07/17/2026
New Book Honours Regina Rugby Club Players Who Served in the Great War
A new Saskatchewan sports history book is shining a light on the early roots of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the men connected to the Regina Rugby Club who answered the call to serve during the First World War.
Glory, Duty & Sacrifice: The Regina Rugby Club and the Great War, by Dale Richter, tells the stories of 53 individuals associated with the Regina Rugby Club from 1910 to 1923 who served in the armed forces of Canada, the United States and Britain during the Great War. The book is published by Football Saskatchewan and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.
The modern-day Saskatchewan Roughriders trace their roots to the Regina Rugby Club, which was formally organized in September 1910. In the years before and during the war, the club became a dominant force in Western Canadian football, winning multiple championships while its players, coaches and officials balanced work, sport and community life in a rapidly-growing province.
Drawing on military personnel files, archival records, newspaper accounts and other historical sources, Glory, Duty & Sacrifice documents the lives of the men who helped build football in Regina and then put their careers, education, families and playing days on hold to serve during one of the most devastating conflicts in modern history.
“This book is about much more than football,” said Richter. “It is about remembering the people behind the early history of the Regina Rugby Club and recognizing the courage, duty and sacrifice of the men who served.”
The book pays special tribute to the 10 players who did not return from the war, while also recounting the stories of those who came home with physical injuries, emotional scars and lives forever changed by their military service.
For readers interested in Saskatchewan history, military history, football, or the origins of the Roughriders, Glory, Duty & Sacrifice offers a carefully researched and deeply respectful account of a remarkable group of athletes, soldiers and community members.
Glory, Duty & Sacrifice: The Regina Rugby Club and the Great War will be available through the Benchmark Press website and select retailers.