To commemorate 100 years since the end of First World War, the Exeter City Supporters Club travelled to across Europe to pay respect to ECFC players who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The great war 1914-1918 100th anniversary remembrance at the football club has been assembled by the Exeter City Supporters Club who in this 2018 year celebrate their 30th anniversary of their reformation back in November of 1988. The supporters club along with ECFC have already made a contribution to the Royal British Legion recently this year with the sponsorship of Silent Soldier Silhouettes and any monies collected with the Exhibition display will also be contributed .

Two of the original committee members and current committee members of the supporters Club to date, Steve Darke and Roger Hamilton-Kendall, made an emotional trip back in April travelling across Belgium and France paying respect to the sacrifices made by their own family by visiting their great uncles resting places and that of Exeter City players along the way.

Roger and Steve were accompanied by Steve’s wife Anne and fellow City fan Alan Gover, who all funded it themselves. The four decided in the 100th year of the armistice to make the City and family tributes. The trip was a long time in the planning with many hours researching on the invaluable Commonwealth Graves Commission website for locations and mapping of routes. The Exeter City F.C. History Group had assisted too along with its information collection and the RBL had provided wreaths and crosses to the Club for their use.

The foursome spent a total of 4 days zig-zagging the battlegrounds of the western front laying wreaths in respect to their family and the fallen footballers that once played for Exeter City. Along the way they also visited many historical WW1 sites visiting The Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium, Hill 60, Thiepval Memorial in northern France where 2 City players are listed on memorial plaques along with 72,000 other missing commonwealth and French soldiers and also taking in services at the Menin gate at Ypres where the last post is sounds every evening at 8pm.

The Known Playing staff killed in the Great War number 13. Nine of their graves or memorials were visited on the journey as they were in the Flanders area, the other four are located in Southern France, Israel, Egypt and East Devon and also are listed here.  

The Supporters Club on behalf of the Football Club are honoured and proud to have done this remembrance display and hope it is enlightening as well as interesting as part of the Football clubs history and The players mentioned are truly remembered.

Below is a map with the location of memorials dedicated to Exeter City players who were killed in action. Zoom in on the map and select the markers to discover their individual stories.

Click on the player's profiles underneath the map to learn about their footballing career and beyond.