Supporters group Forza Garibaldi once again took centre stage prior to Nottingham Forest’s home game with Derby County.
Looking resplendent, the Trent End was awash with a display commemorating five Forest players that fought for their country during the first and second World Wars.
As both clubs remember the fallen on what is Forest’s annual game of remembrance, Forza depicted those five men.
Joe Mercer: A centre half who made 150 appearances for Forest. He survived the war but at a cost – he died in 1927 as a result of respiratory problems caused by a gas attack.
Mercer was the father of former Arsenal and Everton player Joe Mercer Jnr.
Tom Peacock: An inside left who played 109 times for the Reds, finding the net 57 times.
A small number of these appearances were gained after 1939 when Peacock returned home on leave from the RAF.
George Hazard: A Nottingham lad who was a regular in the Reds’ reserves as a teenager.
He was killed in action in February 1915, meaning he was never able to fulfil his dream of playing for the first team.
Percy Ashton: Ashton joined the Reds in 1930 and would go on to make 179 appearances for the club before joining the war effort in 1939.
He survived the war but would not play professional football again.
Wlliam Fiske: He was a goalkeeper that joined Forest on August 1, 1914 but left for war just 21 days later, before making his debut for the club.
He would finally play for Forest, including two appearances against Derby whilst on leave, but he was killed in 1918 during the Battle of Aisne.
Of particular note is George Hazard.
Born in Radford, not only did war rob him of the chance to play for his hometown club, he was also a member of the Sherwood Foresters regiment.
Rather aptly considering today’s fixture, the Sherwood Foresters represented the Nottinghamshire and Derby region.
As part of it, Reds and Rams have served side by side for generations with distinction.
