Blackheath Rugby Player - Captain Waldemar Sigismund Dacre Craven - RHA

[Nick1914]

Dear All, I just came across the above officer in a wounded list of The Standard newspaper Nov 11th 1914.  Although these lists are not always accurate I am very keen to know any details of his casualty circumstances/unit.  My last listing of him in August 1914 was at the Depot at Woolwich....therefore Blackheath RFC makes perfect sense.  I have most of his personal bio born 1880 but died relatively young in 1928 at 48 years.  Finished the war as brevet lt-colonel.  Also served in South Africa in the Boer War and again a casualty(wounded/enteric??).   I believe he also played rugby for the the Army and Kent and maybe featured in a pre-war Calcutta Cup match and have been one of the founders of Army Rugby back in 1907.  Interestingly I also found online a 2018 Auction sale of some of his belongings including a photo of him introducing his team to King George V.  

 

https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/sworders/catalogue-id-srswo10273/lot-c814dafd-a306-4e42-9d3e-a90700ee8f92

 

His name clearly has some connections to the German side of royalty/Queen Victoria's extended family?

 

Any info on his embarkation, unit, action and casualty circumstances in 1914 would be great.  Was his early death casualty related?

 

Thanks, Nick

[DavidOwen]

Ended up a Lieutenant Colonel according to his service record at TNA 

http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C686530

 

Edited 26 October , 2018 by DavidOwen
I hate predictive text!!

[Aneurin]

Nick, No-one called Craven has played rugby for England, so he couldn't have played in a Calcutta Cup match. A quick browse in the newspapers reveals he was playing for Blackheath by 1906. 

 

[MaxD]

Not germane to the query but his wife divorced him in 1928 on the grounds of adultery with a woman in a hotel in Aberfeldy.  He had two godmothers, Florence Nightingale and the Empress Frederick the oldest child of Queen Victoria  -newspapers 1928 and 1934.

 

Max

[HarryBrook]

An obituary was published in The Times on 13 December 1928

 

[rflory]

According to the list of wounded in the March 1915 R.A. Institution List Craven was wounded on 11 November 1914.  He received the DSO and was five times mentioned in despatches. According to The Distinguished Service Order 1886 - 1923 he was 'a well-known Blackheath footballer' and 'also a boxer of more than average merit, having won the Army and Navy  Heavyweight title in 1905.' There is a photo of him in the same publication.

[Nick1914]

Dear All, many thanks for all your most valuable contributions, I now have an excellent profile of WSD Craven. Great to have a photo if possible....a real old world military and sporting hero.

 

Sounds very much like Nonne Bosschen if wounded on 11th Nov?  Any idea of his unit?

 

A few additional facts as I had in an excellent PM from a member showing that WSD was evacuated to the UK and admitted to Queen Alexandra's Military hospital at Millbank  London on 23rd Nov(so nearly 11 days treatment and travel in theatre). Discharged 1st Dec for convalescence at Princess Henry??? of Battenberg's hospital(unreadable on doc).

 

Max, surprisingly I am interested in the divorce fact as I have noted over the years a quite high divorce rate in casualties.  Typically, wounded then married within 6 months before going back to the front then divorced within the next 10 years.  Nothing very scientific but makes alot of sense.

 

Many thanks and hopefully of interests to GWF rugby followers.

 

Best, Nick

[little bob]

 A general google search brings up a poor quality photograph of WSD.

 

Bob

[little bob]

Princess Henry of Battenburg Hospital was situated at 30 Hill Street, Berkeley Square, Mayfair. At the outbreak of WW1 Jeanne, Lady Coats widow of the  J&P Coats cotton sewing thread magnate, placed her house in Hill Street at the disposal of Princess Henry of Battenberg for use as an Auxilliary Hospital for Army and Navy Officers, including those of the Territorial Force,

 

Bob

[MaxD]

His unit on 11 Nov is proving elusive.  His entry in the 1914 Star roll says he arrived in theatre on 17 August 1914 with 3rd Cavalry Brigade Ammunition Column.  The date of arrival agrees with the date of 3 Cav Bde AC arrival.  Their war diary is short on detail, devoid of names and has chunks missing.  There is no account of him on 11 November or otherwise so whether he was still with them or not - quien sabe?

 

Max