Brendan Gallagher’s fallen heroes

Posted on by in Brendan Gallagher

1914

06 09 14 Xavier ‘Gastofer’ Mayssonnie (France): The only Toulouse player in France’s first Five nations game. Adjutant 259ème Regiment d’Infanterie. KIA Meuse

14 09 14 Ronald Francis Simson (Scotland): Edinburgh Accies and London Scottish centre. Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery. Killed at the Battle of Aisne

16 09 14 James Laidlaw Huggan (Scotland): London Scottish wing who scored a try against England in March 1914. RAMC. Killed at the Battle of Aisne

17 09 14 Charles Edward Wilson, Legion d’Honneur (England): Blackheath forward. Captain in the Royal West Surrey. Killed at the Battle of Aisne

20 09 14 Emmanuel Iguiniz (France): Jeweller and Bayonne prop, debut against England in April 1914 Caporal 49ème Regiment d’Infanterie. Killed at Crasonne

23 09 14 Gaston Lane (France): Racing Club wing, former France captain and sports journalist. Soldat 1ère Classe, x346ème Regiment d’Infanterie. Killed in action Stenay/Lerouville

02 10 14 Jean Baptiste ‘Joe’ Anduran (France): Modest club player for Paris University, capped by France in 1910 v Wales when they found themselves one player short

15 10 14 James Henry Digby ‘Bungy’ Watson (England): Played centre in the 1914 Five Nations. Naval surgeon perished on HMS Hawke when torpedoed by German U boat U9

18 10 14 Sidney Crowther (Lions): Forward. Four Tests on 1904 Lions tour. Medical doctor who served as dispatch rider with Royal Engineers. Killed Armentieres

31 10 14 James ‘Jummy’ Ross (Scotland): Former London Scottish captain, private in the London (Scottish) Regiment. Fell at Messines

03 11 14 Lewis Robertson (Scotland): London Scottish second row, career soldier, captain in the Cameron Highlanders, died at Ypres

25 11 14 Francis Eckley Oakeley (England): US Portsmouth scrum-half. Perished with all hands when his submarine HMSD2 was rammed off the island of Borkum

21 12 14 Jean Francois Poeydebasque (France): Bayonne centre, France debut in January 1914 v Ireland. Sgt 249ème Regiment d’Infanterie. KIA Aisne

1915

10 01 15 Frederick Harding ‘Tanky’ Turner (Scotland): Scotland captain and flanker in 1914. Served with the King’s Liverpool Regiment. Killed in the trenches at Kemmel

21 01 15 Percy ‘Toggie’ Kendall (England): Birkinhead Park scrum half, solicitor. Killed at Ypres serving for King’s Liverpool Regiment

24 01 15 Charles Gerald Taylor (Wales): Founder member of of London Welsh. Died on HMS Tiger at the Battle of Dogger Bank after a firefight with SMS Blücher

01 03 15 Ronald Owen Lagden (England): Teacher, goal kicking No.8. Oxford Blue in three sports. Served with Kings Royal Liverpool. Killed at second Battle of Ypres

21 04 15 Alexander Findlater Todd (England and Lions): Swashbukling Blackheath and Rosslyn Park forward. Died of injuries recieved at Hill 60 at Ypres Salient.

25 04 15 Edward ‘Teddy’ Larkin, Rennix (Australia): Former Wallabies hooker, Rugby League administrator and politician. Killed on the first day of Gallipoli

25 04 15 Blair Inskip Swannell (Lions and Australia): Hard hitting No.8, Major in the Imperial Australia Services, killed at Baby 700 Hill Gallipoli

05 05 15 Ronnie Poulton Palmer (England): Dashing wing, try-scorer and pre-war pin-up boy. Killed in the trenches at Ploegsteert by a German sniper

09 05 15 Henry Berry (England): Gloucester forward. Former garrison officer at St Helena. Died at Aubers Bridge one month before birth of his daughter

10 05 15 Harold Wesley George (Australia): Prop with Eastern Suburbs. Eight caps. Died of injuries while being evacuated from Pope’s Post, ANZAC Cove

15 05 15 Paul Edouard Dupré (France): Racing wing capped against Wales in 1909. Soldat2ème Classe, 4ème Zouaves. POW, died at Altengrabour

