Inverell Rugby Union

NSW Rugby Enlistments WW1

At the outbreak of World War 1 the NSW Rugby Union were hopeful of being able to enlist 700 players. Clubs were urged to submit the names of their members to the State organisation.

There was such a great response that by October 1915, nearly 1500 Rugby Union men had enlisted. The North Western Rugby Union at Inverell had contributed 132 of these volunteers.

Six months later The Sydney Morning Herald, 30 March 1916 reported that -      

‘… 50 additional names came from the North-western Union, with headquarters at Inverell. This brings the numbers up to a total of 1846 of which the North-western Union has contributed 182 — the largest total yet received from a country union.’

By July 1918, a total of 3872 members of the NSW Rugby Union enlisted out of a membership of 4000 and 382 had been killed or died of wounds or disease.