IT is impossible to quantify the precise number of British sportsmen who made the ultimate sacrifice in the war. Of almost 9m British Empire soldiers mobilized, around one in eight – or 1.1m individuals – were killed in battle or went missing, presumed dead. Another two million were wounded. On the front line, one in five perished.

Of 5,000 professional footballers at the time, more than 2,000 signed up with Holt-born Everton goalkeeper Leigh Richmond Roose one of the highest profile casualties. Cricket suffered a disproportionate number of deaths with almost one in six of the County Players who joined up killed. 11 Welsh rugby internationals perished.

In north east Wales, the impact on the region’s sporting life was felt keenly. Noel Soames, of Racecourse Ground owners, FW Soames & Co brewery, was vice-president of Wrexham FC until his death in Egypt in 1916, while serving with the Cheshire Yeomanry. His brother Arthur was in the first group of British warplanes to fly to France, in August 1914, and was killed in 1915 while experimenting with a bomb. Both are named on Wrexham’s main First World War memorial.

Chirk-born George Griffiths was another footballer who died. An inside left, he played for his local club Chirk who were a strong amateur side, winning the Welsh Cup and producing 20 Welsh internationals around the turn of the 20th Century. He played for Wales once against Ireland in 1887, a 4-1 defeat, and died in 1918 following the war from the effects of gas inhalation.

Two of the region’s brightest young sportsmen were also lost in the conflict with the sports of golf and horse racing left mourning a pair of up and coming talents.

Jockey Arthur Goswell was born at St Asaph in 1901. He rode around 300 winners over jumps between 1922 and 1942 and had five sons, four of whom – Gary, Mike, Gerry and Tony – followed in their father’s footsteps by becoming jockeys.

Arthur spent most of his early racing life as travelling head lad to Welshman Owen Anthony, trainer of the legendary Golden Miller who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup five times and is still the only horse to win both the Gold Cup and the Grand National in the same year

When Arthur gave up riding he moved to America where he trained many winners from his Maryland headquarters as well as developing stud farms in Ohio, Virginia, Florida and California before his death in September 1995, aged 94.

Arthur's uncle George lived in Bangor-on-Dee where his yard was close to the town's racecourse. After a career as a jockey he became a hugely successful trainer but gave up training to buy and break-in remounts for the army. He would send one of his horses Poethlyn to trainer Harry Escott and it's become racing legend now how Poethlyn went on to win the Grand Nationals of 1918 and 1919.

Before those triumphs, tragedy was to strike the Goswell family when George's son, Thomas, enlisted in 1914. 'Tommy' had begun riding over jumps in 1910 and quickly began making a name for himself. In 1911 he rode 16 winners and for the next three seasons he was in the top 10 of jump jockeys.

Sadly, his promising sporting career was cut short when he was killed in action at Ypres in the Battle of Passchendaele on October 26, 2017, aged 25.

Thomas left a will, with an entry in the England and Wales National Probate Calendar revealing “Thomas Ernest Goswell of Althrey Lodge Bangor on Dee Flintshire, a Private in the 14th Royal Warwickshire Regiment died on or since 26th October 1917 in France on active military service. Probate St Asaph 25th November to George Goswell Farmer. Effects £275”.

Extensive research conducted by the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) has found the number of PGA Professionals killed in action during World War One is thought to be 98 and although he was never a professional there’s a good chance Henry Noel Atkinson may well have joined their ranks had the war not intervened.

Born at Audlem Vicarage, Cheshire on Christmas Day 1888, Henry was the son of Reverend Arthur Atkinson, Clerk in Holy Orders, Hon. Canon of Chester Cathedral, and Ursula Mary Atkinson.

The family later moved to Northop and on mobilisation he embarked for France with the 1st Battalion on August 14, 1914.

He served unscathed through the fighting at Mons, Le Cateau and The Aisne until October 22, 1914, near La Bassée when he was reported officially "missing" and was believed to have been captured.

With his whereabouts still not known, Henry was awarded the Companion of the Distinguished Service Order on December 1, 1914. His citation read: “Henry Noel Atkinson, 2nd Lieut., 3rd Battn, The Cheshire Regiment. For conspicuous gallantry under heavy fire from both flanks by collecting a few men and checking the enemy, thereby facilitating the retirement of his comrades.” Henry was even promoted to Lieutenant on February 2, 1915, but a year after his son was reported missing, Canon Atkinson died aged 81 years. He only ever knew that his precious only child was ‘missing’ and a commemorative plaque was dedicated to him in Northop Church.

Before the War Lieutenant Atkinson had been a keen golfer and was, in 1914, the reigning Amateur Champion of Wales. Page 28 of the 1915 Golf Illustrated contains the following citation, alongside his photo: 2nd LIEUT. H. N. ATKINSON: “Of the Cheshire Regiment who has just received the Distinguished Service Order "for conspicuous gallantry under heavy fire from front and both flanks, by collecting a few men, and checking the enemy, thereby facilitating the retirement of his comrades." Similarly, 'The American Golfer' Overseas Notes reported: "Another notable loss is that of Lieut. H. N. Atkinson, of the Cheshire regiment, who was Welsh amateur champion and won the championship at his first appearance at a Welsh Union meeting, beating Mr. C. H. Hamilton in the final at the thirty-eighth hole. Lieutenant Atkinson has been reported as missing, and the worst is feared."

100 years since the Armistice the devastating impact the First World War had on sporting life is still remembered and this weekend crowds at football grounds across the UK will pause to remember those brave men who swapped sporting glory for sacrifice. Lest we forget.