Co-Authors Tom Weir & Colin Veitch are both current, long-term members of Saracens, with a shared interest in sports history.

This research project, fully endorsed by the Board of Directors of Saracens RFC, the professional wing of the Club, plus the Committee of Saracens Amateur RFC, intends to research, compile and write a history of the Saracens players who fought in the First World War, to coincide with the 2014 centenary of the outbreak of the conflict in August 1914.

We feel that the primary focus of the work should be to pay tribute to those players who lost their lives during the war, thus providing (we believe for the first time) a Roll of Honour of fallen Saracens whom we can commemorate with dignity.

Our research will, we hope, provide an opportunity to profile a number of the most significant and interesting Saracens characters from the era who hung up their rugby boots and volunteered for military service. We also hope to discover and share the experiences of  players who returned home post-conflict, and review how they reintegrated into Club life from 1919 onwards.

The aim of this research is to provide a significant new insight into the history of Saracens rugby club & its players during the conflagration of World War 1. We hope we can encourage rugby fans of all ages to explore the heritage of the Club further and make contributions to this vital untold chapter of Saracens history.

We are very grateful for the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund, who have provided funding towards the costs of the Saracens WW1 Project. Thank you!