22 05 15 James Pearson (Scotland): Watsonians wing and centre, weighed just nine stone. Won 12 caps. Served 9th Batallion Royal Scots, killed Sanctury Woods, Ypres

24 05 15 Basil Maclear (Ireland): Monkstown and Munster wing, 11 caps. Youngest of three brothers killed in France. Capt Royal Dublin Fusiliers, died at Ypres

26 05 15 Albert Eutropius (France): Born in Cayenne in French Guiana, played flanker for SCUF. Lieutenant 6ème Colonial Infantry, KIA Masseng, Cameroon

03 06 15 David McLaren Bain (Scotland): Oxford University lock, former Scotland captain. Died near Festubert while serving in the Gordon Highlanders

27 06 15 Marcel Legrain (France): Stalwart forward with Stade Francais. Soldat 2ème Classe 154ème Regiment d’Infanterie. KIA at Neuville-Saint-Vaast

27 06 15 Paul Henri Descamps (France): Racing forward. Caporal, 246ème Regiment d’Infanterie. Killed in action at Souchez near Arras.

28 06 15 William Campbell Church (Scotland): Glasgow Academicals. Captain in the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). Killed at Gallipoli

28 06 15 Eric Templeton Young (Scotland): Glasgow Accies lock who made his debut v England in 1914. Capt Camerons (Scottish Rifles). Died at Gallipoli

06 07 15 Patrick Charles Bentley Blair (Scotland): Cambridge University and London Scottish lock. Lt Rifle Brigade, killed at Boezinge

18 07 15 Francis Nathaniel Tarr (England): Leicester Tigers centre, solicitor, served with Leicestershire Regiment. Killed at Ypres

31 07 15 William Purdon Green (Wales): Newport wing and four times an Oxford Blue. Died at Hooge

serving with the Royal Rifle Regiment Corp.

08 08 15 Albert Joseph ‘Doolan’ Downing (New Zealand): Brilliant Hawkes Bay lineout forward. Sgt Wellington Infantry. Killed at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli

19 08 15 Henry ‘Norkey’ Dewar (New Zealand): Wellington hooker, two Tests. Served Wellington Mounted Rifles. Killed at the Chumuck Blair offensive at Gallipoli

22 08 15 Arthur James ‘Mud’ Dingle (England): Hartlepool Rovers centre. East Yorkshire Regiment. Died Suvla Bay Gallipoli. Body never recovered.

22 08 15 William Middleton Wallace (Scotland): Cambridge University full-back, observer in the Royal Flying Corp. Shot down at Sainghin near Lille

05 09 15 David Revell ‘Darkie’ Bedell Sivright (Scotland, Lions): Legendary Scotland forward, 22 caps. Royal Navy surgeon, died of septicaemia at Gallipoli

08 09 15 René Emile Henri Boudreaux (France): SCUH, capped twice in 1910, against Scotland and Wales. Died serving as lieutenant in 103ème Regiment d’Infanterie

08 09 15 Arthur ‘Jack’ Verge (Australia): New South Wales full-back, two Tests. Australian Army Medical Corp. Died Alexandria, Egypt.

25 09 15 Ernest Cotton Deane, MC (Ireland): Limerick born Monkstown and Ireland wing. Captain Royal Army Medical Corp. Died near Laventie.

26 09 15 Walter Michael Dickson (Scotland): Oxford University and Blackheath. Died at Loos serving for the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

28 09 15 Richard Garnons-Williams (Wales): Played in Wales’ first international in 1881 v England. Died at Loos aged 59 as Lt Colonel in the Royal Fusiliers

09 10 15 Pierre Guilleman (France): Architect and versatile front row forward for Racing. Died at Belleville-sur-Meuse while on a reconaissance mission.

13 10 15 Douglas Lambert (England): Eight tries in seven Tests. Served for Royal West Kents. Died at Loos two months before the birth of his son

17 10 15 Harry Alexander (England): Richmond forward, renowned as England’s choirmaster. Died on 13th day of active service with Grenadier Guards

29 11 15 Vincent McNamara (Ireland): UC Cork scrum-half, three caps. Served with Royal Engineers. Died in a gas attack at Suvla Bay Gallipoli

09 12 15 Robert Balderstone Burgess (Ireland): Dublin lawyer, one Test. Killed when hit by a shell while cycling in Armentieres, serving with Royal Engineers

