Greatest Sacrifice: Fallen Heroes of the Northern Union

The Greatest Sacrifice – Fallen Heroes of the Northern Union is a new book that honours the rugby league players who sacrificed their careers and lives on the World War One killing fields for King and Country. Three members of Great Britain's 1914 summer tour to Australia and New Zealand, as well as many other former internationals and top domestic honours, are featured.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 28 September 2018
Publisher: Scratching Shed Publishing Ltd

The sporting elite of 1914, known as the Northern Union, were revered by thousands of fans across the country. Despite their heroic status in rugby league, these athletes were willing to sacrifice their careers and even their lives on the battlefields of World War One for King and Country. While other sports have recognized and honored their fallen heroes from the Great War over the past 100 years, rugby league has lagged behind. The Greatest Sacrifice: Fallen Heroes of the Northern Union aims to rectify this injustice. The book tells the story of talented sportsmen who, when war was declared on August 4, 1914, departed for France, Belgium, and beyond, never to see the rugby league towns and grounds they once graced. Among those who fell were three members of Great Britain's 1914 summer tour to Australia and New Zealand, as well as numerous other former internationals and domestic champions. Some of the youngest players were just embarking on their professional careers, never fulfilling their potential. Each player featured in the book has a unique tale to tell, from their childhood to rugby stardom to their enlistment in the British Army and, ultimately, the greatest sacrifice of all.

Weight: 522g
Dimension: 139 x 215 x 34 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780995586161