This Friday evening - remembering/celebrating the missing sportsmen of World War One

Greetings all,

My name is Spencer Vignes and I'm a freelance sports writer and author based in Cardiff.

I'm posting details of an event being staged this Friday evening in Cardiff Bay which I think some of you might be interested in. Timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One, 'Lost In France' is aimed at remembering sportsmen who gave their lives between 1914-1918 yet have no known grave, the 'missing' in other words. I've copied and pasted the words to the press release below which explains more. Entry is free, kick-off 6.15pm.

Hope to see a few of you there.

All the best,
Spencer

For immediate release

CARDIFF SET TO REMEMBER THE MISSING SPORTSMEN OF WORLD WAR ONE

An evening of celebration & remembrance in memory of the many British sportsmen declared missing in action during World War One is to be held in Cardiff this Friday, 9 November.

Timed to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the end of the 1914-1918 hostilities, ‘Lost In France’ is the brainchild of Spencer Vignes, the Cardiff-based freelance sports writer and author, and is being staged at the popular Octavo’s Café and Book Shop on West Bute Street, Cardiff Bay, starting at 6.15pm.

Among the many sportsmen being remembered will be Leigh Roose, the former Welsh international goalkeeper from Holt near Wrexham who played for a string of top clubs including Everton, Sunderland and Arsenal between 1901 and 1912.

Roose was declared missing presumed dead on 7 October 1916 while fighting at the Battle of the Somme. He is commemorated today on the Thiepval Memorial in France, dedicated to Allied soldiers killed at the Somme who have no known grave.

“Leigh was just one of many well-known faces from the world of sport who served in World War One and whose bodies were never recovered,” says Vignes. “I felt it was important, this year perhaps more than ever, to recall some of their stories and the sacrifices they made. We remember the First World War dead and injured from all walks of life, yet those who were declared missing are all too often forgotten about. That, in my opinion, is a huge oversight.”

The evening will feature a talk by Vignes, author of Leigh Roose’s critically acclaimed 2016 biography (also called ‘Lost In France’), together with a display of artefacts relating to missing sportsmen from World War One.

It will also touch on some of the wider issues associated with soldiers who were declared missing in the Great War, such as (a) how a soldier could go missing (b) the effect that having no known grave had on their families, and (c) why the names of missing soldiers were, in most cases, left off local war memorials.

Everyone attending will also be given a card on arrival giving details of a sportsman who served in the war. As the evening progresses, they will then discover whether that sportsman survived the war, was killed, or was declared missing in action.

Entry is free. Bookings can, however, be made in advance through the Octavo’s website (www.octavobooks.co.uk/events).

Ends

Hello Spencer, I've read your book Lost in France - great read.

That's good to hear Harry. Thanks for the praise!

Just a couple of things in reply to people who've contacted me through my website. No, it's not all-ticket or book in advance, so feel free to turn up on the night. Yes, Octavo's serves beer (and wines, and spirits). No, it doesn't serve hot food but does have light refreshments (cakes, pastries, etc) on offer. Kick off is at 6.15pm with an expected finishing time of around 8pm.

Hope to see a few of you there.

Cheers,
Spencer