31 12 15 John Henry Dods (Scotland): Eight times capped Edinburgh Academicals prop. Civilian contractor to the Royal Navy, killed when HMS Natal blew up

1916

19 01 16 David Dickie Howie (Scotland): Kirkcaldy forward who won seven caps. Served in the Royal Field Artillery, died of pneumonia in Egypt

14 03 16 Louis Augustus Phillips (Wales): Monmouth School and Newport scrum-half. Sergeant in the Royal Welch Fusiliers, killed in action at Cambrai

05 04 16 Robert Smyth (Ireland): Dublin University centre. Served as major in RAMC, served on Western Front evacuated with gas poisoning and later died

06 04 16 Andrew Ross (Scotland): Rugged Royal HSFP forward. Served in the 29th Canadian Regiment (Tobin’s Tigers). Killed Ridge Wood, Belgium

15 05 16 Jan Willem Hunter ‘Jackie’ Morkel (South Africa): Rugby and cricket cap for South Africa. Killed in German East Africa with the Mounted Commandos

31 05 16 Cecil Halliday Abercombie (Scotland): Powerful US Portsmouth forward. Died serving on HMS Defence at the Battle of Jutland

31 05 16 John Skinner Wilson (Scotland): US Services and London Scottish. Lt Commander HMS Indefatigible. Died at the Battle of Jutland

20 06 16 Gerald ‘Tommy’ Thompson (South Africa): Centre partner of Morkel. Also killed in German East Africa, served in the South African Infantry

01 07 16 Rowland Fraser (Scotland): Cambridge University backrow forward, captain in the Rifle Brigade, killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme

07 07 16 Edward John Richard ‘Dick’ Thomas (Wales): Versatile Mountain Ash back. Company sgt major with 38th (Welsh) Infantry. Died at Mametz Wood

09 07 16 Robert Lawrence Pillman (England): Blackheath flanker. Scratch golfer. Died of wounds received during a night raid at Armentieres.

11 07 16 John Lewis Williams (Wales): Cardiff wing, 17 tries in 17 Tests for Wales. Captain in the 38th (Welsh) Infantry. Died at Memetz Wood

14 07 16 Tobias Mortimer ‘Toby’ Moll (South Africa): Transvaal forward capped against 1910 Lions. Killed at Bazentine-le-Petit serving in Leicestershire Rgt.

14 07 16 David Watts (Wales): Maesteg lock and stalwart of Wales pack in 1914 Championship. Served with King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, died at Bezentine Ridge

18 07 16 Eric ‘Puss’ Milroy (Scotland): Watsonians scrum-half, toured with 1910 Lions. Killed near Longueval serving as a lieutenant in the 8th Batallion Black Watch

06 08 16 Leonard Haigh (England): Manchester prop, officer in the Army Service Corp, died of pneumonia while on a training exercise

09 08 16 John Abbott King (England): Diminutive Yorkshire No.8 and captain. Served for King’s Liverpool Regiment. Killed at Guillemont

14 08 16 Charles Meyrick Pritchard (Wales): Newport shop owner, 14 Wales caps, helped beat 1905 All Blacks. Died of wounds received at Clocques

02 09 16 Marcel Burgun, Croix de Guerre (France): Russian-born centre for Racing. Early member of the French Aviation Corp. Shot down south of Aubérive

03 09 16 Horace Wyndham Thomas (Wales): Bridgend fly-half and Cambridge choral scholar. Killed in action at Guillemont serving with the Rifle Brigade

18 09 16 The Rev Rupert Edward Inglis (England): Joined up aged 51 to encourage his parishoners. Died in Ginchy while recovering wounded soldiers from no-man’s land

11 11 16 André Lacassagne (France): Five times a French champion with Stade Bordelais. Soldat 2ème Classe, 284ème Regiment d’Infanterie. Killed on the Macedonian Front

13 11 16 Alfred Frederick Maynard (England): Cambridge University hooker. Survived Gallipoli but killed on Western Front at Beaumont Hamel.

