Lifelong Bulls fan on mission to pay respects to fallen Bradford Northern players

A LIFELONG Bulls fan is on a mission to pay his respects to former Bradford Northern players who lost their lives in World War One.

Club volunteer and grave digger Graham Swain can be regularly seen at Odsal; maintaining the stadium by moving heavy objects.

Bradford travel across the channel on Saturday to face off against Toulouse in their Championship league fixture.

Supporters make the long trip to the south of France every season to help urge their team to victory.

The last time Bulls played in Toulouse (Image: Tom Pearson) After locating the final resting places of two people from Bradford last year, this time out Graham intends to locate and visit the graves of the unfortunate Northern players.

Speaking to the Bradford Bulls website, he said: “Last year, on the trip to Toulouse, we located the final resting places of two Bradford brothers, commemorated in Undercliffe Cemetery, but buried overseas; one killed in Ypres and the other at the Somme.

"This year, relying on the wonderful efforts of the Bulls Foundation and their Birch Lane Heroes project, we will find the final resting places of the Bradford Northern players who were lost in World War One and lay a respectful marker to underline that their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

Graham is a lifelong Bradford fan (Image: Bradford Bulls) "We have found the first former player, Harold Basil Wray, who was killed just two weeks before the final armistice in October 1918, and who is buried in northern Italy.

"Most of the clubs’ other casualties were lost on the western front in Belgium and France, although I think one is commemorated in Gallipoli in Turkey."

Harold Basil Wray's grave (Image: Bradford Bulls) Graham has recently become something of an unlikely YouTube star with his re-constructions of derelict, abandoned and collapsed graves attracting thousands of viewers on the “Bradford Through the Lens” channel.

Since he began grave digging, Graham has accumulated over 15,000 burials - helping the Council of Mosques.

Graham can be regularly seen at Odsal (Image: Newsquest) Every day, he can been seen in the Muslim section at Scholemoor Cemetery.

Graham added: "Given that next year will be the City of Culture, I think commemorating our heritage is most important.

"It is an honour and a privilege to be undertaking such a significant task on behalf of the club. I am proud to do it."