Rugby stars past and present from in and around Gloucester will be gathering in their numbers for what is sure to be a very special day in the city.

The venue is the Memorial Ground in Tuffley Avenue, the date is Saturday 18th May and the occasion is the unveiling of a memorial stone.

And a very special occasion it will be too because the standing stone monument will be dedicated to the memory of all the local rugby players who left their families and clubs to serve their country in the two world wars and gave their lives in so doing.

The dedication and blessing of the stone will be followed by two showpiece games of rugby and Dave Booth, who has done so much for rugby in Gloucester over many years, is urging as many people as possible to turn up on the day.

“The more you think about it, it really is an historical day,” said Booth. “It’s commemorating something that is massive. The sadness is that it’s for local rugby players who fought in two world wars and didn’t come back.”

But from huge personal sacrifice, there has at least come some good.

“I think it’s a great thing that the Memorial Ground is still up and running,” continued Booth. “Widden Old Boys and Old Cryptians are the current custodians but one of the big things about all this is that some people don’t understand the history of the ground.”

And for those who don’t, it really is a remarkable story because it was always the dream of the North Gloucestershire Rugby Combination, which is still thriving today some 107 years after it was founded, to have a ground which they could call their own.

That was never possible in those early years but, crucially, having a ground for local rugby players was also the dream of one Arthur Hudson – or Archie as he was widely known – a Gloucester and England rugby player in the early 20th century, who remained a very influential figure in the city long after he hung up his boots.

So much so that when he was awarded an honorarium of £150 by Gloucester Rugby Club immediately after the Second World War, he started a memorial fund to buy a ground that local clubs could use.

Seven years later, seven acres of land were bought in Tuffley Avenue and the rest as they say is history.

“We appreciate everything that Archie Hudson did and this day is local rugby showing our appreciation,” said Booth, a former chairman of the North Gloucestershire Combination.

“He was a special bloke, he was into everything. He liked football and athletics as well as being a big rugby international, the bloke was unique.

“He is responsible for this ground, for his thoughtfulness we’ve got a lot to be thankful. Without him it wouldn’t be there.”

Archie Hudson’s grandson John Hudson, who ran Hudson & Co Sports shop in Northgate Street in the city for many year, will be one of many invited guests on the big day, guests that will include former Gloucester players, dignitaries from in and around the city as well as representatives from each and every rugby club in the North Gloucestershire Combination.

The ceremony of dedication and blessing of the memorial stone will be carried out at noon by The Bishop of Tewkesbury, the Rt Revd Robert Springett and the two rugby games that follow will be between The Cherry Pickers and a Combination Vets XV (1pm) and Widden Old Boys and Old Cryptians (3pm).

The game involving The Cherry Pickers is likely to be about 30 minutes each way or “until everyone runs out of breath”, added Booth with a laugh.

The Cherry Pickers are run these days by Dave Spencer, the 60-year-old former Gloucester back row, who remains a very popular man in rugby circles.

It’s not the easiest job getting a side together – “A lot of the former players are either injured or getting their pensions,” Spencer laughed – but there remains great interest in the exhibition team and Spencer added: “We will get a team out.”

Spencer won’t be playing – “Not with my artificial limbs!” he said – but those who do will be up against a team organised by two local rugby stalwarts, Widden’s Dave Easterbrook and Coney Hill’s John Dix.

The game should be good fun and that’s the hope when Widden and Old Cryptians play each other in the second game.

Both clubs have enjoyed success over the past couple of seasons and Booth said: “It’s a celebratory game.”

And if both matches end in a draw it will surely be a fitting end to a very special day.