Bryn Lewis
Encyclopedia
Major Brinley 'Bryn' Lewis (4 January 1891
– 2 April 1917
) was a Welsh
international rugby union
wing who played club rugby for Newport and Cambridge University
. He is one of twelve Welsh internationals to have died in active duty during World War I.
, Wales
but was educated at Swansea Grammar School and represented the Wales Schoolboy team. He later attended Cambridge University and while at university gained three 'Blues' when he was selected for three consecutive Varsity games from 1909-1911. Lewis gained his first cap for Wales against Ireland as part of the 1913 Five Nations Championship
. The Welsh team were inexperienced and lost the game 12-5, not helped when Lewis's team mate Tom Williams
broke his arm and continued playing in the second half of the game. Lewis was back the next year in the 1913 Championship
, for his second and last cap, again against Ireland. Lewis scored two tries
in the game which saw Wales win narrowly. A scorer of one of the Irish tries in that game, Albert Stewart, would like Lewis, die in action in World War I.
Lewis was killed in action at Ypres
on 2 April 1917, after the enemy shelled the rear of B Battery, hitting the mess where Lewis was situated, killing him instantly. He is buried at Ferme-Oliver Cemetery.
1891 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1891 to Wales and its people.-Incumbents:*Prince of Wales — The Prince Albert Edward, son of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom*Princess of Wales — Alexandra of Denmark...
– 2 April 1917
1917 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1917 to Wales and its people.-Incumbents:*Prince of Wales - Edward, Prince of Wales, son of King George V of the United Kingdom*Princess of Wales - vacant...
) was a Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
wing who played club rugby for Newport and Cambridge University
Cambridge University R.U.F.C.
The Cambridge University Rugby Union Football Club, or CURUFC, is the rugby union club of Cambridge University, and plays Oxford University in the annual Varsity Match at Twickenham stadium every December. CURUFC players wear light blue and white hooped jerseys with a red lion crest...
. He is one of twelve Welsh internationals to have died in active duty during World War I.
Rugby career
Lewis was born in PontardawePontardawe
Pontardawe is a town of some 5,000 inhabitants in the Swansea Valley in south Wales...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
but was educated at Swansea Grammar School and represented the Wales Schoolboy team. He later attended Cambridge University and while at university gained three 'Blues' when he was selected for three consecutive Varsity games from 1909-1911. Lewis gained his first cap for Wales against Ireland as part of the 1913 Five Nations Championship
1913 Five Nations Championship
The 1913 Five Nations Championship was the fourth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-first series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
. The Welsh team were inexperienced and lost the game 12-5, not helped when Lewis's team mate Tom Williams
Tom Williams (rugby player)
Tom Williams is an English rugby union player who plays for Harlequins in the Aviva Premiership.He normally plays at either full-backor on the wing....
broke his arm and continued playing in the second half of the game. Lewis was back the next year in the 1913 Championship
1913 Five Nations Championship
The 1913 Five Nations Championship was the fourth series of the rugby union Five Nations Championship following the inclusion of France into the Home Nations Championship. Including the previous Home Nations Championships, this was the thirty-first series of the annual northern hemisphere rugby...
, for his second and last cap, again against Ireland. Lewis scored two tries
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
in the game which saw Wales win narrowly. A scorer of one of the Irish tries in that game, Albert Stewart, would like Lewis, die in action in World War I.
Military career
During the First World War, Lewis was a Major in 'B Battery' of the 122nd Brigade of the 38th (Welsh) Infantry Division, and was mentioned in Despatches.Lewis was killed in action at Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
on 2 April 1917, after the enemy shelled the rear of B Battery, hitting the mess where Lewis was situated, killing him instantly. He is buried at Ferme-Oliver Cemetery.