OURFC In Memoriam

OURFC Captain, Reed Prinsep, and Crawshays Captain, Jac Cloke, carry out remembrance wreaths for the memorial.

Last Friday the Men's Blues are played the iconic Welsh touring team, Crawshays ahead of Remembrance Sunday. As Iffley Road packed full of people, both squads observed a minutes silence on the night, providing an opportunity for the current players, staff and supporters of OURFC to reflect on the sacrifices of the players of the past.

A total of 41 Blues from the club died during the two world wars, a terrible level of loss from what was a small body of players.  There is no permanent memorial to these players at Iffley Road, perhaps because each is listed on the war memorials within their individual colleges. However, their photographs hang in the clubhouse, bearing quiet testimony to those who were lost and their heroism, both on and off the rugby pitch.

OURFC's very own Nick Clegg played 'The Last Post' to open the minutes silence.

As their college affiliations, playing careers and biographies are studied, these collectively reflect changes within the game of rugby union and, more widely, the place of sport within British society.  Both during their time as students and after leaving the university, many of the pre-1914 players continued to play the sport at the principal clubs of the day, such as Blackheath, Harlequins and Richmond.  Some like John Raphael (St John’s) gained Blues and enjoyed first class careers in other sports, such as cricket, or Ronald Poulton Palmer (Balliol) with Hockey. Those who gained their Blues after 1918, had less opportunity to perform at elite level in multiple sports, probably as the demands of academia changed.

Take a look at our memorial service.

Some of the players were household names to their contemporaries and remain relatively well known to this day.  These include Ronnie Poulton Palmer, the captain of the England team in 1914, whose last words as he lay mortally injured were reported to be, “I shall never play at Twickenham again.”  Also, Alexander Obolensky (Brasenose), known as ‘the Flying Prince’, who died in a plane crash in 1940, serving his adoptive country in the RAF, following his representing England four times in inter-war international matches.  In 1936, he scored two tries on his international debut at ‘HQ’ against New Zealand, the first time that England had beaten the All Blacks.  His first try was regarded at the time as one of the greatest individual scores ever witnessed.

We would like thank all who attended yet another unforgettable Crawshays fixture. This Friday, the men will be going against Trinity College Dublin ahead of OURFC's 'Irish Weekend', tickets available here.