In 1918, Wales was reeling from the aftermath of the First World War - a conflict which saw nearly a million British deaths and four years of upheaval for communites across the country.
Newport suffered considerable losses, like every other town, village and city across Wales. Of the men who left Newport to serve in the conflict, 1,277 never returned home.
Today, 86 of those men are commemorated in a spot countless Newportonians have passed.
On the corner of Grafton Road, at the main entrance of Rodney Parade, stand the iconic black iron gates which welcome visitors to the ground.
As rugby fans pass the archway on their way to see the Dragons or Newport RFC, they might not pay much attention to what is written on the pillars either side of them. But take a look and you’ll see them - the long list of names, of 86 men who left home and never came back.
Last week, on August 26, the iconic gates were given Grade-II listed status by Cadw, meaning they are now protected under the Planning Act.
But what is the history behind them?
Although home to rugby and football today, when it opened in 1877, Rodney Parade was the base of Newport Athletic Club.
David Hando, honorary president of Newport AFC, said when at the start it catered for a wealth of different sports, including cricket, cycling and tennis.
These sports all came under the umbrella of the Newport Athletic Club.
Erected on September 6, 1923 by Lord Tredegar, the gates commemorate the loss of life suffered by the club between 1914 and 1918, with the names of the 86 members who lost their lives in the war etched into the large bronze panels either side.
During the war, there had even been an Newport Athletic Club platoon, forming part of the South Wales Borderers, which club members served in.
On the day the memorial was unveiled, members of the NAC platoon laid wreaths down beneath the names of their former teammates and comrades.
One of the men commemorated on the memorial is ‘L Phillips’.
Louis ‘Lou’ Phillips was a Welsh Rugby international and leading golfer, who represented Newport at five sports. He died in action in Cambrin with the Royal Fusiliers in March 1916.
Another name is ‘W P Geen.’
Billy Geen, as he was affectionately known, is perhaps the best known name on the memorial. Nigel McCrery writes about him in his book, 'Into Touch: Rugby Internationals Killed in the Great War '.
Born in Newport in 1891, Geen had played for Newport Rugby Club since his school days. In 1912, the winger was selected to represent Wales at an international level, playing against England, Ireland and South Africa.
When war was declared in 1914, Geen signed up as a second lieutenant in the King's Royal Rifle Corps, and was sent to the Western Front in 1915.
He had only been there for two months when his battalion was involved in action as part of the Second Battle of Ypres in July.
Geen was last seen by other officers leading his men into hand-to-hand combat - he was never seen again, and his body was never recovered.
Today, although the memorial gate is no longer used as the main entrance to Rodney Parade, the names of Geen and Phillips can still be found at the ground, along with the names of their fellow Newport Athletic Club members who never returned home.
