This is one of a series of posts to mark the international Rugby players who served in, and survived, The Great War. If anyone has further information on the men concerned, I’d be most grateful if it could be added to the thread. Gareth Bucher, Alfred Moore played for Scotland and Great Britain Scottish Internationals: 1 : 1897 E- (1t) Great Britain Internationals: 3 : A- A+ A+ (1t) Alfred Bucher was born on 22 March 1874 Played as a Wing for Royal High School, Edinburgh Academy, Edinburgh Academicals Profession: Wine trade and Manager North British Steam Packet Compony War service: Temporary Second Lieutenant, City of Edinburgh Motor Volunteer Corps from 28 September 1917, temporary Lieutenant from1 November 1917, Adjutant from 8 April 1918. Remarks: British Isles tour to Australia 1899 He died on 20 August 1939 in Edinburgh
Full name - Alfred Moore Bucher Date of birth - March 22 1874 Place of birth - Leith, Scotland Date of death - 20 August 1939 (aged 65) Place of death - Edinburgh, Scotland Position - Wing Clubs - Edinburgh Academicals RFC In the history of Lions tours, on only two occasions have the tourists recovered from losing the first Test to win the series and have never done it against South Africa. In fact in the four occasions they have lost the first Test to the Springboks, they have never won the second - one was the game in which Alf Bucher played ! *1899 – Australia After a five-week boat trip, the second Lions tour of Australia started equally sluggishly with a 13-3 defeat. Yet after team captain and manager Matthew Mullineux dropped himself, the tourists won 11-0 in the second Test and scraped victory in the third with two tries from Alf Bucher setting up an 11-10 victory. Played club rugby for Edinburgh Academicals. Boucher played international rugby for Scotland and was selected for the British Isles team on its 1899 tour of Australia. Bucher was born in Leith, Edinburgh in 1874 to Francis Busher and Grace Webster Smith Bucher served in the First World War and was a 2nd Lieutenant in the City of Edinburgh Motor Volunteer Corps LG 22nd October 1917 http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/30345/supplements/10859/page.pdf Bucher came to note as a rugby player while representing Scottish club side, Edinburgh Academicals. It was while with the Academicals that he was selected to win his one and only cap for the Scottish national team. Bucher was chosen for the final game of the 1897 Home Nations Championship, an encounter against England at Fallowfield in Manchester. Bucher was brought in at wing as a replacement for George Campbell, and was joined at threequarters with fellow Academical player Alexander Weir Robertson, who was also winning his first cap. Scotland lost the game 12-3, and despite scoring a try on his debut, Bucher was never reselected for his country again. In 1899, Bucher was invited to represent the British Isles on the team's first official tour to Australia. Bucher played in 17 of the 20 arranged matches and was part of the British Isles team in the First Test against Australia, played in Sydney. After the tourists lost the First Test, captain Matthew Mullineux made several team changes, and Bucher was replaced by H.G.S. Gray, a trialist who normally played as a forward. Despite a comprehensive win in the Second Test, Gray was dropped for the Third Test and Boucher was back on the wing, this time partnered opposite Elliot Nicholson. Bucher scored two tries in the game, which proved decisive as the British won by a narrow 11-10 margin. Bucher retained his place for the Final Test, and scored his third international try of the tour in as 13-0 win over the Australians.
