Rugby and the Armed Forces have always had a close link over the past 100 years, in many nations across the world. As such, when the declarations of war echoed across Europe and the greater world, it is little surprise that a huge number of rugby players, from social players to internationals, answered the call up and war drafts.
On August 13th 1914 the England Rugby Football Union issued a statement: ‘The Rugby Union are glad to know that a large number of their players have already volunteered for service. They express a hope that all Rugby players will join some Force in their own town or county’. Later that year an extract from the Times read, ‘Every player who has represented England in rugby international matches last year has joined the colours‘. This was also true of the 15 players that played in the final match on British soil in 1914: the 5 Nations and Calcutta cup clinching match over Scotland in March. However, five of this team would lose their lives in the coming war, paying the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
Lieutenant Alfred Frederick Maynard: Hooker
Maynard was a new addition to the England squad of 1914, joining the side for their 5 Nations campaign in the hooker position. By the time of his international call up, he already had a glittering rugby résumé, playing for Harlequins and Cambridge University amongst others.
He immediately joined the the Royal Navy as a Sub- Lieutenant, in Howe Battalion, Royal Naval Division, upon the declaration of war and saw action that year in the defense of Antwerp. Over the next two years he would see action in the Suez and disastrous Gallipoli campaign, in which he was wounded in the leg, and was promoted to Lieutenant in July 1915. After recovery Maynard was posted to the Western Front into the battle of the Somme. On November 13th, on the first day of the final attack of the Somme campaign, Lieutenant Maynard fell, no doubt showing the same bravery in battle as he did on the pitch. Alfred Maynard is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Captain Arthur James Dingle: Wing
Arthur James Dingle’s international career begun after several strong seasons in the Oxford Rugby team, playing in the wing position. Although, following a poor performance, he was dropped after his international first match in 1913, he was recalled mid-way through the Five Nations: allowing him to play against Scotland and France.
Dingle signed up to the East Yorkshire Regiment in September 1914 as a Lieutenant, and made Captain the following year. Depsite training, he still found time for rugby. Dingle participated in the Barbarian’s 10-3 victory over the Royal Medical Corps, where he scored a try. Following this, much like Lieutenant Maynard, Captain Dingle was also posted to the Dardanelles, and took part in the disaster at Gallipoli. Dingle’s regiment was tasked to capture Scimitar Hill but took severe casualties, including Captain Dingle. His body was never found, but it is thought he died whilst defending a captured trench ‘against overwhelming odds’.
Lieutenant Francis Eckley Oakley: Scrum Half
Francis Oakley was already a member a the Royal Navy when he gained his call up for the English National side, after joining up at the age of 17 in 1908. Known as the ‘Warrior Sportsman’, his rugby skill was quickly spotted and he went to to play at scrum-half for both the Royal Navy and United Services teams, before his call up to England in 1913 against Scotland. He was capped 3 further times against Ireland, Scotland and France in 1914.
When war began he re-entered active service and was assigned to HMS D2, a submarine. After returning to base due to the loss of their commander overboard on November 23rd, the submarine set out for the last time on the 25th. HMS D2 was never seen again, she was presumed to have sunk after being rammed by a German patrol boat and all hands onboard were lost including Lieutenant Oakley. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
Surgeon James Henry-Digby Watson: Centre
James Henry-Digby Watson had the opportunity to represent two countries in international rugby. After playing rugby in Edinburgh, where he attended university, and for the Barbarians, Watson was selected as a reserve centre for Scotland in 1913. However, he was never capped and Scotland’s loss went on to become England’s gain. After moving to London to further his medical career, he was capped by England three times against Wales, Scotland and France, in what was another unbeknownst shortlived career.
In August 1914 he was appointed a surgeon aboard HMS Hawke, one of the oldest ships still in commission, dating to 1891. She was on patrol in the North Sea on October 15th with her sister ship HMS Theseus, when the German Submarine U9 fired a torpedo at Theseus. It missed her and hit HMS Hawke in the magazine, which detonated. She sank within 8 minutes, with the loss of 525 men, Watson among them. He is commemorated at the St Michaels Church in Helensburgh and on the Helensburgh War Memorial.
Lieutenant Ronald Poulton-Palmer: Wing/Centre
Compared to the other players, Ronald Poulton-Palmer was a true England veteran by 1914. His skill was first spotted in 1909, and after failing to make the Oxford Varsity team, he made his England debut against France on January 19th that year aged just 19. He would go on to win 17 caps for England over the next 5 years, scoring 28 points: eight tries and one drop goal. His outstanding rugby career would take him to sides including Harlequins, Liverpool, and a London representative side amongst others. At the start of the 1914 season he was awarded the honour of being named the England captain, and in his last ever international game, against France, he would score 4 tries. He was widely regarded by contemporaries as one of the world’s greatest players.
After previously commissioning through the Officer Training Corp into the Territorial Army with the Royal Berkshire Regiment. soon after war broke out he volunteered to be sent abroad. He sent a letter to his parents explaining, ‘nothing counts till this war is settled…Germany has to be smashed‘. In May 1915 he was posted to Ploegsteert, a relatively quiet part of the front. However, on May 5th 1915 he was killed by a German sniper. His final words were reported to be ‘I shall never play at Twickenham again.’
These five men were only a small part of the losses rugby suffered from the ruin of World War One. England would suffer 27 internationals killed in action; Australia 9; France 23; Ireland 8; 14; Scotland 30; New Zealand 12; South Africa 4, and numerous further players who played from club level to university. The War caused untold destruction to societies across the world, thus it is not only a time for sporting circles to remember their losses, but a time for all to reflect on the bravery of the millions of young men that fought and died, from all nations, in World War One.
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