Richard Garnons Williams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Colonel Richard Garnons Williams

Birth name	Richard Davies Garnons Williams
Date of birth	(1856-06-15)15 June 1856
Place of birth	Llowes, Wales, UK
Date of death	27 September 1915(1915-09-27) (aged 59)
Place of death	Loos, France
School	Magdalen College School, Oxford
University	Trinity College, Cambridge
Spouse	Alice Jessie Williams ​ (m. 1885)​
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward Amateur team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1874–1876 ? 1880–1881 Cambridge University R.U.F.C. Brecon RFC Newport RFC ? ? 3 ? ? 0 National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1881 Wales 1 0
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Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Commands held	12th Royal Fusiliers
Battles/wars	World War I Battle of Loos   †
Memorials	Loos Memorial

Colonel Richard Davies Garnons Williams (born June 15, 1856 – died September 27, 1915) was a brave British Army officer and a talented Welsh rugby union player. He played for teams like Brecon and Newport. He even played in the very first international rugby match for Wales in 1881.

Garnons Williams joined the British Army in 1876. He retired from regular service in 1892 but kept serving as a volunteer until 1906. When World War I started, he was 58 years old. Despite his age, he rejoined the army and sadly died in battle in 1915.

Early Life and Family

Richard Garnons Williams was born on June 15, 1856, in a place called Llowes in Radnorshire, Wales. He was the second child of Reverend Garnons Williams and Catherine Frances.

He went to school at Magdalen College School in Oxford. Later, he studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, starting in October 1874.

Richard married Alice Jessie Bircham on January 8, 1885. They had a daughter named Barbara and a son named Roger. Roger also played first-class cricket and served in the army, just like his father.

Rugby Career

Wales Rugby Team, 1881. Garnons Williams is standing at the far right of the back row.

When Richard Garnons Williams was at Trinity College, he played rugby for Cambridge. However, he didn't win a "Blue," which is a special award for top athletes at Cambridge and Oxford universities.

After joining the army, he played three matches for Newport RFC in 1880. These games were against Manchester Rangers, Gloucester, and Cardiff.

In 1881, he was chosen to play for Wales in its first-ever international rugby match. This historic game was against England on February 19 at Blackheath. A man named Richard Mullock from Newport helped arrange this match. He wanted Wales to compete with other countries, not just local teams.

England had been doing very well in rugby at the time. They had recently beaten Ireland and won the Calcutta Cup against Scotland. The date chosen for the Wales vs. England match, February 19, caused a problem. It was the same day as a big cup final between Llanelli and Swansea in Wales. This meant some top Welsh players couldn't join the national team. England won the match easily. This was Garnons Williams' only time playing for Wales.

International Appearance

Opposition	Score	Result	Date	Venue	Ref
England	8-0	Lost	19 February 1881	Blackheath

Military Service

Richard Garnons Williams decided to become a soldier. He went to the Royal Military College Sandhurst, which is a famous place where army officers are trained. He also played rugby for the Sandhurst team.

He finished his training in 1876 and became a sub-lieutenant on February 26. He was first sent to the 38th Regiment of Foot. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1877.

By February 1885, he had become a captain. His unit was then called the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). In 1887, he was made an adjutant for a part of his regiment called the Militia. An adjutant is an officer who helps with training and keeping up standards. He held this job for five years.

He retired from the regular army on May 4, 1892. Later, in 1894, he became a major in a volunteer battalion. He was also made a brigade major for the Volunteer Force in South Wales. In 1899, he was given the special honorary rank of lieutenant colonel. He left his volunteer role in 1906 but was allowed to keep his rank and wear his uniform.

Serving in World War I

When World War I began, Colonel Garnons Williams rejoined the British Army. He was sent back to his old regiment, the Royal Fusiliers, as a major on September 26, 1914. Soon after, on October 3, 1914, he was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel. He was then given command of the Brecknockshire Battalion of the South Wales Borderers.

Later, he was sent back to the 12th Royal Fusiliers. Official records say he was killed on September 25, 1915, while leading his battalion during the Battle of Loos. He is remembered at the Loos Memorial. At 59 years old, he was the oldest of 13 Welsh international rugby players who died during the war.

A soldier who served under Colonel Garnons Williams wrote about his death. This soldier said the Colonel died on September 27. Colonel Garnons Williams was in charge of the 12th Royal Fusiliers when they attacked German trenches on September 25. However, their sides were left open to attack. On September 27, Colonel Garnons Williams ordered his men to retreat. At that moment, he was shot in the head from a nearby house.

The soldier said, "I was very sorry for him, as we could not have had a better, braver officer. He was with us all the time in the front trench, and looked after us as well as he could; no man could have done better. Nobody could get back to him." The next evening, his battalion was replaced by other troops. Colonel Garnons Williams was officially listed as wounded and missing in action, but it was unofficially known that he had been killed.

See also

• List of international rugby union players killed in action during the First World War