My name is Terry Williams.



On November 11, 2018 my documentary “Headgear to Helmets – Rugby League in Australia during WW1” was broadcast on www.nrl.com.



The response was overwhelming but that is just the start.



To complement the documentary I am seeking funds to self-publish a book of the same name, which will allow me to tell more individual stories in greater detail.



Players from all levels of the game all across NSW and Queensland did their bit, and their stories are indicative of the wider Australian experience. And at home the game faced unique challenges and was caught in the middle of class, sectarian and religious issues that divided the nation.



It’s a compelling story that disproves the notion that rugby league did not support the war. It’s also one that will be important for all the game’s fans and will stand as a worthy testament to what was possibly the most seismic event in rugby league history.



Money raised shall be used for the graphic design and typesetting costs as well as printing an initial run of 2,000 soft cover books and a limited number of hard covers.



Thank you in advance for any support.



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Terry Williams has been involved in rugby league history for over 25 years and has written books on Newtown “Out of the Blue” (1993) and “Through Blue Eyes” (2008) as well as the NSWRL Referees Association Centenary Publication “Above All for Rugby League” (2008). He has also written for a number of publications in Australia and overseas and in 2009 delivered the Annual Tom Brock Lecture. In 2017 he was a guest speaker at the Spirit of Anzac Centenary Exhibition at Darling Harbour and in 2018 was asked by Australian coach Mal Meninga to address the Kangaroos, Jillaroos, Junior Kangaroos and both the Men’s and Women’s ADFRL teams at Enoggera Army Barracks. From 2012 until November 2018 he was historian at the NRL museum.

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