Edgar Mobbs
{{Short description|England international rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby biography | name = Edgar Mobbs
{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|DSO}}}}
| image = File:Edgar Mobbs.jpg
| caption =
| birth_name = Edgar Roberts Mobbs
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1882|06|29}}
| birth_place = Northampton, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1917|07|31|1882|06|29|df=yes}}
| death_place = Pilckem Ridge, Passchendaele salient, Belgium
| height =
| weight =
| ru_position = Wing
| ru_nationalteam = {{nrut|England}}
| ru_nationalcaps = 7
| ru_nationalpoints = (12)
| ru_ntupdate =
| ru_nationalyears = 1909–1910
| ru_clubyears =
| ru_clubupdate =
| ru_clubcaps =
| ru_clubpoints =
| ru_proclubs = Northampton R.F.C.
Barbarian F.C.
| occupation =
| school = Bedford Modern School
| university =
}}
Edgar Roberts Mobbs {{postnominals|country=GBR|DSO}} (1882–1917){{cite web |url=http://www.espnscrum.com/england/rugby/player/2007.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929100529/http://www.espnscrum.com/england/rugby/player/2007.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 September 2012 |title=Edgar Mobbs player profile |website=Scrum.com}} was an English rugby union footballer who played for and captained Northampton R.F.C. and England. He played as a three quarter. Mobbs is commemorated in the Ella-Mobbs Trophy, first competed for by the Australia and England rugby union teams in the 2022 series.{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Nathan |date=23 June 2022 |title=Wallabies to play England for new Ella-Mobbs Cup | Latest Rugby News | RUGBY.com.au |url=https://www.rugby.com.au/news/wallabies-to-play-england-for-mark-ella-eager-mobbs-cup-2022623 |access-date=2 July 2022 |website=www.rugby.com.au |language=en}}
Life
Edgar Roberts Mobbs was born on 29 June 1882 in Northampton, England, the son of Oliver L. and Elizabeth Anne Mobbs.{{cite web |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/2007.html |title=Edgar Mobbs - Rugby Union - Players and Officials - ESPN Scrum |work=ESPN scrum |access-date=3 July 2015 |archive-date=4 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704220111/http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/2007.html |url-status=dead }} A brother was Noel Mobbs (1878–1959), founder of Slough Estates. He was educated at Bedford Modern School where the name of a house commemorates him.{{cite book |title=Bedford Modern School of the black & red |via=worldcat.org |oclc=16558393}}
File:Mobbs Zillebeke 2023-10-15.jpg
After initially being turned down as too old to join the army{{dub|too old for commission?|date=December 2022}} in the First World War, Mobbs raised his own "sportsman's" company of 250 sportsmen (also known as Mobbs' Own) for the Northamptonshire Regiment. He rose to command his battalion (7th (Service) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment) with the rank of lieutenant colonel.{{cite web |title=Saints and the Army gather to honour fallen hero |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/10706777/Saints-and-the-Army-gather-to-honour-fallen-hero.html |website=telegraph.co.uk |access-date=5 December 2014}} He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the 1917 New Year Honours.{{London Gazette |issue=29886 |supp=y |pages=25 |date=29 December 1916 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/3418957/Sporting-greats-who-graced-playing-field-and-World-War-One-battlefield-but-were-taken-before-their-time-Sport.html |title=Sporting greats who graced playing field and World War One battlefield but were taken before their time: Sport - Telegraph |author=Brendan Gallagher |date=10 November 2008 |work=Telegraph.co.uk |access-date=3 July 2015}}
Mobbs was killed in action, on 31 July 1917, at Zillebeke, Belgium, during the Third Battle of Ypres, while attacking a machine gun post in Shrewsbury Forest [https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasthuisbossen_(Ieper)]. His body has not been found, so his name is on the Menin Gate memorial.{{cite web |title=Mobbs, Edgar Roberts |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/907119/MOBBS,%20EDGAR%20ROBERTS |website=Casualty details |publisher=CWGC |access-date=15 May 2016}} Mobbs is also commemorated with a bust in Northampton. He is also commemorated in the woods around Zillebeke with a cross and a remembrance plate.
In 1921 the first Mobbs' Memorial Match was held between the East Midlands RFU and the Barbarians at Franklin's Gardens. In 2008 the Barbarians played Bedford Blues in the Mobbs Memorial Match at Goldington Road[http://www.barbarianfc.co.uk/news.cfm?categoryID=55&id=202 81st Mobbs Memorial Match confirmed] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522150158/http://www.barbarianfc.co.uk/news.cfm?categoryID=55&id=202 |date=22 May 2008 }} and did so again in 2009. The final Mobbs Match to feature the Barbarians took place in April 2011 against Bedford. The fixture continues to be played with the Army Rugby Union facing Bedford and Northampton Saints in alternate years{{cite web |url=http://www.espnscrum.com/barbarians/rugby/story/138641.html |title=The end of an era |first=Huw |last=Richards |work=ESPN Scrum |date=22 April 2011 |access-date=24 April 2011 |archive-date=26 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110426083532/http://www.espnscrum.com/barbarians/rugby/story/138641.html |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.rfu.com/news/2012/march/newsarticles/120312_mobbs_match |title=Mobbs Memorial Match returns to Northampton |work=rfu.com |date=22 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023023904/http://rfu.com/news/2012/march/newsarticles/120312_mobbs_match |archive-date=23 October 2012 |df=dmy}} and the game helps to raise money for youth rugby in the area.
Edgar Mobbs Way, a road in Northampton, close to Franklin's Gardens stadium, is named after him. A band from Northampton have named themselves The Mobbs after Edgar Mobbs.{{cn|date=December 2022}}
See also
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commonscat|Edgar Mobbs}}
- [https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/rugby-world-cup-winner-pays-tribute-to-first-world-war-hero-from-northampton-edgar-mobbs-1224991 Rugby World Cup winner pays tribute to First World War hero from Northampton Edgar Mobbs]
- [http://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s99/st3709.htm sportnetwork article]
- [http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Northamptonshire/NorthamptonMobbs.html Roll of Honour article]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20130620194828/http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/odhs/level3/edgarmobbs.html Comprehensive article]
- {{CWGC}}
- {{ESPNscrum}}
{{English national rugby union team captains}}
{{Barbarian RFC Captains in Internationals}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mobbs, Edgar}}
Category:English rugby union players
Category:England international rugby union players
Category:Northampton Saints players
Category:Northamptonshire Regiment officers
Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
Category:British military personnel killed in World War I
Category:British Army personnel of World War I
Category:Barbarian F.C. players
Category:People educated at Bedford Modern School
Category:Rugby union players from Northampton