The sepia-toned photograph of the original Putney Town Football Club team, taken in 1912, was rediscovered in 2022 by local resident A. Turner.

The image was originally passed to Mr Turner in 2004 by Ken Bernard, whose grandfather was among the players. This picture has led to an extensive historical investigation, revealing extraordinary connections between the team and the First World War.

The investigation was conducted with the help of Thomas Reid of Specsavers Putney, historical researchers, and military enthusiasts.

Through careful examination of the buildings in the background, researchers found that the photograph was taken beside Putney Common, opposite the Spencer Arms. The three terraced houses visible behind the players remain recognisable today, allowing the current team to return to the exact location more than a century later.

Newspaper reports helped gather the original club's history, showing that it was active in local football life from the early 20th century to 1928. However, the stories of the men in the photograph have given the discovery its most poignant significance.

The image, taken just two years before the outbreak of the First World War, captures a group of local men enjoying their involvement in football.

Some were players, others officials and club volunteers, with jobs, homes, and families. Yet, for some, the years that followed brought extraordinary personal sacrifice.

One particularly remarkable story is that of Jason Bolton, whose identity is strongly supported by matching historical and military records. Born in Putney around 1889, Bolton worked as a self-employed chimney sweep and was married with two young daughters by the time he enlisted at Chelsea Town Hall on January 7, 1915.

Serving with the Middlesex Regiment, he arrived in France just six weeks later. By the summer of 1915, he had suffered devastating gunshot wounds.

Hospital records show that his left foot had been amputated, with further surgery required when the wound failed to heal. He was eventually discharged from military service in May 1916, having been deemed no longer physically fit to serve.

Despite his injuries, Bolton's bravery was recognised with a Mention in Despatches and the Military Medal.

Another discovery concerns William Franklin, listed in the original photograph as the club's honorary secretary. Researchers have identified a possible match in the military records of William James Franklin, who served with several London Regiment units and was taken prisoner of war on April 5, 1918, while serving with the 23rd Battalion.

Although further evidence is needed to establish the identification conclusively, it is a compelling lead.

The research has also uncovered a possible connection to James Alfred Kendrick, a football administrator associated with Putney Town and secretary of the South Eastern League. Military records identify a James Alfred Kendrick who enlisted as a clerk with the Royal Flying Corps in August 1917.

Although there are discrepancies in the historical records that still need resolving, this offers another avenue of investigation.

Of the 15 individuals named in the original photograph, several remain unidentified, while others have only tentative connections to surviving military and civilian records.

To mark Remembrance on November 8, the present-day Putney Town players gathered at the original location on Putney Common to recreate the 1912 team photograph.

Before their home fixture that day, the players also observed a two-minute silence in tribute to those who served and sacrificed so much during the First World War.

Putney Town F.C. is keen to continue uncovering the stories behind the photograph and would welcome help from local residents, family historians, military researchers, and anyone who might recognise a name or face. To explore the research, view the original photograph, and help uncover more of the story, visit www.putneytown.com/1912-heritage.