In his Foreward to the Club’s very first official history, published on the occasion of Saracens 50th Anniversary on 30th January 1926, Club Captain O.R.G Williams noted in his opening lines “When reading the pages of this brief outline of the history of Saracens Football Club, the reader must bear in mind that the records of the Club had been lost and nothing was known of its origin and early years when this work was commenced”

As we start work on this Project to unearth the stories of those Saracens who served in the First World War, O.R.G.’s words echo down to us across the years, reminding us of the challenges ahead, and emphasising the need for you, our readers, to contribute any information you might have about your families’ ancestors who pulled on a Saracens shirt to represent the Club more than 100 years ago. Can you help?

Please take the time to search through our expanding gallery of Saracens team photos from the pre-1914 era, plus check in our Players Database to see if your relative has been identified by us from other sources….with your help, we can research and share the stories of Saracens players in the First World War. Thank you!

Saracens 1st XV 1913-14 L to R Back Row (Players) : A. Cuthburt, H.J. Norris, F.L. Pilley; L. Denton, W.C. Black, M.D. Muller, C.J.B. Buckheim, F.S.Chapman L to R Front Row (Management & Players): J. Blackie (Vice-President), J.L. Greer, S.S. Sylvester, C.J.Leach (Vice-Captain), D.McMillan (Captain), W.A. Andrew (Hon. Sec), W.J. Irving, P. Heddon, J.G. Brodie (Hon. Treasurer)

Saracens 1st XV 1912-13 Back Row (L to R): A.L. Baker, P. Heddon, D.H.Keith, A. Cuthbert, L.A. Coles, E.H. Hopkins, G.Mayne Middle Row (L to R): C.J. Leach, W.A. Andrew, A.J. Wilson (Capt.), D. MacMillan, A.H. Evans Front Row (L to R): J.R. Coulthard, S.S. Sylvester, T.C. Thomson

Saracens 1st XV 1910-11 Back Row (L to R): A.J.Wilson, I.A. Coles, R.C.Mackay, C.J. Leach, J. Dearing, C.S. Bongard Middle Row (L to R): R.A. Lawson, H.T. Clarke, J.R. Coulthard, T.H. Penthony (Capt.), W.A. Andrews, P.P. Capelli Front Row (L to R): C.W. Jude, W.J. Brown, R.A. Bongard, J.C. Thomson

Saracens 1st XV 1909-10 Back Row (L to R): F.V. Heywood, A.H. Evans Standing Row (L to R): C.W. Darke, L.A. Coles, W. MacMillan, A.C. Roberts, W.A. Andrew, A.M. Gillies, D. Morison, R.C. MacKay, C. Dearing, C.W. Jude, D. Bremner, C. Leverett Seated Row (L to R): J.Blackie, P.P. Capelli (Vice Capt ‘A’), J.R. Coulthard (Capt ‘A’), T.H.Penthony (Captain), E.J. Hiley (Vice-Capt), V.B. Barnett, G.A. Akerman (standing, in suit) Front Row (L to R): C.J.Whytehead, W.A. Dagger, R.A. Bongard, S.S. Sylvester, K.D. Chisholm, H.Price

Saracens 1st XV 1906-07 Back Row (L to R): S.F.Wilson, W.G. Cook, T. Baty, G.M. Ormston, F.L.N. Foster, P. Capelli, T.H. Pentony, S.D. Bongard Middle Row (L to R): H.R.Goddard, J. Somervaille, C.S.Bongard (Capt.), J.W. Jennings. D.McNaughton, W.A. Andrew Front Row (L to R): E.F.Elliston, F. Lassy, M.G. Moss, A.F. Hill

Saracens 1st XV 1905-06 Back Row (L to R): H.C. Turner, F.B. Brooman Standing Row (L to R): A.V. Wills, H.R. Goddard, A.W. Byrne, J.W. Jennings, F.H. Bull, W.G. Cook, C. M. Ormston, S. Slater Seated Row (L to R): D. McNaughton, S.F. Wilson, J. Somervaille, C.S. Bongard (Capt.), A.J.Wilson, T. Baty Front Row (L to R): E.S. Elliston, T.E. Wills, J.R. Coulthard, G.H. Watts

Saracens 1st XV 1904-05 Back Row (L to R): C. E. Ebdon (Hon.Secretary & Treasurer), F.B. Brooman, H.C. Turner Standing Row (L to R): A.L.Goodall, T.H. Penthony, J.W.Jennings, A.V.Wills, D.C. Bell, H.T. Boles, J. Somervaille, W.S. Whitelaw, A.S. Turner Seated Row (L to R) F.H.Bull, S.F. Wilson, C.S.Bongard (Captain), H. Maccoy, T. Baty Front Row (L to R) J.P. Stubbs, B.R.Lunn, H.R. Goddard, D. McNaughton

Saracens 1st XV 1903-04 Back Row (L to R): HC Turner, CE Ebden, WA Turner, SF Wilson, WG Cook, J Somervaille, H Maccoy, WS Whitelaw, S Slater Standing Row (L to R): S A Bongard, AE Lifton, FW Bull, T Baty, AR Williamson, FW Satchwell, AV Wills Seated Row (L to R): AJ Wilson, CS Bongard (Captain), AW Byrne, HG Allen Front Row (L to R): F Power, F Sage, TE Wills, FB Brooman

Saracens 1st XV 1902-03 Back Row (L to R): H Weare, T.P. Brown, W.G. Cook, D.C. Bell, F. J. Clapperton Standing Row (L to R) R.G. Gillies, R.S.B. Wyld, T. Baty, J. Somervaille, F.H. Bull Seated Row (L to R): S.D. Bongard, H. Maccoy, C.S. Bongard, F. Satchwell, S.F. Wilson Front Row (L to R): F. Power, J. Iliffe

Saracens 1st XV 1901-02 Back Row (L to R): FS Clapperton, WA Maggs (Hon Sec), JL Figgis, J Somervaille, E Holmes, HC Turner Standing Row (L to R): A Flatau, TW Bennett, AE Lifton, SF Wilson, W Wright, S Slater Seated Row (L to R): E Webster, SD Bongard, CS Bongard (Capt), HW Weare, C Frost, WG Cook Front Row (L to R): ES Clothier, EO Ness, H Maccoy

Saracens 1st XV 1897-98 Back Row (L to R): S.Slater, J.E.Burns, W. Conn, C.B.Nussbaum, A.T. Quarry, W.Wilson Standing Row (L to R): A.E. Flower, J. Hill, A. Hamilton (Asst. Hon. Sec.) Seated Row (L to R): H. Hill, J.L. Bongard, W.T.A. Beare (President and Captain), H.P. Wolff, E. Holmes Front Row (L to R): H. Williams, C.S. Bongard, T. Sawer

Saracens 1st XV 1896-97 Back Row (L to R): A Hamilton, S White, S Slater, CB Nussbaum, WTA Beare, (Rev) WT Douglass, FH Clothier, JL Bongard (Hon Sec) Middle Row (L to R): EJ Repson, AE Flower, TG Mason, FS Bonfield, HR Wolff Front Row (L to R): FJ Lock, T Sawer, CS Bongard, T Trace

The new hooped shirts, worn proudly by the Saracens 1st XV 1894-95