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 Hopley, Frederick John van der Byl DSO played for England Internationals: 3 : 1907 F+ W- ; 1908 I+ Frederick Hopley was born on 28 August 1883, Grahamstown, South Africa, the son of Mr Justice Hopley. Played as a Flanker for: Harrow School, Cambridge University, Blackheath, Villagers (SA), Barbarians, Kent Profession: War service: Lieutenant (Temporary Captain) Grenadier Guards Special Reserve, attached to the 3rd Battalion. Twice Mentioned in Despatches; 1916 and 1917. DSO for action at Beaumont Hamel on 1 July 1916 Gazetted 20 October 1916: “For conspicuous gallantry in action. He showed fine leadership throughout the attack, in spite of being wounded himself, and of severe casualties among his men. He stuck to his position on the extreme flank throughout the day, though exposed to machine gun fire, until the battalion was relieved.” Remarks: Public Schools Heavyweight Boxing Champion 1901-1902. Athletics (1903-1905) and cricket (1904) blue. Played for Barbarians: v Cardiff (0-35) in 1906; v Cardiff (5-6) v Swansea (0-12) in 1908. Reserve for the South Africa tour of the British Isles and France in 1912-1913. Schools physical training and athletics adviser to Rhodesian Government. He died on 16 August 1951, in Salisbury, Rhodesia
His brother, Geoffrey Hopley, died in France in 1915. He also went to Harrow and was a Cambridge University cricket blue. Full name: Geoffrey William Vanderbyl Hopley Born: 9th September 1891, Kimberley, Cape Province, South Africa Died: 12th May 1915, Wimereux, Boulogne, France Details from Cricket Archive
Frederick John van der Byl Hopley (1907-08), is the first South African to play for England. After his spell at Harrow and then Cambridge he went back to South Africa and played for Villagers in the Cape. In 1912 he was a reserve for Billy Millar's team which toured the UK, Ireland and France. Hopley was born in Grahamstown in 1883 and died in Salisbury (now Harare) in 1951. HOPLEY, MR. FREDERICK JOHN VAN DER BYL, died at Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, on August 16. Born at Grahamstown, Cape Province, on August 27, 1883, he was educated at Harrow and was in the cricket XI in 1901 and 1902. In the second year he scored 74 in forty minutes against Eton at Lord's. Hopley won a cricket Blue as an all-rounder at Cambridge in 1904, but in the next two years was unable to retain his place in the side. He returned to South Africa in 1909, but played little more cricket. Hopley was a fine all-round sportsman. Good judges considered him to be the best amateur heavy-weight boxer of his generation and he gained three England Rugby caps, in 1907 and 1908. Frederick John Van der Byl Hopley (3 Caps, 1907-1908: Flanker) The son of a judge, Hopley was born in Grahamstown, South Africa, on the 28 August 1883. Educated in England at Harrow School, he was an accomplished boxer and reigned as public school heavyweight champion from 1901-1902, while also playing cricket and athletics. He represented England on three occasions, against France and Wales in 1907, and Ireland in 1908. His debut, against France, was rather eventful, England beating France 41-13, the English team scoring nine tries, of which the wing, Lambert, claimed no-less than five of those tries! Hopley served with the Grenadier Guards during World War I, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for “conspicuous gallantry” at Beaumont Hamel. Hopley later returned to Southern Africa, residing in Rhodesia, where he served as the School’s Physical Training advisor to the Rhodesian government. Hopley passed away in Salisbury, Rhodesia, in August 1951, just shy of his 69th birthday.
Interestingly, he played for Cambridge University against the 1905 All Blacks but couldn't break into the Varisty Match side. Those players who went on to win international honours, yet failed to get a Blue while at either Oxford or Cambridge, must be few and far between.
