Rugby
Remembers
Remembering English
rugby players who died in
the First World War
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Introduction
“The Rugby Footballer makes
the finest soldier in the World”
A hundred years ago, conflict originating in Europe had spread around the world.
In the midst of a ferocious war on land, at sea and in the air, countless men
enlisted, eager to be fighting for their King and country, amongst them many
English rugby players - fit young athletes who would make a vast contribution to
the war effort.
Club members often joined up together - and sadly, quite often
they died together too.
Colonel Davidson 1/10th Liverpool Scottish, 1916
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
(CWGC) and the Rugby Football Union (RFU)
are proud to come together to launch
Rugby Remembers – a project which will
honour these men.
Twenty-seven England Rugby Internationals died in the First
World War and a lot has been written about them.
Our wish is to find out about club and
school level players who may not have
been as famous but whose courage and
sacrifice was equal in every way. Equality
in commemoration is one of the founding
principles of the CWGC and is at the heart
of this project.
Find out about
the project
Are you up to
the challenge?
We challenge young people throughout England to find out
about players from their own rugby club or school who died in
the First World War by looking at Rolls of Honour and memorials and
the CWGC website to discover their stories.
Post your findings online using
#RugbyRemembers and @CWGC
so we can see what you have done.
Facebook and Twitter are best.
Visit local cemeteries with war
graves to pay your respects to those
who died.
The best submissions
will win tickets to
the England v
Barbarians game
in May.
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Lewis Moody, former England captain, is the RFU’s First World War
ambassador. Here’s why he’s so committed to the role.
“To remember guys
who were far younger
than me when they
went to war…who
gave up everything…
is very important, not
only for us as a nation,
but certainly for us as
rugby players.”
How to enter
How to enter
1
Check that your club
was around in 1914.
If not, approach a
club that was.
Contact your club or school
Someone there is sure to be an expert on the club or school’s history who can
help you out, or at least point you in the right direction.
Your club or school may have a board or memorial showing players who died.
If not, find out through your school or club’s history records. You might find
plenty of information is already on the web.
2
Choose your player
Here’s a link to a list of all the English International
players who died in the First World War.
Take photographs
whenever you can.
You may need to ask
for permission.
View List
Remember, we already know a lot about these players, so choose someone else. If there is no-one in
your club or school who died in the First World War, look at players from another club or school nearby
or perhaps someone from your town war memorial or even family.
3
Research your chosen player
Find out as much as you can about your chosen player – a photo of them with details
of where they are remembered is ideal but see the example below for some ideas.
Then post your findings online – it’s as simple as that.
Twitter and Facebook are best – and don’t forget to use
#RugbyRemembers and @CWGC.
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See an example of a case study
Visit a
war grave
An example of
a case study
Very simple – just
a photo of a player
and a headstone.
Example:
P.W. Fussell, left
and in the centre
below. Edgar Mobbs,
a famous England
international, also
killed in WW1, is on
his right.
At the club/school
Look through the archives to find
photos, programmes, newspaper
cuttings or letters. With permission
you can probably copy these by
photographing them to add to your
case study
As a way of honouring your chosen
player, plan a visit to a local cemetery
with CWGC war graves in it. Don’t
forget to seek permission and take an
adult or teacher with you.
Even if your player isn’t buried there,
it would be a fitting way to remember
him, alongside others who died in the
First World War. Take a photo of your
visit and perhaps lay some flowers or
read some poetry as a tribute to your
soldier.
You can find your local war graves
using the CWGC website at
www.cwgc.org
Online
or the CWGC War Graves App
See where your player died and is remembered,
on the CWGC website at www.cwgc.org
Terms & Conditions
Even a Google search may come up
with something
Headstone of
P.W. Fussell