31 12 16 Jean Aimé Larribau (France): Perigeux and Biarritz scrum-half renowned for his long pass. Sgt 12ème Regiment d’Infanterie. Killed at Louvremont

31 12 16 Julien Dufau (France): Flying Biarritz wing, ever-present in 1912. Lieutenant, Regiment d’Infanterie Coloniale. Killed in action, Niger

1917

04 02 17 Jasper Brett (Ireland): Monkstown and Ireland wing, killed by a tram in Dublin while suffering with shell shock after surviving hostilities at Gallipoli

25 03 17 John George Will (Scotland): Cambridge University wing. Scored two tries v England in 1914. Lt 29th squadron Royal Flying Corps, died over Arras

02 04 17 Brinley Richard Lewis (Wales): Cambridge University and London Welsh wing. Died at Ypres while serving as a major in the Royal Field Artillery

09 04 17 Thomas Arthur Nelson (Scotland): John Buchan’s novel 39 Steps was dedicated to this former Scotland centre. Killed at Arras serving the Lothian and Border Horse

13 04 17 Septimus Heyns Ledger (South Africa): Played for Griqualand West. Four caps. Sgt in the South African Infantry, killed at Arras.

16 04 17 Daniel Ihingoue (France): Medical student Bordeaux Univ. Centre, two caps. Killed in action serving in the 633ème Bataillon Tirailleurs Sénéglais

19 04 17 Walter Torrie Forrest, MC (Scotland): Hawick full-back, killed in Palestine serving for the King’s Own Scottish Borderers

28 04 17 Albert Luvian Wade (Scotland): London Scottish scrum-half. Killed Oppy Wood, Arras, serving with the Middlesex Regiment.

07 06 17 James Alexander Steenson Baird (New Zealand): Otago centre from Dunedin. Died of wounds received fighting with D Company of the Otago Infantry

07 06 17 George Maurice Victor Sellars (New Zealand): Auckland hooker, two Tests. Killed while carrying a wounded comrade at Messines. His body was never recovered

11 06 17 John Edward Raphael (England): Wing with old Merchant Taylors. Solicitor. Served Kings Royal Rifle Corp, died of wounds received at Messines Ridge

17 06 17 George Eric Burroughs Dobbs, Legion d’Honneur (England): Devonport Albion forward. Mentioned three times in dispatches. Died Poperinge, Belgium

20 06 17 Henri Emmanuel Isaac (France): Guadelope born Racing Club full-back, two Tests. Served in the 1er Groupe d’Aviation, Aviation Militaire

20 06 17 Reginald Taylor (New Zealand): Taranaki flanker, two Tests. Private in the Wellington Infantry Battalion, killed near Hainaut, Belgium.

21 06 17 James McNeece (New Zealand): Invercargill born second row who also played wing! Died of wounds at Messines.

01 07 17 Arthur James Wilson (England): Camborne Mines forward. Olympic silver medallist 1908. Killed Flanders serving for Royal Fusileers.

29 07 17 Edgar Robert Mobbs, DSO (England): Boys Own hero, raised a Sportsmans Regiment of his own. Died at third Battle of Ypres, attacking a machine gun post

31 07 17 James Young Milne Henderson (Scotland): Watsonians and Madras scrum-half, one cap. Killed at third Battle of Ypres with the Highland Light Infantry

31 07 17 Alfred Squire Taylor (Ireland): Belfast doctor, four Tests. Served with RAMC. Killed at third Battle of Ypres

20 08 17 Marc Giacardy (France): Stade Bordelais hooker, top referee and later a journalist. Killed at la Ferme-de-Mormont, near Verdun

27 08 17 David Westacott (Wales): Cardiff forward who played for Wales against 1905 All Blacks. Died while serving with the Gloucestershire Regiment at Zonnebeke.

21 09 17 Robert Stanley Black (New Zealand): Otago utility back. One Test. Killed in action while serving for the Canterbury Infantry Regiment

04 10 17 Dave Gallaher (New Zealand): Legendary Donegal-born former All Black captain and flanker. Six Tests. Killed at Passchendaele, fighting with the Auckland Regiment

04 10 17 Albert Lewis Stewart, DSO (Ireland): NIFC centre, three caps. Chartered accountant. Major, Royal Irish Rifles. Died at the Battle of Broodseinde

01 12 17 John Argentine Campbell (Scotland): West of Scotland forward. Lieutenant 6th Dragoons (Inniskilling). Died Honnechy

08 12 17 Stephen Sebastian Leonard ‘Beak’ Steyn (Scotland): London Scottish wing, Lieutenant Royal Field Artillery. Killed serving in Palestine

14 12 17 Phillip Dudley Waller (Wales and Lions): Newport forward, giant of the 1910 Lions tour. Died Arras with the South African Heavy Artillery

