Obituary: Howard Campbell MC, War hero and rugby international who was capped four times for Scotland Born: 10 November, 1921, in Machakos, Kenya. Died: 22 February, in Oxfordshire The death of former Scotland internationalist and war hero Howard Campbell at the age of 90 is a reminder that a generation of British sportsmen and sportswomen had their careers interrupted by a much greater call to arms, namely the fight against the Axis forces in the Second World War. Scottish rugby paid a heavy price in the number of international players killed during the war. With 15 capped players such as George Roberts and DKA MacKenzie killed in uniform - half the number lost during the First World War - Scotland lost more internationals than any of the other rugby playing nations except one. It is possibly not appreciated that Germany had a thriving rugby scene in the 1930s and lost 16 internationals during the war. Many more international rugby players were injured, and many were decorated for heroism such as Paddy Mayne, one of the original SAS members who won the DSO and three bars, plus the Croix de Guerre. Howard Hindmarsh Campbell was one of the latter band of heroes. He was born in colonial Kenya in 1921 in Machakos, a town 40 miles south-east of Nairobi. His father, of Scottish origin, was a civil engineer in the public works department. Campbell followed in his father's footsteps, studying to become an engineer, but first came his war service with, appropriately, the Corps of Royal Engineers. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant, and it was in the crucial months following D-Day as the German forces were driven back to defeat that his bravery and leadership came to the fore. The recommendation for his MC read: "Throughout the campaign since D-Day, the work of Lieutenant Campbell has been outstanding and an example of conscientious doggedness. His organisation and supervision of mine clearance of forward routes and assembly areas immediately on landing undoubtedly saved many casualties. His role in all subsequent operations in which the unit took part has always been carried out with the utmost vigour and determination coupled with reasoned technical skill. He has never spared himself, accepting all operations of any magnitude and routine work, with cheerfulness and displaying throughout an utter disregard for personal danger. In the race towards Germany, Campbell's most notable action came in the battle for the Dutch town of Standdarbuitten. The 104th US Infantry Division had been charged with establishing a bridgehead on the Mark River and Campbell braved heavy enemy small arms fire and shelling to find the best position and direct the construction of a Bailey bridge - footage of US troops crossing the bridge can be seen on YouTube. His recommendation concluded: "His courage, always of a high order, and capabilities of leadership are an example and a constant source of inspiration and encouragement to the troops under his command." Always a keen rugby player, during the war Campbell played as a prop forward for Scotland Services against England Services in the morale-boosting matches played at Murrayfield and Leicester in 1944. An autographed programme for the Murrayfield match shows that he signed himself HH Campbell. He resumed his studies at Cambridge University after being demobbed, and his prowess in the front row saw him win his blue for the university and brought him to the attention of the Scottish selectors. The savage toll of internationals in 1939-45 is often cited as one of the reasons why Scottish rugby did not flourish in the post-war years when Campbell was at the peak of his playing career. Only the great flank forward WID Elliot would emerge from that era with his reputation unscathed. Still at Cambridge, Campbell was called up to play at tight-head prop for Scotland against Ireland at Murrayfield on 22 February, 1947, when the Scots were outmuscled in the scrum and lost by 3-0, Ireland's single try being the only score in a game largely controlled by the great Irish fly-half (or stand-off) Jackie Kyle. Campbell kept his place for the blizzard-hit Calcutta Cup match on 15 March but sadly it was a rout for the English, who scored four goals (tries and conversions) and a drop goal to a goal by Scotland, the final result of 24-5 being England's biggest win over Scotland at Twickenham to that date. The Scottish selectors wielded the axe after that defeat but there was no improvement and after moving to play his club rugby for London Scottish, Campbell was recalled for the 1948 match against Ireland in Dublin. Indeed, he was made pack leader for the day and The Scotsman's correspondent opined that the former officer had "exhorted and encouraged them in great style." The Scottish pack was outclassed, however, and Ireland won 6-0 on their way to their first Grand Slam championship. Campbell's finest hour was in his fourth and last match for Scotland on 20 March, 1948, when 70,000 spectators crammed Murrayfield to see the Scots win the Calcutta Cup by 6-3, two tries to a penalty goal. Campbell did not play for Scotland again, though he did play for the Barbarians. His work as a civil engineer with Shell meant that he had to work in several countries including Sri-Lanka, India and South Africa. In his retirement, Campbell, who had made his home in a thatched cottage in rural Oxfordshire near Reading, enjoyed a round of golf at Henley Golf Club and indulged in his hobby of photography. Howard Campbell is survived by his wife, Barbara, his son, Keith, and daughters, Frances and Katharine. His funeral will take place at St John the Baptist Church of England, Kidmore End, Oxfordshire, on Thursday 15 March at 1pm, with the cremation afterwards being a private family service.