Sports Clubs Invited To Mark Somme Centenary

Sports clubs across Caerphilly county borough are being invited to take part in a two minutes’ silence before any fixtures over this weekend (17th and 18th September) to commemorate the role played by local sportsmen who fought during the Battle of the Somme 100 years ago. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Royal British Legion has approached local councils across the country to ask for their support on the ‘Sport Remembers the Somme’ initiative. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council’s Armed Forces Champion, Cllr Alan Higgs said, “The small gesture of holding a two minutes’ silence before any sporting fixtures this weekend would be a fitting tribute to the contribution made by local servicemen, many of whom were also sportsmen, on the centenary year of the Battle of the Somme”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To aid the war effort, almost all professional sport had been suspended by the time the Battle of the Somme began. Athletes and players from sports at all levels had volunteered to enlist. There were battalions that included significant numbers of athletes and individual members of clubs and teams. Many other players – from first class cricketers to amateur boxers – served in ‘pals battalions’ recruited from towns, villages, schools, workplaces and trades. When these battalions suffered losses, the impact was felt widely – at the club and community level. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​