29 12 17 William Victor Edwards (Ireland): Malone lock. Two caps. Reportedly the first man to swim Belfast Lough. Killed in Palestine with Royal Dublin Fusiliers

1918

25 02 18 George Lamond (Scotland): Strong Kelvinside Academicals and Bristol centre. Lt Col Royal Engineers (Inland Water Transport). Died in Colombo

22 03 18 William Ramsay Hutchison (Scotland): Glasgow HSFP second row, Capt Royal Scots Fusiliers 59th Pioneer Division, died at Arras

24 03 18 Harold Augustus Hodges (England): Oxford University and Nottingham prop, French scholar. Served in 3rd Battalion Monmouthshire Regiment, shot near Eppeville

27 03 18 Noel Forbes Humphreys, MC (Lions): Uncapped Tyndale fly-half but 1910 Test player for the Lions. Capt in the Tank Corp. Buried at Etaples cemetry

09 04 18 Hubert Sydney ‘Jum’ Turtill (New Zealand): English-born Canterbury full-back. One test. Killed in France while with the 55th West Lancashire Division

20 04 18 Reginald Harold Myburgh Hands (England): England rugby cap, South Africa Test cricketer. Died after being gassed serving the South Africa Heavy Artillery.

22 04 18 Clarence ‘Doss’ Wallach, MC (Australia): Easts lock, five Tests. Died of wounds two weeks after being injured at the Battle of Hangard Wood

23 04 18 Arthur Leyland Harrison, VC (England): Rugby’s only VC from WW1. Killed in action at the Zeebrugge Raid. Lt-Commander HMS Lion and HMS Vindictive

30 04 18 Eric Tristan Harper (New Zealand): Accomplished mountaineer, cricketer and athlete. Canterbury centre, two Tests. Killed in Palestine

11 06 18 Jean Jacques Conilh de Beyssac (France): Stade Bordelais lock. Lieutenant 81er Artillerie Lourde, killed in action in the Oise sector

09 07 18 Hubert Jones (Australia): Coal trimmer from Newcastle, NSW. Three caps. Killed in action fighting with 30 Batallion AIF

05 08 18 Maurice Hedembaight (France): Bayonne fly-half, house painter, three caps. Killed at Battle of the Marne with 89th Regiment Infanterie

06 08 18 Bryan Desmond Hughes, MC (Australia): NSW flanker. Two Tests. Killed in action with the 8th Batallion of the 16th (Irish) Division at Borre

09 08 18 Lancelot Andrew Noel Slocock (England): Liverpool forward. Served in the King’s Liverpool Regiment. Killed at Guillemont

09 08 18 William George ‘Twit’ Tasker (Australia): NSW fly-half, six Tests. Wounded Gallipoli but re-enlisted on returning home. Killed on day two of the Battle of Amiens

30 08 18 William Elphinstone Gordon, MC (Scotland): Royal Artillery RFC. Major in the Regiment. Died near Daours

11 09 18 Ernest Henry Dodd (New Zealand): Wellington hooker, one Test. Killed fighting with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade

16 09 18 Maurice Jean-Paul Boyau, Legion d’Honneur (France): Dax back and French air ace and balloon buster (27 ‘kills’). Shot down by German ace Georg von Hantelmann

17 09 18 Charles Young Adamson (Lions): Uncapped by England but star of the 1899 Lions tour. Captain in the Royal Scots Fusiliers, died Salonika

04 10 18 Walter Riddell Sutherland (Scotland): Hawick wing, winner of 13 caps. Died while serving in the Seaforth Higlanders

04 11 18 Adam Francis Burdett (South Africa): Western Province, winner of two caps, killed in Gauteng serving for South Africa Service Corp

05 11 18 Alexander James Ridland (New Zealand): Blacksmith and hooker from Invercargill. Three Tests. Died fighting with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade

18 11 18 Reginald Oscar Schwarz, MC (England): Richmond fly-half, leg-spinner for South Africa. Stockborker. Died of flu in France a week after peace was declared.

01 12 18 Frederick Leonard Perrett (Wales): Neath forward who turned professional with Leeds RL. Died of wounds received serving with Royal Welsh Fusilliers

1924

15 07 24 Albert Chateau (France): Talented Bordeaux fly-half who died from war wounds six long years after hostilities ended

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Tagged Bredan Gallagher