RUGBY INTERNATIONALS KILLED AT THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME
1: July 1: Rowland Fraser
(Scotland): Cambridge University back row forward, captain in the Rifle Brigade, killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. 2: July 7: Edward John Richard ‘Dick’ Thomas (Wales): Versatile Mountain Ash back, Company Sgt Major with 38th (Welsh) Infantry. Died at Mametz Wood. 3: July 9: Robert Lawrence Pillman (England): Blackheath flanker. Scratch golfer. Died of wounds received during a night raid at Armentieres. 4: July 11: John Lewis Williams (Wales): Cardiff wing, 17 tries in 17 Tests for Wales. Capt in the 38th (Welsh) Infantry. Died at Memetz Wood. 5: July 14: David Watts (Wales): Maesteg lock and stalwart of Wales pack in 1914 Championship. Served with King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, died at Bezentine Ridge. 6: July 15: Tobias Mortimer ‘Toby’ Moll (South Africa): Transvaal forward capped against 1910 Lions. Killed at Bazentine-le-petit serving in Leicestershire Rgt. 7: July 18: Eric ‘Puss’ Milroy
(Scotland): Watsonians scrumhalf, toured with 1910 Lions. Killed near Longueval serving in the 8th Battalion Black Watch.
8: Aug 9: John Abbott King (England): Diminutive Yorkshire No.8 and captain. Served for Kings Liverpool Regiment. Killed at Guillemont. 9: Aug 9: Andrew Noel
Slocock (England): Former England captain serving with the Liverpool Scottish. Killed at Guillemont in the same attack as King. 10: Sept 3: Horace Wyndham Thomas (Wales): Bridgend flyhalf and Cambridge choral scholar. KIA at Guillemont serving with the Rifle Brigade. 11: Sept 18: The Rev Rupert Edward Inglis (England): Joined up aged 51. Died Ginchy recovering wounded soldiers from no mans land. 12: Sept 19: Frank Wilson
(New Zealand): Second Lieutenant Auckland Regiment of NZEF. Died of wounds received in action on September 17. 13: Sept 21: Stanley ‘Bobby’
Black (New Zealand): Otago back capped in Australia in 1914. Killed in action serving for the Canterbury Regiment. 14: Nov 4: Private Herbert
Jones (Australia): Aussie wing KIA by shellfire at Flers when serving with the 30th Batallion AIF. 15 Nov 13: Alfred Frederick
Maynard (England): Cambridge University hooker. Survived Gallipoli but killed at Beaumont Hamel in the Battle of Ancre.