Matthew Ferris and colleague Phil Atkinson tell James Pontin about these heroes for Scrum V Radio
As a history teacher I am passionate about the past. I was for a long time like many Welshmen passionate about our national game rugby. I still am. For over 25 years it has been a part of my life. It continues to be big part of my sons' life now also.
My other all consuming obsession is the First World War. For the last decade I have taken parties of school children to the First World War battlefields of France and Belgium to visit the graves of their townsfolk who gave their lives in the Great War.
It has become a fixation of mine to ensure I have visited every one of them at least once!
For the past two years though my mind and that of the students in my classes has turned to the lives of Welsh rugby internationals who were killed over 90 years ago. 'Let's go and see the graves of famous Welsh Rugby players, sir,' was one question I can distinctively remember. With a few changes to our itinerary we were on our way.
The first Welsh rugby international's grave to be visited was that of former Neath Player Fred Leonard Perrett who died of wounds and is buried at Terlincthun British Cemetery in Wimille, near Boulogne in France.
Further research in London lists his wife as living in Hull - for Fred had turned professional with Hull RLFC after playing against South Africa in 1912 and England, Scotland, Ireland and France in 1913. Indeed his defection to the professional code caused some deliberation within the WRU and he was for a long time omitted from their roll of honour of those who died in World War One - such was the ill-feeling to rugby defectors.
Travelling eastwards to the British Military Cemetery at Choques is where Captain Charles Meyrick Pritchard is buried. A strong forward from Newport RFC, he won 14 caps for Wales and was renowned for being a 'Lion on the field and a Gentleman off it.'
Captain Pritchard was present in the famous 1905 fixture against the All Blacks when Wales achieved a famous if controversial victory. He was to die of gunshot wounds to the right thigh and waist after leading a night raid into no-man's-land to capture German prisoners. Indeed his last words were reported to have been: 'I have done my bit.'
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Sergeant Louis Phillips who also hailed from the Newport club and won four caps for Wales between 1900 and 1901 as well as winning two Welsh amateur golf titles was to die in similar circumstances and is buried in Cambrin churchyard.
The oldest former Welsh International to die in World War One was Lieutenant Richard Davies Garnons Williams who played in the first ever Welsh rugby international against England in 1881. He was killed while leading troops in the Battle of Loos in 1915 and he is commemorated on the Loos Memorial to the Missing. He was 59 years of age.
Having arrived in the Belgian town of Ypres there are a number of Welsh internationals commemorated and buried in close proximity to the town centre. William Geen (Newport RFC) who played against South Africa in 1912 and England and Ireland in 1913 is commemorated on the Menin Gate after being killed in Action on the 31st July 1915. The war diary for the 9th Battalion of The Kings Royal Rifle Corps records a heavy bombardment followed by an attack by enemy troops.
The name of Cardiff forward David Westacott is recorded at Tyne Cot on the Passchendaele ridge. He was killed in trenches near Wieltje with the Gloucester Regiment on the 28th August 1917. A report in the South Wales Echo stated that 'He died,' writes the officer, 'as he lived - a true sportsman.' His only cap had been against Ireland in 1906.
Major Brinley Richard Lewis is buried on the outskirts of Ypres in Ferme-Oliver Cemetery. A former Swansea and Cambridge University player, he won two caps both of them against Ireland in 1912 and 1913. The War Diary for the Royal Field Artillery wrote that the enemy shelled the heavy battery immediately in the rear of B Battery on the morning of the 2nd with a high velocity gun. Unfortunately both Major BR Lewis and Lieut. D A Carnegie were both in the mess at the time and were both killed instantly. Brinley Lewis was 25 years of age and had just finished his law degree at Cambridge.
Travelling south into France and onto to the Somme battlefields are buried a number of former Welsh rugby players who were to die in 1916. Two of them were killed in the same action with the 16th Battalion (Cardiff City) of the Welsh regiment at Mametz Wood.
Company Sergeant Major Dick Thomas was killed in action on the 7th July and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. He had won four caps as a forward between 1906 and 1909 hailing from the Mountain Ash Rugby Club.
Captain John Lewis Williams was wounded in the same action and died on the 12th July 1916. He is buried in Corbie Communal Cemetery. He played for Cardiff RFC and scored 17 tries in 17 matches. He was only on the losing side only twice in his Wales career.
Corporal David Watts was serving with the 7th Battalion of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry when he was killed on 14th July 1916 at Bazentin Ridge. He had won 4 caps in 1914 while playing with Maesteg RFC.
Second Lieutenant Horace Wyndam Thomas was killed with the Rifle Brigade on the 3rd September 1916. A Cambridge and Swansea RFC product, he had played standoff against South Africa in 1912 and England in 1913. He was killed at Guillemont and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
Heading eastwards towards Cambria is the last Welsh rugby international buried on the Western Front. Paul Dudley Waller played 6 times for Wales and was never on the losing side. He was a member of the Newport club, the 1909 Grand Slam winning side and toured South Africa with the 1910 Lions playing in 3 tests.
Waller stayed on in South Africa to play for Johannesburg Wanderers and when war was declared he joined the South African Heavy Artillery. He was killed in action on the 14th December 1917 and is buried at Red Cross Corner Cemetery in Beugny, France.
The only Welsh international to be commemorated in the British Isles is Engineer Captain C G Taylor who was killed with the Royal Navy while serving on HMS Tiger on the 24th January 1915. According to the ships log he was not buried at sea like some of his colleagues and is buried at Tavistock New Cemetery in Devon.
Taylor's ship was struck while engaging the German Battle Cruiser 'Blucher' and he was the first Welsh rugby player to be killed in the First World War. He had played 9 matches for Wales out of the Blackheath Rugby Club and was at one time the Welsh pole vault champion.
Matthew Ferris - November 2008
your comments
Richard Jenkins, ex Builth Wells and Porthcawl, now Bournemouth
Dick Thomas was my great grandfather. There are some good links in Wikipedia regarding these historic figures.
Julian Jenkins, Aberdeenshire
Fred Leonard Perrett was my great uncle. He was born in Briton Ferry, the brother of my grandmother, Janie. I have recently been researching the family history and came across the record of his grave and intend to visit it myself. I have a photo of Uncle Fred in uniform should the pupils require a copy. What an excellent project. Well done.
Val Smith from Caerphilly
Does anyone remember Jack Perry from Llanbradach. He was an 'Old Contemptible' and after WW1 came home to Llanbradach to work in Llanbradach pit?
Brian Like, Builth Wells
I commend the St Martins School for taking pupils to witness the graves of the soldiers in the first world war. I think all schools should allocate time in November each year to explain the bravery our soldiers gave for their country.
Dave Robinson, Thrall, Texas, USA
I too am very interested in WW1 history, but had never looked upon it in terms of Welsh rugby players. Growing up in Cardiff in the 50's I knew some of the WW1 vets, who were friends of my gran. One sticks in my mind, name of Jack who was a Senghennydd pit disaster survivor and a WW1 survivor, quite a lad still even though he was in his 70's. They bred them tough in Wales back then!!
