On Saturday afternoon Southport Rugby Football Club prior to the 1st & 3rd team home games against Orrell and Sefton respectively pays a very special tribute to its forty one members who made the ultimate sacrifice in the two World Wars.

One hundred years ago as the lamps started to go out all over Europe the rugby club called an extraordinary meeting. All fixtures for the 1914-15 season were cancelled and it was recommended that all members ‘join some military organisation’.

The call to arms was taken up by many of the players and this was to have far-reaching consequences for fourteen of them who fell during the conflict at places as evocative as Gallipolli, Ypres and the Somme. Their names “liveth for evermore” on the simple but impressive war memorial plaque which has place of honour in the club house. They are:

H Dalzell
J E Grimshaw
J Livingstone
G L Lovell
H M Morriss
A R Penny
G Pollard
W B Saul
A C Sawyer
W S Standring
S S Walker
T C Walker
J V White
E Wood

Four of them, H Dalzell, J E Grimshaw, W B Saul and A C Sawyer are in the 1913-14 First XV team photograph.

This photograph sets the story for the tribute on Saturday. The aforementioned J E Grimshaw, christened John Edward, was captain of the team at the start of the ill-fated 1914-15 season before serving as a Lance Corporal in the Lancashire Fusiliers. But aged only 18 years old he was tragically killed in action on 18th September 1915 at Gallipoli. With no known grave his name is commemorated on the Helles War Memorial.

By an amazing co-incidence on the day John Edward Grimshaw joined-up another J E Grimshaw, John Elisha from Abram near Wigan also enlisted in the Lancashire Fusiliers. Furthermore they apparently shared the same birthday! But the fates of their parallel lives were ultimately sealed at Gallipolli. ‘Our’ J E Grimshaw lost his life in 1915 whilst the ‘other’ J E Grimshaw was awarded the Victoria Cross for his heroic efforts the same year….at Gallipolli. If ever the fortunes of war were in such stark contrast.

Born in 1897 in Leeds John Edward Grimshaw in all probability is the youngest ever captain in the history of Southport Rugby Football Club.

His elder brother born in 1888 George Herbert Grimshaw also in the 1913-14 team photograph followed suit. By a touching piece of symmetry G H was the captain in the first season after the war in 1919-20. Both are listed on the Captains board in the clubhouse.

Their father, also J Grimshaw, was a Wesleyan Minister who is reputed to have founded a girl's school and Sailing Club (possibly West Lancashire) in Southport. George was a bank manager with Martin's Bank in Liverpool before moving in 1945 to Birkenhead after the death of his wife.

Last summer the club was surprised and delighted to receive an e-mail from the grandson and granddaughter of George, Philip Miller and Susan Krejova. Philip and Susan now reside in Scotland and have accepted an invitation from the club to be guests at the First and Third XV games verses Orrell and Sefton respectively. Even this has connotations as Philips brother played for Orrell in the 1960s!

The club will honour the memory of their grandfather and great uncle as former Captains, but to mark the 100th anniversary of World War One particularly John Edward.

But it doesn’t end there! The Grimshaw’s were not the only pair of brothers in the 1913-14 photograph. Also shown are J and T Wainwright, the first of three generations of the family to play for the club.

John and Timothy Wainwright played for the First XV in the seasons leading up to the World War One, Timothy’s sons Timothy and Jack thereafter in the seasons leading up to World War Two, and Jack’s son John an ex KGV pupil was a schoolboy member at Southport between 1969 and 1971.

Saturday will also provide an opportunity to remember too the twenty seven members who lost their lives in World War Two, their names also listed on the war memorial plaque:

M G Cockshot
C E Evans
K Foster
D Halsall
E W Heaton
B High
G N Higham
F Hollings
L Jenkinson
D Kerr
A E Law
R E Lord
R K R Mason
I N G McCondach
J M McDonald
D W McEwen
F M Pennell
A F Riddlesworth
K C Rigby
J Roberts
J Shirm
J Sutton
A Vickers
T Wainwright
G White
H Whitehead
L Youngman

The list includes Sergeant (Flight Engineer) Timothy Wainwright, RAF Volunteer Reserve 429 (R.C.A.F.) Squadron the son of Timothy in the 1913-14 photograph. He was in Bomber Command and was shot down and died aged 31 on 26th November 1943 and is one of seven airmen buried in Carignan Communal Cemetery in the Ardennes, France. Married to Enid Wainwright of Buxton ex. KGV pupil Tim was in the First XV for eight years up to 1938.

Brother Jack played between 1934 and 1948 and was steeped in the club as a vice-president, Chairman of the ground, match and selection committees, Club Chairman, and from 1949 a referee. Jacks wife Peggy was elected one of the first joint lady vice- Presidents in the 1970/71 season. It is fitting that Ann Shorrock our first lady President is sponsoring the game, together with Keith himself an ex-President and who both knew Peggy and Jack.

John, their son moved away from Southport to settle in East Lancashire where he coached his son, also called Timothy, from u-8 to u18s at Blackburn RUFC returning to Waterloo Road on occasions when the two clubs met.

He is also returning on Saturday as a guest of the club to complete the picture. Southport Rugby Football Club will remember his great uncle and his fallen club mates and pay tribute to him and the rest of the Wainwright dynasty.

The pre match tribute will include reflection on Steve ‘Bo’ Bentley who passed away this week in the club house pre-match, with a minutes silence before the games kick-off at 2.15.

Everyone welcome.