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 Harrison, Harold Cecil (‘Tiny’ and ‘Dreadnought’) CB DSO played for England Internationals: 4 : 1909 S- ; 1914 I+ S+ (2c) F+ Harold Harrison was born on 26 February 1889 Played as a Forward for: King Edward School Birmingham, RMA Woolwich, United Services Portsmouth, Royal Marines, The Army (1910- 1911-1914), Royal Navy (1909-1912), Barbarians, Midlands, Kent Profession: Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Marines 1907; Lieutenant Royal Marine Artillery 1910. Adjutant of the Royal Military Academy 1919-1921. He transferred to the East Yorkshire Regiment 1924. Brevet Lieutenant Colonel 1927. Instructor at the Staff College, Quetta 1930-1931. Lieutenant Colonel 1932. Imperial Defence College 1932. Commanded the 1st Battalion the Green Howards 1932-1935. Colonel and GSO 1 of British Troops in China 1935-1937. Commander 4th Infantry Brigade 1937-1939. War service: Royal Marines attached to South African Heavy Artillery; Mentioned in Despatches for distinguished service in the field in connection with the campaign in German South-West Africa 1914-1915; Commanded South African Siege Battery from 1 August 1915 to March 1917; DSO for action at Pozières Gazetted 25 August 1916: “For conspicuous gallantry during operations. He carried out two dangerous reconnaissances far in front of our foremost line, and brought back valuable reports. On both occasions he was under heavy shell and rifle fire. He had previously been observing from a tree when it was struck by a direct hit from an enemy gun.” Mentioned in Despatches 1916, 1917 and 1918. He was gassed on 29 July 1916 and found unfit to return to the front; he was struck off the strength of the SAHA and subsequently became an instructor in gunnery at Lydd and Salisbury from June 1917 to July 1918. Returning to the Western Front in October 1918 with XI Corps Heavy Artillery, he was wounded. Remarks: Played for the Officers of the Army v the Officers of the Royal Navy in 1910 (10-19) and 1911 (22-13). He also played for the Officers of the Royal Navy v the Officers of the Army in February 1909 (25-0) [captain], 1912 (16-8), 1913 (18-8). Played for Barbarians: v Penarth (10-10) v Cardiff (16-5) v Leicester (3-29); v Penarth (13-6) v Cardiff (8-15) in 1911; v Shoreham Camp (16-13) in 1914; v South African Services (9-3) in 1915; v Leicester (6-17) in 1919. In March 1916 he played in a South African Heavy Artillery team against a New Zealand Army team at the Queen’s Club London. The SA team won 7-0 thanks to a dropped goal and try by former England International Reginald Hands, their captain. Order of the Sacred Treasure of Japan 1926. CB 1939. Known in the Army as ‘Tiny’ and in the Navy as ‘Dreadnought’. Refereed France v Scotland 1922. He died on 26 March 1940, in Marylebone
First list of Army referees (1931) The first list of Army referees published in 1931 showed that there were sixty registered throughout the world. In the main these were officers but only a season later, in 1932, although the total had dropped to fifty-one, the ranks varied from Lieutenant-Colonel to Sergeant. The former H C ("Tiny") Harrison was an instructor at the Imperial Defence College and the latter, E Grainger, was serving in the Coldstream Guards. 'Tiny' Harrison's career in Rugby was outstanding by any standards. He played for England from 1909 to 1914 and then took up refereeing. He emulated his success as a player with his selection to referee France versus Scotland in 1922 and, in 1928, he refereed the final of the Army Rugby Union Challenge Cup Competition (ARUCCC). http://www.aru.org.uk/aru-arurs-history.htm
An image of Major Harrison. Heavy Artillery (German South West Africa) The Royal Marine Artillery was able to supply 4 Officers and 50 NCOs and men who left for South Africa on 21st October 1914 to form the nucleus of 3 Brigades of Heavy Artillery and who would train the South Africans. The RMA had also brought dismounted ('carriaged') 4-in BL and 12-pdr 18-cwt QF naval guns from Malta. By the end of December 1914 2 Brigades had been mobilized. The 3rd Brigade was formed after the arrival of Lt-Col P Peacock, Lieutenant H C Harrison and 20 more gunners (Blumberg). South African Heavy Artillery (France and Belgium) During June 1915 the Union Government offered five 4-gun batteries for service overseas. The batteries were selected in German South West Africa from the three brigades of the [old South African] Heavy Artillery [Corps] and were No 1 Battery four QF 4.7-inch naval guns on travelling carriages with locally manufactured steel disc wheels (portion late ‘M’ Battery) No 2 Battery four QF 4.7-inch naval guns (the balance from ‘M’ Battery and both guns from late ‘B’ Battery with ‘less up to date carriages’ but with locally manufactured steel disc wheels) No 3 Battery four QF 4-inch naval guns on field carriages (originally ex Hong Kong and late ‘O’ Battery) No 4 Battery four BL 4-inch Mark VII naval guns on standard field carriages but with locally manufactured steel wheels (late ‘C’ Battery) No 5 Battery four BL 6-inch 30-cwt howitzers (late ‘N’ Battery) An Imperial Service unit - the [new] South African Heavy Artillery [Corps] – with men from the Royal Marines, Royal Marine Artillery, Royal Garrison Artillery, Cape Garrison Artillery and Durban Garrison Artillery was raised by Lt-Col Rose in Cape Town on 1st August 1915 for service in Europe. The recruits passed through the Artillery Depot at Maitland from which they were drafted either to the Field Artillery or the Heavy Artillery. Those for the latter joined the batteries in training at Rosebank or later at Rondebosch or were sent as drafts to batteries in the field The original contingent sailed 28th August 1915 and landed at Plymouth on 15th September 1915. Major Harrison was the first battery commander of the 71st (SA) Siege Battery.
