, while Uhlenhorst have come to Bedford three times; a veterans side came over as well as a girls side in 1989. Due to friendships developing, during these years about thirty boys from Mülheim came to Bedford School, ranging from terms to a year. 

In the summer of 1988 Bedford School went on a hockey tour to Kenya, including in their side Peter Marquardt, a Mülheimer. Out of this came the idea of running an Anglo-German tour to Zimbabwe in 1990 with players being drawn equally from Bedford and Uhlenhorst. 

Sadly the connection between the two hockey clubs has faded away, however perhaps in the future Bedford School will reconnect with H.T.C Uhlenhorst.