Brinley Richard Lewis was killed on the Western Front 100 years ago to the day of the game when a stray German shell landed on the Battery Mess to the rear of his unit’s position. He was killed instantly, along with a fellow officer, at Boesinge, Belgium, at the age of 26. He was the ninth of 13 Welsh internationals to be killed in WW1.
So keen was he to serve his county during the Great War that he forsook his final law exams – he was articled to T.W. James, solicitor – and enlisted as a trooper in the Glamorgan Yeomanry. He then transferred to the Royal Field Artillery and quickly earned a commission. Eventually rising to the rank of Major, “B” Battery, 122nd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, 38th (Welsh) Division, his final promotion came for ‘Valuable service in the field’. Shortly after his death, he was mentioned in despatches.
Born on 4 January, 1891, Lewis learned his rugby at Swansea Grammar School, played for Welsh Schoolboys against England in 1905 and got his first taste of senior rugby with his home town team of Pontardawe. He won three ‘Blues’ at Cambridge University and played for Swansea, London Welsh, Glamorgan and the Barbarians.
He joined Swansea in the 1909-10 and appeared in Welsh trials that season. But he had to wait until 1912 for the first of his two caps, on 9 March, 1912, against Ireland in Dublin. Wales lost 12-5 and the debutant copped much of the blame.
His second cap was also against Ireland, on 8 March, 1913, on home turf at St Helen’s. He scored two tries and had a hand in the third as Wales won a thriller, 16-13. Three of the victorious Welsh XV that day failed to return from WW1 – Lewis, Billy Geen and Fred Perrett.
While the Ospreys can look forward to honouring Lewis with a win over Stade Francais, Carmarthen Quins have already ensured remembered their ‘Fallen’ heroes at a Great War Exhibition staged at their clubhouse last month. Organsied by the Quins’ club archivist and historian, Percy Jones, and local business man Andy Edwards, and backed by also the Tin Shed of Laugharne, the Back to the Front Experience of Pendine, and the World War One artist Jeff Phillips, they decided to host an event after they discovered that so many Quins players had served in WW1.
Included among them were Flying Aces Ira ‘Taffy’ Jones, and Parcell Rees Bowen, while brothers Dick and Arthur Watson also flew in WW1. Both were superb athletes and played rugby at Carmarthen Grammar School and for the Quins. Dick served in the Royal Naval Air Service and Arthur in the Royal Flying Corps.
Dick was killed near Nieuport at the age of 22 on 25 April, 1917, while Arthur was taken Prisoner of War less than two weeks earlier Arthur after being shot down over German lines. He received four machine gun bullets in his left shoulder and was taken out of his aircraft by some German nuns. He was the only one of the 12 crew to survive and spent 18 months as a POW.
He was repatriated just before the war finished and made a full recovery, going on to study medicine before becoming a doctor in Scarborough.
EUROPEAN RUGBY CHALLENGE CUP QUARTER-FINAL
Sunday, 2 April – Ospreys v Stade Francais Paris (Principality Stadium, 5.45pm)
Tickets available at www.eticketing.co.uk/ospreysrugby/
