With the introduction of an England Rugby award in the name of Arthur Harrison VC the loss of life by members of the Royal Navy Rugby Union will always be remembered.  However though Harrison was probably the most famous he wasn't the only capped player to lose his life whilst serving.  This page is dedicated to those players who were capped by the Royal Navy Rugby Union and lost their life whilst serving their country on active service.  The work is based on a collation of information made by Mr Stubbs BEM in 1948.  Stubbs was an assistant to the then Navy Rugby selector Ginger Osbourne who had received a request from Livingstone Inwin who wished to update the Playfair Rugby Football Annual.  What is interesting is that the original list missed off Admiral Norman Wodehouse, the former Navy and England captain who was recalled to active service for WWII and lost his life on the merchant vessel Robert L Holt which was sunk by a german submarine.

As ever if anyone has information that could add to this page then it would be most welcome.

Geraint

Roll of Honour World War 1

Name Total First Number Army
Abercrombie C H 4 1907 15 1907,10-11,13
Biggs G 1 1907 17 1907
Collier M H 2 1912 50 1912,14
Harrison (VC) A L 1 1914 58 1914
Jefferson I S 1 1914 59 1914
Oakley F E 4 1911 44 1911-14
Wansborough L B R 1 1914 61 1914
Wilson J S 2 1907 21 1907,13

Roll of Honour World War 2

Name Total First Number Army RAF
Armstrong H T 4 1926 123 1926,29 1926,29
Blagrove H E C 2 1909 25 1909-10 ~
Darling G P 4 1935 178 1935,37 1935,37
Forbes J H 1 1928 141 ~ 1928
Hallaran C F G 7 1920 70 1920,22,24 1920-24
Linton (VC) J W 7 1927 134 1927-28,30,35 1927-28,30
Luddington W 16 1921 84 1921-27,30 1921-27,30
Nott K D 2 1937 194 1937 1937
O'Conner R C 5 1920 74 1920,23-24 1920,24
St Clair-Ford D 8 1929 150 1929-32 1929-32
Talbot E B 2 1937 197 1937 1937
Wodehouse N A 7 1907 23 1907,09-14 ~