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 Glenn, William Spiers MC played for New Zealand Internationals: 2 : 1904 BI+ ; 1906 F+ William Glenn was born on 21 February 1877 Greymouth Played as a No 8 for: Manaia School, Waimate, Taranaki, North Island Profession: Racehorse breeder and owner. War service: Second Lieutenant attached 73rd Battery, 5th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, and later Major. MC Gazetted 24 June 1916: “For conspicuous gallantry and ability as Observing Officer. He was exposed to heavy shell fire for several hours, but with great coolness and judgement corrected the fire of his battery throughout, and sent back constant reports on the situation.” Remarks: NZ tours 1905 to Australia, 1905-1906 to British Isles and France (he did not tour North America). He played 19 matches for the All Blacks, including 2 Internationals. NZRFU committee 1922-1923. First All Black to enter the NZ Parliament (for Rangitikei 1919-1928). Steward and trustee Wanganui Jockey Club. He died on 5 October 1953 at Wanganui
MR. WILLIAM SPIERS GLENN was elected a member of the Manaia Town Board in the year 1904. He has a farm of 350 acres on the Waimate Plains, and carries on dairying. Mr. Glenn was born in Greymouth in 1878, and removed to Taranaki as a child with his parents, who settled at Manaia. He was educated in the Manaia public school, and brought up to farming. Later on he became an auctioneer in the firm of Steuart and Corrigan, with whom he remained in that capacity for three years. Mr. Glenn is secretary of the Manaia Tennis Club, and a member of the Egmont Racing Club, and of the Egmont Agricultural and Pastoral Association. He takes a keen interent in sport, and owns several thoroughbred brood mares and was part owner of the well known horse “Maniopoto.” Mr. Glenn has represented Taranaki in football since 1899; he represented New Zealand against the English team in 1904, and in 1905–6, he was a member of the New Zealand “All Blacks,” who toured the Old Country
