A rugby club has launched a project to commemorate 22 of its members who were killed in the Great War.

Wanstead Rugby Club, based in Roding Lane North, Woodford Green, planted an “Avenue of Remembrance” at the weekend made up of trees to represent the players who laid down their lives.

It is now planning to commemorate the war dead with a formal stone memorial listing the fallen on the front of the clubhouse after securing funding of £500 from the NatWest RugbyForce.

RugbyForce encourages clubs from across the country to get members and supporters together to improve their club and surrounding grounds.

The club was founded in 1892 as Leytonstone Rugby Club before its relocation to Wanstead for the 1934/5 season and subsequent renaming.

The project was inspired by the recent rediscovery of a club fixture card from the 1919/20 season, which contained a list of 22 players from the club who had perished in Great War.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

The list of members who perished in the Great War.

Vice President of the club, Alasdair Fisher, said: “We have kept all our fixture cards and we were looking through them recently when we came across the list of those who died in World War One.

“The club did not have a proper or fitting memorial to the fallen so everyone decided we would do something to honour them for the centenary.

“We hope that people from the local area may identify their lost relatives so please get in touch if you recognise any of the names and we will be happy for you to attend the ceremony.”

A memorial stone will be unveiled on Sunday (June 28) at 1pm, with the British Legion, a bugler and local councillors attending.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Members of Wanstead Rugby Club at the tree-planting event at the weekend.