Horace Thomas
Encyclopedia
Horace Wyndham Thomas was a Welsh
international rugby union
fly-half who played club rugby for Swansea
. He won just two caps for Wales
, and was one of thirteen Welsh internationals to die in conflict during World War I.
, but moved to England when he gained a place at King's College, Cambridge
after winning a choral scholarship. At Cambridge, Thomas studied History and was a keen sportsman. He played cricket for the Cambridge seconds, represented the athletics team and won a Blue at rugby. While playing for Cambridge he was first selected to represent Wales in 1912 in a game against the touring South African team
. When Thomas was selected for the South African game he was chosen against a stipulated agreement, that stated that no Welsh player could be chosen to represent the country if they played within the London area, but did not play for London Welsh. Eight selectors travelled to Cambridge to watch Thomas play in a Varsity match which saw Cambridge victorious for the first time in seven years. The Thursday before the game, Thomas was named in the squad at a conference at the Queens's Hotel in Cardiff
. Wales lost the game 3-0, but at one point after Thomas attempted a drop goal, the crowd mistakenly believing that the kick had succeeded, cheered thinking that Thomas had won the game for Wales.
Thomas would play only one more game for Wales, under the captaincy of Tommy Vile
, in the team's opening match of the 1913 Five Nations Championship
against England. Wales lost the game and Thomas ended his international rugby career without a win. Thomas left Britain to take up a post in Calcutta
. While in Calcutta he joined and later became captain of the Calcutta Football Club.
within the Rifle Brigade and was killed in battle at Guillemont
in September 1916. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
fly-half who played club rugby for Swansea
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
. He won just two caps for Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
, and was one of thirteen Welsh internationals to die in conflict during World War I.
Rugby career
Thomas was born to a rector from Bettws, BridgendBettws, Bridgend
Bettws is a small ex-mining and farming village in the South Wales Valleys in the county borough of Bridgend, Wales. It is also spelled 'Betws', and is . The population of Bettws is around 2,400 according to The Betws LIFE Centre....
, but moved to England when he gained a place at King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
after winning a choral scholarship. At Cambridge, Thomas studied History and was a keen sportsman. He played cricket for the Cambridge seconds, represented the athletics team and won a Blue at rugby. While playing for Cambridge he was first selected to represent Wales in 1912 in a game against the touring South African team
1912-13 South Africa rugby union tour
The 1912–13 South Africa rugby union tour was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the South Africa national rugby union team against England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and France. The tour also took in several matches against British and Irish club, county and invitational teams...
. When Thomas was selected for the South African game he was chosen against a stipulated agreement, that stated that no Welsh player could be chosen to represent the country if they played within the London area, but did not play for London Welsh. Eight selectors travelled to Cambridge to watch Thomas play in a Varsity match which saw Cambridge victorious for the first time in seven years. The Thursday before the game, Thomas was named in the squad at a conference at the Queens's Hotel in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. Wales lost the game 3-0, but at one point after Thomas attempted a drop goal, the crowd mistakenly believing that the kick had succeeded, cheered thinking that Thomas had won the game for Wales.
Thomas would play only one more game for Wales, under the captaincy of Tommy Vile
Tommy Vile
Major Thomas Henry "Tommy" Vile MBE was a Welsh international rugby union player. He played club rugby predominantly for Newport, captaining the side twice and played county rugby for Monmouthshire. He also represented the British Isles in Australia, and after retiring from playing became an...
, in the team's opening match of the 1913 Five Nations Championship
1913 Five Nations Championship
The 1913 Five Nations Championship was the fourth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-first series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
against England. Wales lost the game and Thomas ended his international rugby career without a win. Thomas left Britain to take up a post in Calcutta
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. While in Calcutta he joined and later became captain of the Calcutta Football Club.
Later life
In 1916 Thomas volunteered to serve his country in World War I. He reached the rank of Second LieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
within the Rifle Brigade and was killed in battle at Guillemont
Guillemont
Guillemont is a commune roughly 8 miles east of Albert in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.It, like much of the surrounding area, is primarily an agricultural community, but is known for its large cemetery, which has become a tourist attraction...
in September 1916. His body was never recovered and he is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial.