View source for Edgar Mobbs

{{Short description|England international rugby union player}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby biography | name = Edgar Mobbs<br /><small>{{nobold|{{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|DSO}}}}</small>
| image = File:Edgar Mobbs.jpg
| caption = 
| birth_name = Edgar Roberts Mobbs
| nickname = 
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1882|06|29}}
| birth_place = [[Northampton]], [[England]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1917|07|31|1882|06|29|df=yes}}
| death_place = [[Pilckem Ridge]], [[Passchendaele salient]], [[Belgium]]
| height = 
| weight = 
| ru_position = Wing
| ru_nationalteam = {{nrut|England}}
| ru_nationalcaps = 7 
| ru_nationalpoints = (12)
| ru_ntupdate = 
| ru_nationalyears = 1909–1910
| ru_clubyears = 
| ru_clubupdate = 
| ru_clubcaps =
| ru_clubpoints =
| ru_proclubs = [[Northampton Saints|Northampton R.F.C.]]<br />[[Barbarian F.C.]]
| occupation = 
| school = [[Bedford Modern School]]
| university = 
}}

'''Edgar Roberts Mobbs''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|DSO}} (1882–1917)<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espnscrum.com/england/rugby/player/2007.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929100529/http://www.espnscrum.com/england/rugby/player/2007.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=29 September 2012 |title=Edgar Mobbs player profile |website=Scrum.com}}</ref> was an English rugby union footballer who played for and captained [[Northampton Saints|Northampton R.F.C.]] and [[England national rugby union team|England]]. He played as a three quarter. Mobbs is commemorated in the [[Ella-Mobbs Trophy]], first competed for by the Australia and England rugby union teams in the 2022 series.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Williamson |first=Nathan |date=23 June 2022 |title=Wallabies to play England for new Ella-Mobbs Cup &#124; Latest Rugby News &#124; RUGBY.com.au |url=https://www.rugby.com.au/news/wallabies-to-play-england-for-mark-ella-eager-mobbs-cup-2022623 |access-date=2 July 2022 |website=www.rugby.com.au |language=en}}</ref>

==Life==
Edgar Roberts Mobbs was born on 29 June 1882 in [[Northampton]], [[England]], the son of Oliver L. and Elizabeth Anne Mobbs.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/2007.html |title=Edgar Mobbs - Rugby Union - Players and Officials - ESPN Scrum |work=ESPN scrum |access-date=3 July 2015 |archive-date=4 July 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704220111/http://en.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/player/2007.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> A brother was [[Noel Mobbs]] (1878–1959), founder of Slough Estates. He was educated at [[Bedford Modern School]] where the name of a house commemorates him.<ref>{{cite book |title=Bedford Modern School of the black & red |via=worldcat.org |oclc=16558393}}</ref>

[[File:Mobbs 1.jpg|thumb|left|Bust of Mobbs from the Northampton Memorial]]
[[File:Mobbs Zillebeke 2023-10-15.jpg|thumb|Mobbs Memorial at Zillebeke.]]
After initially being turned down as too old to join the army{{dub|too old for commission?|date=December 2022}} in the [[First World War]], Mobbs raised his own [[Pals battalion|"sportsman's" company]] of 250 sportsmen (also known as Mobbs' Own) for the [[Northamptonshire Regiment]]. He rose to command his battalion (7th [[Kitchener's Army|(Service)]] Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment) with the rank of [[lieutenant colonel]].<ref name=telegraph>{{cite web |title=Saints and the Army gather to honour fallen hero |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/10706777/Saints-and-the-Army-gather-to-honour-fallen-hero.html |website=telegraph.co.uk |access-date=5 December 2014}}</ref>  He was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Order]] in the [[1917 New Year Honours]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=29886 |supp=y |pages=25 |date=29 December 1916 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/england/3418957/Sporting-greats-who-graced-playing-field-and-World-War-One-battlefield-but-were-taken-before-their-time-Sport.html |title=Sporting greats who graced playing field and World War One battlefield but were taken before their time: Sport - Telegraph |author=Brendan Gallagher |date=10 November 2008 |work=Telegraph.co.uk |access-date=3 July 2015}}</ref> 

Mobbs was killed in action, on 31 July 1917, at [[Zillebeke]], [[Belgium]], during the [[Third Battle of Ypres]], while attacking a machine gun post in Shrewsbury Forest [https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasthuisbossen_(Ieper)].  His body has not been found, so his name is on the [[Menin Gate]] memorial.<ref>{{cite web |title=Mobbs, Edgar Roberts |url=http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/907119/MOBBS,%20EDGAR%20ROBERTS |website=Casualty details |publisher=[[CWGC]] |access-date=15 May 2016}}</ref> Mobbs is also commemorated with a bust in Northampton.<ref name=telegraph/>  He is also commemorated in the woods around Zillebeke with a cross and a remembrance plate.

In 1921 the first Mobbs' Memorial Match was held between the [[East Midlands Rugby Football Union|East Midlands RFU]] and [[Barbarian F.C.|the Barbarians]] at [[Franklin's Gardens]]. In 2008 the Barbarians played [[Bedford Blues]] in the Mobbs Memorial Match at [[Goldington Road]]<ref>[http://www.barbarianfc.co.uk/news.cfm?categoryID=55&id=202 81st Mobbs Memorial Match confirmed] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080522150158/http://www.barbarianfc.co.uk/news.cfm?categoryID=55&id=202 |date=22 May 2008 }}</ref> and did so again in 2009. The final Mobbs Match to feature the Barbarians took place in April 2011 against Bedford. The fixture continues to be played with the [[Army Rugby Union]] facing Bedford and [[Northampton Saints]] in alternate years<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.espnscrum.com/barbarians/rugby/story/138641.html |title=The end of an era |first=Huw |last=Richards |work=ESPN Scrum |date=22 April 2011 |access-date=24 April 2011 |archive-date=26 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110426083532/http://www.espnscrum.com/barbarians/rugby/story/138641.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rfu.com/news/2012/march/newsarticles/120312_mobbs_match |title=Mobbs Memorial Match returns to Northampton |work=rfu.com |date=22 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023023904/http://rfu.com/news/2012/march/newsarticles/120312_mobbs_match |archive-date=23 October 2012 |df=dmy}}</ref> and the game helps to raise money for youth rugby in the area.<ref name=telegraph/>

Edgar Mobbs Way, a road in Northampton, close to Franklin's Gardens stadium, is named after him. A band from Northampton have named themselves The Mobbs after Edgar Mobbs.{{cn|date=December 2022}}

== See also ==

* [[List of England rugby union footballers killed in the World Wars]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{commonscat|Edgar Mobbs}}
* [https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/news/rugby-world-cup-winner-pays-tribute-to-first-world-war-hero-from-northampton-edgar-mobbs-1224991 Rugby World Cup winner pays tribute to First World War hero from Northampton Edgar Mobbs]
* [http://www.sportnetwork.net/main/s99/st3709.htm sportnetwork article]
* [http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Northamptonshire/NorthamptonMobbs.html Roll of Honour article]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20130620194828/http://www.mkheritage.co.uk/odhs/level3/edgarmobbs.html Comprehensive article]
* {{CWGC}}
* {{ESPNscrum}}

{{English national rugby union team captains}}
{{Barbarian RFC Captains in Internationals}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mobbs, Edgar}}
[[Category:1882 births]]
[[Category:1917 deaths]]
[[Category:English rugby union players]]
[[Category:England international rugby union players]]
[[Category:Northampton Saints players]]
[[Category:Northamptonshire Regiment officers]]
[[Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order]]
[[Category:British military personnel killed in World War I]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Barbarian F.C.]]
[[Category:Barbarian F.C. players]]
[[Category:People educated at Bedford Modern School]]
[[Category:Rugby union players from Northampton]]
[[Category:Rugby union wings]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Northampton]]
[[Category:World Rugby Hall of Fame inductees]]