Welsh Rugby Union | Club & Community | Tommy Silhouettes to form part of matchday remembrance

The art installations are part of the ‘There But Not There’ initiative from the charity Remembered that commemorates 100 years since the end of WW1 and supports vital charities helping the soldiers of today.

Communities across Britain have already been taking part in the campaign, which raises money from the sale of smaller, 10inch, Tommy statues, which are made by military veterans.

The campaign hopes to inspire communities to host installations of silhouettes around Britain wherever there is a roll of honour, taking names off memorial walls and returning them to the spaces they left behind, putting them back into each community’s psyche once again.

Thirteen of the smaller Perspex Tommies have been inscribed with the names of those Welsh internationals who lost their lives during WW1 and presented to Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones and the team and ten fallen Wallabies have been honoured in a similar way with Michael Hoooper the willing recipient on behalf of Australia.

“What a wonderful way to commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War,” said Jones.

“The Tommies are a fitting visual tribute, evoking remembrance for the thirteen fallen Welsh internationals, and I’m delighted to receive them on behalf of Welsh rugby this afternoon.”

These thirteen individuals are also honoured elsewhere in the Stadium with a permanent plaque on the wall of the President’s box, on the half way line, middle tier and – for this match only – each of the men who gave their lives for their country have also been allocated a seat in this area, which has been left vacant and given a black memorial covering.

The former Wales internationals who died between the 1915 and 1918 are ‘there, but not there’.

Money raised by the campaign will be distributed evenly between The Royal Foundation’s Armed Forces Programmes, Walking With The Wounded, Combat Stress, Help for Heroes, The Commonwealth War Graves Foundation and Project Equinox: Housing Veterans.

The events team at Principality Stadium have also put together a fitting pre-match ceremony which will include the usual laying of wreaths, a minute’s silence and playing of ‘The Last Post’ as part of Welsh rugby’s tribute to remembrance on this unique anniversary – 100 years after the end of the First World War.

The six foot Tommy silhouettes are also part of the Wales Women v South Africa pre-match remembrance activity at Cardiff Arms Park earlier on Saturday and have already appeared across the UK as councils, sports teams, local groups and private companies have come together in commemoration.

Whilst these installations have provided an opportunity for groups to come together and remember those that gave their lives a century ago, the public is also being encouraged to purchase 10 inch versions of the figures – haunting Perspex models that can be engraved with the name of a loved one or local hero who served in the conflict.

You can find out more or purchase your commemorative Tommy figure from the Remembered website: https://www.therebutnotthere.org.uk/

WELSH INTERNATIONALS WHO FELL IN WW1

Name Caps DOD Where

Billy Geen 3 (1912-13) 31 July 1915 (24) Hooge, Flanders, Belgium

Bryn Lewis 2 (1912-13) 2 April 1917 (26) Ypres, France

Fred Perrett 5 (1912-13) 1 December 1918 (27) Boulogne, France

Lou Phillips 4 (1900-01) 14 March 1916 (38) Cambrin, France

Charlie Pritchard 14 (1904-10) 14 August 1916 (34) Chocques, France

Charles Taylor 9 (1884-87) 24 January 1915 (51) Dogger Bank, North Sea

Dick Thomas 4 (1906-09) 7 July 1916 (35) Mametz, Somme, France

Horace Thomas 2 (1912-13) 3 September 1916 (26) Guillemont, France

Phil Waller 6 (1908-10) 14 December 1917 (28) Arras, France