Edgar Mobbs

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edgar Roberts "Mobbsy" Mobbs DSO (1882 - 1917) was an English rugby union footballer who played for and captained Northampton R.F.C. and England. He played as a three quarter.

He was educated at Bedford Modern School where the name of a house now commemorates him.

After initially being turned down as too old to join the army in World War I, Edgar raised his own "sportsmans" company of 250 sportsmen (also known as Mobbs' Own) for the Northamptonshire Regiment. He rose to command his battalion with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Edgar was killed in action, in July 1917, at Zillebeke during the Third Battle of Ypres, while attacking a machine gun post. His body has never been found, so his name is on the Menin Gate memorial.

In 1921 the first Mobbs' Memorial Match was held between the East Midlands RFU and the Barbarians at Franklin's Gardens and has continued ever since.