The Helles Battlefield Study team carried out a commemoration on the last day of their recent trip to Gallipoli for a fallen player of Warrington Wolves Rugby League Club (known then as "The Wire"*) on behalf of the club and the Warrington Wolves Foundation.

The club asked for a simple video for their social media and archive. The resultant video, which is 3.16 mins long, delivers much more than that.

Private 12274 James Andrews, 6th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment was born in Winwick around 1880. A Tanner by trade, he played as a forward for Warrington Wolves Rugby League Club, making 49 appearances between 1895 - 1900. Heritage Number: 21.

James attested at Warrington on 3rd September 1914 when he was 34. At the time he was 5' 7" tall and weighed 148 lbs, with an impressive 3” chest expansion. His battalion first served at the Helles battlefield from the 7th to 31st July when it left for Mudros (Lemnos Island). He landed with his battalion at ANZAC on the night of 4th August 1915. 6 days later, on the 10th of August, he was reported wounded, later confirmed as missing, while his battalion was deployed on the western slopes of Hill Q (referred to in the battalion war diary as 'Ghurkha Hill'). James has no known grave but is commemorated on the Helles Memorial and the Warrington War Memorial at Bridge Foot.

The names and titles of the Gallipoli Association - Helles Battlefield Study team who carried out the commemoration::

Project Lead:

Mike Crane, Parachute Regiment veteran (and Warrington Wolves fan)

Project Lead Historian:

Stephen Chambers, Gallipoli Association Chairman (and reader of the eulogy)

Project Archaeologist:

Dr John B Winterburn, BSc, MA, PhD, CEng, MIET.

Project Coordinator:

Warren Smith, Gallipoli Association Trustee and Communications Officer (and who filmed the event)

2026 Guest Volunteer:

Dr Matthew Roberts, MA, BM, BCh, DMCC, FRCA. Associate Professor of Anaesthesiology University of Colorado, Denver and Lt. Colonel (Retd) Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC)

2026 Guest Volunteer:

Roger Cooper-Simpson, Colonel (Retd) Royal Marines

Video Editor:

Robert Rathbone, Gallipoli Association member