page_title: List of international rugby union players killed in World War I
section_title: England
hierarchical_section_title: List of international rugby union players killed in World War I / List by country / England
caption_attribution_description: Bristol Rovers v Manchester United at the Memorial Stadium, Bristol
context_page_description: This is a list of international rugby union players who died serving in armed forces during the First World War. Most of these came from the British Commonwealth, but a number of French international rugby players were also killed. A number of major teams, whose nations were belligerents in World War I such as Japan, Canada, Italy, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa had not made their international debuts at this point in time, and the United States team had only been in existence for around two years prior to the war.
  Also, none of the Central Powers had true national rugby squads at this point although there had been rugby clubs in Germany since the late 19th century, and the German Rugby Federation is the oldest national rugby union in continental Europe. However, Germany did put forward a team for rugby union at the 1900 Summer Olympics – Olympic rugby was not seen as particularly prestigious – and it is not known if any of that team were war casualties.
context_section_description: One of the most poignant stories is of Ronnie Poulton-Palmer, who had played against the South African tourists of 1912–13 only a few years before:
  "Those who watched [Ronnie Poulton] play were certain that he was the greatest three-quarter ever to play the game and they held to that opinion all their lives..."
  "Poulton later inherited a fortune on condition that he changed his name to Poulton-Palmer; sadly he did not live to enjoy it, being killed by a sniper's bullet in the Great War. His last words before he died were: 'I shall never play at Twickenham again.'"
  England had over twenty six players killed in the conflict. This was the second highest number of casualties, after Scotland. However, many of the Scotland players were "Anglos", i.e. based, born or playing in the England's domestic leagues for teams such as London Scottish FC or universities, so their loss affected English rugby too.
  Henry Brougham is sometimes listed, because he died of war wounds. However, since he died in 1923, after the war had ended, he is also often omitted.
  Harry Alexander; died on 17 October 1915 Aged 35 
  Henry Berry; died on 9 May 1915, Aged 32.
  Arthur James Dingle; died on 22 August 1915, Aged 23	
  George Eric Burroughs Dobbs, died on 17 June 1917, Aged 32.
  Leonard Haigh, died on 6 August 1916 Aged 29.	
  Reginald Harry Myburgh Hands, ("Reggie Hands") died on 20 April 1918, Aged 29 Hands was a South African who played cricket for South Africa and rugby for England.
  Arthur Leyland Harrison VC; died on 23 April 1918, Aged 32
  Harold Augustus Hodges; died on 24 March 1918, Aged 32	14
  Rupert Edward Inglis; died on 18 September 1916, Aged 53	
  Percy Dale Kendall; died on 21 January 1915, Aged 34	
  John Abbott King; died on 9 August 1916, Aged 32	
  Ronald Owen Lagden; died on 3 March 1915, Aged 26
  Douglas Lambert; died on 13 October 1915, Aged 32	
  Alfred Frederick Maynard; died on 13 November 1916, Aged 22
  Edgar Roberts Mobbs, ("Mobbsy") died on 29 July 1917, Aged 37	16
  William Moore Bell Nanson; died on 4 June 1915, Aged 34	
  Francis Eckley Oakeley; died on 25 November 1914, Aged 23	
  Robert Pillman; died on 9 July 1916, Aged 23	17
  Ronald William Poulton-Palmer, ("Ronnie Poulton") died on 5 May 1915, Aged 25	
  John Edward Raphael, died on 11 June 1917, Aged 35	
  Reginald Oscar Schwarz MC, ("Reggie Schwarz") died on 18 November 1918, Aged 43	
  Lancelot Andrew Noel Slocock; died on 9 August 1918, Aged 29
  Francis Nathaniel Tarr; died on 18 July 1915, Aged 27	
  Alexander Findlater Todd, died on 21 April 1915, Aged 41	
  James Henry Digby Watson; died on 15 October 1914, Aged 24.	
  Charles Edward Wilson; died 17 September 1914, Aged 43.
  Arthur James Wilson, died on 1 July 1917, Aged 29
caption: The Memorial Stadium in Bristol shown here during a soccer game. It is named in honour of those rugby players who died in World War I
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