THE families of four veteran Newport players will be presented with Wales caps after their relatives are to be posthumously honoured for representing their country – 70 years after they took the field at the end of the Second World War.

They will do so after Black and Ambers historian Mike Dams turned detective to help the Welsh Rugby Union track down the offspring of DH (Doug) Steer, Tyssul Griffiths, WG (Bill) Jones and Billy Williams.

Newport and the WRU are still appealing for help in tracing the descendants of Frank Morris who is also due to be awarded what is termed as a ‘President’s Cap’.

The caps will be presented ahead of the Wales v Ireland World Cup warm-up clash at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, August 8.

All five Rodney Parade heroes took part in the so-called Victory Internationals, played in 1945 and 1946 between British, French and New Zealand sides.

Five Nations matches had been suspended when the Second World War broke out in 1939 and the tournament did not resume until 1947.

Victory Internationals weren't recognised as official or capped matches by Home Unions at the time, due to the fact so many players were still on active duty with the British armed forces in Europe and Asia.

Mr Dams told of how he went about his work: “I was only too pleased to help the WRU trace the descendants of the Newport players.

“Two of the players turned professional and went ‘North’ to play rugby league – ‘Tuss’ Griffiths (who later won a Wales rugby league cap) and Billy Williams.

“They had received their Wales jerseys after playing in 1945/6 but carried forever the disappointment of not being awarded that coveted Wales cap. Three of the four players had moved away from Newport and so were more difficult to trace.

“Doug Steer had moved to Taunton, Tyssul Griffiths to Leeds and Billy Williams to Loughborough.

“Doug's sons and Tyssel's daughter were traced via births, marriage and death records, electoral rolls and phone directories but Billy's daughter's was particularly elusive – in fact Billy's cap's should have been awarded in 2013.”

Mr Dams added: “A little while ago I received a phone call from a Newport RFC follower who had moved to Kent but who kept up to date with the Black and Ambers via the Newport RFC website. He told me that he had known Billy well and gave me the name of the last school that Billy taught in Kent.

“I phoned the school who were very helpful and was immediately put in contact with daughter Rebecca. It was an absolute pleasure to talk to Rebecca on the phone and her obvious delight that at long last her father was to be honoured made it all worthwhile. But we still need to trace relatives of Frank E Morris who died in Newport in 1991.

"We believe that his only daughter was Arlene and would ask if Argus readers can help to trace her or other relatives".

If you have any information, could you please contact Mike Dams, Newport RFC historian and committee member, either by e-mail at mike.dams@ntlworld.com or by calling him on 07909 964260.