This is the first of what will be a long series of posts to mark the international Rugby players who lost their lives in the Great War. I will be grateful for any further information on the men listed. Gareth Abercrombie, Cecil Halliday played for Scotland Internationals: 6: 1910 I+ E- ; 1911 F (1t) W- ; 1913 F+ W- Cecil Abercrombie was born on 12 April 1886, in Muzufferpore, India, son of Walter D Abercrombie (Indian Police) and Kate E Abercrombie; husband of Cecily Joan Abercrombie (nee Baker) of 22 Cottesmore Gardens, Kensington, London. Played as a Forward for: Berkhamstead, United Services Portsmouth Profession: Royal Navy Remarks: Played for the Officers of the Royal Navy v the Officers of the Army in February 1907 (15-14, 1910 (19-10), 1911 (22-13) and 1913 (18-8) as well as for Combined Navy and Army (6-8) v the 1908-1909 Wallabies. In cricket, he was a right hand bat and right hand medium pace bowler. In 1912 he gave an earlier indication of his ability as a free scoring batsman when he hit 37 and 100 for the Royal Navy v Army at Lord’s. He played for Hampshire Cricket Club in 1913, scoring 126 and 39 in his debut against Oxford University at Southampton, 144 v Worcestershire at Dudley and 165 v Essex at Leyton when Hampshire followed on 317 behind; in a stand with George Brown (140) he put on 325 for the seventh wicket. In first class matches that year he scored 936 runs with an average of 35.92. War service: Lieutenant, HMS Defence, Royal Navy. He was killed in action on 31 May 1916, when the Minotaur class cruiser HMS Defence, commanded by Captain Stanley Ellis, was sunk with all 903 hands by gunfire from a German Battlecruiser and four dreadnoughts during the Battle of Jutland. Rear Admiral Sir R K Arbuthnot was flying his flag in Defence and believed that his ship, together with HMS Warrior (and possibly HMS Black Prince) could easily sink the disabled German cruiser SMS Wiesbaden, which had been earlier torpedoed by HMS Onslow. However, as Defence closed on Wiesbaden at 0705, the German battlecruisers and battleships of III Squadron appeared from the fog of battle. SMS Lützow torpedoed Defence, which then came under fire from SMSs Grosser Kurfürst, Markgraf, Kronprinz and Kaiser. By 0720 a concentrated fire was raining down on Defence and Warrior. After being hit a number of times, Defence flew in the air out of a crater of fire. Lt Abercrombie is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon, UK [Panel 10].
In Memory of Lieutenant CECIL HALLIDAY ABERCROMBIE H.M.S. "Defence.", Royal Navy who died age 29 on 31 May 1916 Son of Walter D. Abercrombie (Indian Police) and Kate E. Abercrombie; husband of Cecily Joan Abercrombie (nee Baker), of 22, Cottesmore Gardens, Kensington, London. Scottish Rugby International Remembered with honour PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
I know you have all this already Gareth ... except for winning his county cap !! Cecil Halliday Abercrombie (April 12, 1886 – May 31, 1916) was an English first-class cricketer. Born on 12 April 1886 in Mozufferpore, India, he died on 31 May 1916 at sea during the Battle of Jutland while serving on HMS Defence which was sunk during the battle after a huge explosion with all hands. A right-handed batsman and right arm medium pacer, he scored 4 centuries in just 16 matches with a highest score of 165 against Essex. He played for Hampshire County Cricket Club in 1913, averaging over 40 and winning his county cap. He also played for the Army and Navy in 1910 and the Royal Navy in 1912 and 1913.
LIEUT. CECIL HALLIDAY ABERCROMBIE, R.N., born in India on April 12, 1886, lost his life in the naval action off Jutland on May 31, whilst serving in H.M.S. Defence. He was a batsman with a delightfully free style who came to the fore in 1913 by making a series of good scores for Hampshire. On his first appearance for the County - against Oxford University at Southampton - he made 126 and 39, and subsequently obtained 144 v. Worcestershire at Dudley (where he and H. A. H. Smith (33*) added 118 for the tenth wicket) and 165 v. Essex at Leyton. His last-mentioned score was made in the second innings, when Hampshire followed-on 317 behind, and in partnership with Brown (140*) he put on 325 for the seventh wicket. In first-class matches that year he scored 936 runs with an average of 35.92. In 1914, being away on service, he was unable to assist the County, and therefore his fame rests on what he accomplished in a single season. It should, however, be added that in 1912, whilst playing at Lord's for Royal Navy v. Army, he scored 37 and 100. He had been a member of the M.C.C. since 1911, and had played Rugby football for Scotland. http://www.cricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/228033.html
Played for Combined Army / Navy v 1908 Wallabies at rugby. As a cricketer, he was a batsman with a delightfully free style who came to the fore in 1913 by making a series of good scores for Hampshire. On his first appearance for the County - against Oxford University at Southampton - he made 126 and 39, and subsequently obtained 144 v. Worcestershire at Dudley (where he and H. A. H. Smith (33*) added 118 for the tenth wicket) and 165 v. Essex at Leyton. His last-mentioned score was made in the second innings, when Hampshire followed-on 317 behind, and in partnership with Brown (140*) he put on 325 for the seventh wicket. In first-class matches that year he scored 936 runs with an average of 35.92. In 1914, being away on service, he was unable to assist the County, and therefore his fame rests on what he accomplished in a single season. It should, however, be added that in 1912, whilst playing at Lord's for Royal Navy v. Army, he scored 37 and 100. He had been a member of the M.C.C. since 1911. Cricket Archive
It seems to me that you're a cricket fan robco !! Thank you very much for that ! Annie EDIT .... I just found it !! http://static.cricinfo.com/db/STATS...LOCAL/OTHER/ARMY_ROYAL-NAVY_30-31MAY1912.html
