Edward ‘Ted’ Didymus played for Pompey between 1904 and 1906, making three Western League appearances before moving to Northampton Town.
He was subsequently on the books of Port Vale, Blackpool and Huddersfield.
In 1912 he returned to his home town, aged 27, and took a job as a tram driver with the Portsmouth Corporation. In 1915, he enlisted in the Army Service Corps (Motor Transport), eventually being transferred to the 4th Battalion, Manchester Regiment.
Then, in March 1918, he arrived in France with his comrades as part of the British Expeditionary Force, but was swiftly transferred to the Middlesex Regiment 1/8th Battalion. On April 12 1918, he was killed in action.
Survived by his wife Mary and their three sons and two daughters, Portsmouth Football Club are proud to present one of our own to represent all those who made a sacrifice in the Great War as part of the Royal British Legion’s #ThankYou100 movement.
The players of both Pompey and Burton will mark the moment by wearing special t-shirts in the warm-up to tonight’s game, while at half-time, we will ask everyone in the crowd to watch a short film produced by the RBL.
Blues players Jamal Lowe, David Wheeler, Brandon Haunstrup, Louis Dennis and Ben Close showed their backing for the movement after training on Monday.
The Legion’s director general Charles Byrne said: “The end of the First World War centenary is a chance for each of us to say thank you in our own ways and in our own words, not only to those who gave their lives, but those who returned, those who worked in the factories and on the land, and those who pioneered advances in medicine, technology and the arts in response to the experience of the war.
"The end of the First World War centenary is a chance for each of us to say thank you in our own ways and in our own words."
“Whilst the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the fighting marks a poignant time of reflection, it is also a time to look forward to the future with the promise to make it a better place.
“Everyone living in Britain today has a reason to say ‘Thank You’ to this special generation.”
The Legion asked the nation to plan their ‘Thank You’ activity to take place from August 8 onwards, while the first day of daylight savings – itself an outcome of the First World War – will be a focus for ‘Thank You’ activity on Sunday, October 28.
The club will be marking Remembrance Day itself at our home game against Charlton on Saturday, November 17.