Remembering Heroes Long Gone
Both world wars left the world awash with the blood of millions of dead bodies scattered around the globe. The death toll went up to ten million in Western Europe in the First World War and sixty million in the Second World War. It must be noted that in
the course of these two wars rugby lost some of its finest players. The list of Rugby internationals killed during the two world wars makes one think of the tremendous losses dealt to Rugby within such a short span of time.
Internationals killed in World War 1
Scotland
30
England
27
France
23
New Zealand
12
Wales
11
Australia
9
Ireland
9
South Africa
4
Germany
Not known
Internationals killed in World War 2
Germany
16
New Zealand
2
Wales
3
Australia
10
Ireland
7
Scotland
15
England
14
France
8
During the First World War, a very famous poster was circulated amongst the British Athletes according to which a total of 90% of Rugby Union Footballers had enlisted to fight in the war. It was later estimated that more than 5000 Australian Rugby players
enrolled for active war service between the years 1914 to 1918 that is, a total of 98% of rugby sportsmen playing at that time.
The players killed in the first war included the Australian Blair Swannell who had played for the British Lions and had capped all the four Rugby test matches played in 1904. Dr David Bedell-Sivright who became known as the toughest and roughest forward
in his day is another big name that comes to mind. He played for Scotland a total of 22 times between the years 1914 to 1918. Willen Hunter Morkel and Marcel Burgun too were excellent rugby players who were killed in their prime during this period. Edgar Mobbs,
the former North Hampton and England player who scored 6 tries in a match twice and won 7 caps for England was also struck down in the war.
A memorial service is held in his remembrance every year to this day. This despairing list also includes Ronald Poulton Palmer who won the record of managing four trys from the centre as well as the famous Newport forward CM Pritchard who capped a total
of 14 times for Wales. And of course the memory of the famous Irishman David Gallaher, the captain of the 1905 All Blacks brings fresh tears in the eyes of All Blacks fans to this day. He captained the first All Blacks team to ever tour Europe in 1905. Till
today he is remembered as the first in the long line of fine sportsmen that have played for All Blacks over the past century.
The Second World War dealt rugby an equally cruel hand. Sportsmen killed included the former Newport Captain John R Evans, the Irishman Robert Alexander who played for England 11 times and toured with the 1938 Lions in South Africa as a part of Ireland’s
team. Vice Admiral Norman Atherton Wodehouse, who captained England and led the team to a Grand Slam victory also met his death in the Second World War. He was one of the 14 English players killed in the war.
It seems cruel to think that the wars deprived rugby of some of its finest players. The two wars represent major tragedies in the history of Rugby that shall forever mar the glorious tradition of the sport. In retrospect, memorials may be held to commemorate
the players and charities may be created in their name, yet the collective loss to rugby shall never be recovered.
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