Memorial unveiled by unions to honour rugby’s fallen WWI heroes

By Brendan Gallagher
Exactly 100 years ago the War to end all Wars was raging at its fiercest at the Battle of Passchendaele and it was with that thought in mind that the first stage of an ambitious project to commemorate the part of rugby in that conflict came to fruition last weekend.
The WW1 Rugby Players Memorial, designed by former France captain Jean Pierre Rives, was unveiled last Saturday in the heart of the battlefields of the Chemin des Dames in France while there were other cere-monies at Cerny en Laonnois and La Ville aux Bois les Pontavert. There were also grave blessings at Moulins where Scotland star Ronnie Simpson is buried and Paissy, the resting place of England’s Charlie Wilson.
There was naturally also some rugby and associated festivities to enjoy. At Stade Levindrey there were ‘international’ fixtures between the French Rugby Legends and Rugby 4 Heroes; the Gendarmerie Nationale against 12 Regiment RA and the French Pacific Army took on a British Army XV. Youth Rugby was represented by Trojans (Hampshire), Firwood Waterloo (Lancashire) and Cowbridge (Wales) playing Flandres Select XVs, plus Epernay and Soissons.
Rugby Memorial continues to research names from around the world for entry into the WW1 Rugby Players Book of Remembrance. Clubs should send details to RugbyMemorial@gmail.com  Meanwhile future projects for 2018 include an U14s Club Festival in May 2018 to commemorate the Battles of the Somme in Amiens, while in November there are plans for the Armistice Games in Compiegne.