The Final Whistle: The Great War in Fifteen Players

by Stephen Cooper

This is the story of fifteen men killed in the Great War. All played rugby for one London club; none lived to hear the final whistle. Rugby brought them together; rugby led the rush to war. They came from Britain and the empire to fight in every theatre and service, among them a poet, playwright and perfumer. Some were decorated and died heroically; others fought and fell quietly. Together their stories paint a portrait in miniature of the entire war. Founded in 1879, when British soldiers fought in Afghanistan as they do today, Rosslyn Park has no war memorial. An old press cutting gave numbers – 350 served, 72 died – but no names. So began a quest to rediscover these men and capture their lives, from their vanished Edwardian youth and vigour, to the war they fought and how they died.

Genres: Nonfiction, World War I, History, War, Biography

288 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2012

About the author

Award-winning author Stephen Cooper was born in Birmingham, England. After Cambridge University, he was a MadMan in New York, London and Toronto; he first began writing as a travel journalist. His grandfather fought at the Somme, but refused to tell the tale and so inspired a lifelong fascination for the Great War. He has also played and coached rugby longer than he can remember; his first book therefore combined two of his many passions. Praised by commentators as diverse as Fergal Keane, Sir Anthony Seldon and Jason Leonard, it won Rugby Book of the Year in the 2013 Times British Sports Book Awards, featured in BBC TV's World War One At Home and has been optioned for West End theatre. A regular speaker, Stephen lives in Suffolk. A second book was published in August 2015: After The Final Whistle: The First Rugby World Cup and the First World War. He is now at work on a first novel.

Reviews

[JD · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book has a great concept, but it was not well executed. Taking fifteen players from Rosslyn Park RFC who gave their lives during World War 1 in many different theatres and the different services is a good story, but to be overly critical I would have preferred if they were put out as a team in the different positions of the time. Some of the stories give more historical background than background of the man himself and they get lost in some chapters. Still good reading filled with loads of information of this catastrophic tragedy of this lost generation of young men.

[Sean Smart · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent history of the First World War seen through the experiences of 15 rugby players who all volunteered in 1914 and served throughout the armed forces and throughout the world.

Highly recommended, a very good read especially with the anniversary in 2014 approaching.

[Les · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perhaps my expectations were too high. The First World War and Rugby Union, a marriage of two of my interests. And yet this didn't really work for me somehow. The links of many of the "players" to Rosslyn Park was tenuous in the extreme and, in some of the chapters, even the main charecters seemed somehow incidental to the story. While some of the stories were interesting - the chapter on the Easter Rising perhaps being the best of the lot - I felt as though I should have enjoyed this more overall.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

detailed and interesting book looking a fifteen players from rosslyn park rugby football union club who died in the great war (WW1) and how these became the lost generation well worth reading though even if not a fan of rugby union.

[Iain Girling · Rating 5 out of 5]

A combination of history and sport. The writers draws the analogy of how 15 rugby players long forgotten have helped play their part in 'The Great War'.

By including historical events and specific battles he brings the players to life.

The conclusion is very biased towards rugby and citing that playing 'the game', made rugby players more team oriented than soccer players who came from different backgrounds.

An enjoyable read irrespective of your love or dislike of sport.

[Charlie Cochrane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, moving, informative, inspiring. Perfect.

[Chris Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, different angle on the different areas of conflict. I enjoyed it.

[Paul Tipton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book, don't be put off if you are not into rugby, it's a fantastic look at life during the first World War in general and that of 15 individuals in particular.