Warrior Rugby Stars: The Brave Rugby Players from the First and Second Great Wars

Rugby Players Turned War Heroes: A Tale of Courage and Valour

In the annals of British sports history, few stories are as captivating as that of the rugby players who donned the uniform of their country and bravely ventured into the battlefield. One such tale involves two Irishmen, Tom Crean and Robert Johnston, who made a name for themselves on the rugby pitch before embarking on extraordinary adventures during wartime.

Tom Crean, a standout player for the British Isles team during a tour of South Africa in 1896, won 19 out of its 21 matches. After the tour, he decided to remain in South Africa, opening a medical practice in the Transvaal. His fellow Irishman, Robert Johnston, also opted to stay in the region and went into business not far from Crean's surgery.

Their paths crossed again when they enlisted together in the Imperial Light Horse in September 1899, just as the Second Boer War was about to erupt. Johnston's bravery was soon evident, as he was awarded the Victoria Cross during the battle of Elandslaagte in October 1899.

Fast forward to World War I, and another English naval officer and former rugby international, Arthur Harrison, found himself participating in the daring raid on the German-occupied port of Zeebrugge in 1918. The raid's objective was to scuttle three outdated cruisers within the port, trapping submarines. Harrison was among the dead, gunned down as he led an assault against a German machine gun emplacement. His demise was lamented by his fellow naval officer, Alfred Carpenter, in a eulogy.

The raid was largely successful, but at a high cost: 200 men dead and 384 wounded. Among the honours bestowed upon the participants was the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) four times to Lieutenant Colonel John "Jack" Churchill, a rugby player of repute who played for England from 1906 to 1908.

The story of rugby players turning war heroes continues into World War II. Blair Mayne, the leader of a raid on an aerodrome at Tamet, a coastal town between Tripoli and Benghazi, held by the Axis powers in 1941, was a notable figure in the British army. Mayne, who was awarded the DSO four times, led a group of ten British soldiers, resulting in several dead Italian and German airmen and 24 enemy aircraft destroyed or badly damaged.

Another rugby player who distinguished himself during World War II was Ralph 'Sammy' Sampson, a Scotland rugby player, who was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses for his service as a Spitfire pilot.

Even beyond the battlefield, the influence of rugby on these war heroes was evident. Sir Tasker Watkins, a talented club rugby player who later became president of the Welsh Rugby Football Union, was awarded a Victoria Cross in 1944 during the battle for Normandy. Watkins attributed his own act of bravery to the team ethic and leadership skills learned from rugby.

As we reflect on these stories, it becomes clear that the world of rugby has produced a unique breed of heroes. While football and cricket have produced a handful of wartime heroes, nothing compares to the scores of rugby players who fought with distinction. Their stories serve as a testament to the indomitable spirit of rugby players, both on and off the pitch.

Warrior Rugby Stars: The Brave Rugby Players from the First and Second Great Wars