Frank Stout
Encyclopedia
Frank Moxon Stout MC
(21 February 1877 – 30 May 1926) also referred to as Frank Moxham Stout, was an English
international rugby union
forward who played club rugby for Gloucester and Richmond
. Stout played international rugby for England
and was selected for the British Isles
on two tours in 1899 and 1903. On the 1899 tour of Australia
he acted as on field captain for three of the Tests.
Stout came from a notable sporting family, his father William Stout
, was a Diamond Sculls winner, while his brother, Percy also played international rugby for England.
, played away against Wales
. England lost the game 11-0, but the selectors kept faith in Stout and he was back in the team for the second English encounter of the tournament, another away game, this time to Ireland
. After a second loss Stout was replaced for the next game by Herbert Dudgeon.
During the 1897 season, Stout was approached to play for the invitational touring team, Barbarian F.C.
, of which he would eventually become a committee member.
Despite not playing in a winning team in his first Home Nations campaign, Stout played in all three matches of the 1898 Championship
. The opening game to Ireland was another loss, but in the encounter with Scotland
, Stout was joined by his brother Percy for the first time at international level. Percy also represented Gloucester, but at threequarters position. The game ended in a three all draw, and the brothers were chosen again in the final encounter, against Wales at the Rectory Field
in Blackheath. Not only did England win the match, but both Stout and Percy scored a try
each, the first time brothers had both scored a try for England at international level. The next time this feat was achieved was in the 1993 Five Nations Championship
by Rory
and Tony Underwood
.
Stout played in only the final two matches of the 1899 Home Nations Championship
, a terrible season for England in which they lost all three encounters. Percy played in all three loses, and the brothers played their last match as England players together in the encounter with Scotland on 11 March 1899.
In 1899, Stout was approached to join the British Isles team on the first official tour of Australia
. Stout played in all 21 matches of the tour, scoring four tries in total. After the tourists lost the First Test to Australia
, the British captain, Matthew Mullineux
, removed himself from further Test matches and gave Stout the on-field captaincy. The British team went on to win the final three Tests, taking the series 3-1.
On his return to England, Stout was not part of the England team, despite playing for the Barbarians on their Christmas tour of Wales of 1899. The next time Stout represented England he had left Gloucester and was now playing for Richmond. Stout was selected to play in the final game of the 1903 Home Nations Championship
, losing the Calcutta Cup
to Scotland at Richmond. Before the next season began, Stout was offered a place on his second British Isles' tour, this time to South Africa. Stout played in all three Tests against South Africa
, which resulted in two draws and a loss.
Back in Britain, Stout was not only selected for the 1904 Home Nations Championship
, but was given the captaincy. England drew the opener against Wales, in which Stout converted one of the England tries; and although Stout played in the remaining two games of the tournament, John Daniell
was handed the captaincy. Stout's final campaign for England was the 1905 Championship
, in which Stout captained his country to three defeats.
and was posted to the 20th Hussars
. In September 1914, he and his brother Percy, were both promoted to acting Second Lieutenant
. During the war, Stout was awarded the Military Cross
, for his actions while serving in the British lines. On hearing that the enemy had been seen working close to the British positions, he took Corporal G. Tester and a light machine gun to the saphead, at the end of the trench. They mounted the machine gun on top of the trench, and then Corporal Tester, standing on Stout's shoulders, opened fire on the enemy who were only 30 to 40 yards away. Under heavy enemy fire, Tester fired 150 rounds, before he and Stout switched positions to allow Stout to continue the attack. The next day fourteen enemy dead were counted. For this action Stout was awarded the MC while Tester received the DCM
. The events were recorded and published, along with a black-and-white print, in a volume recounting acts of heroism from the First World War.
Stout was promoted to full Lieutenant
in August 1918.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(21 February 1877 – 30 May 1926) also referred to as Frank Moxham Stout, was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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...
forward who played club rugby for Gloucester and Richmond
Richmond F.C.
Richmond Football Club is a rugby union club from Richmond, London. It is a founding member of the Rugby Football Union, and is one of the oldest football clubs...
. Stout played international rugby for England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
and was selected for the British Isles
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
on two tours in 1899 and 1903. On the 1899 tour of Australia
1899 British Lions tour to Australia
The 1899 British Isles tour to Australia was the fourth rugby union tour by a British Isles team and the second to Australia; though the first tour in 1888 was a private venture, making the 1899 tour the first official undertaking of Australia...
he acted as on field captain for three of the Tests.
Stout came from a notable sporting family, his father William Stout
William Stout (rower)
William Stout was a British rower who won the Wingfield Sculls and the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta in 1868....
, was a Diamond Sculls winner, while his brother, Percy also played international rugby for England.
Rugby career
Stout first came to note as a rugby player when he joined Gloucester, and became the club's very first player to represent an international team whilst a Gloucester player. His first cap for England was the opening game of the 1897 Home Nations Championship1897 Home Nations Championship
The 1897 Home Nations Championship was the fifteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Four matches were played between 9 January and 13 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales...
, played away against Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
. England lost the game 11-0, but the selectors kept faith in Stout and he was back in the team for the second English encounter of the tournament, another away game, this time to Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
. After a second loss Stout was replaced for the next game by Herbert Dudgeon.
During the 1897 season, Stout was approached to play for the invitational touring team, Barbarian F.C.
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
, of which he would eventually become a committee member.
Despite not playing in a winning team in his first Home Nations campaign, Stout played in all three matches of the 1898 Championship
1898 Home Nations Championship
The 1898 Home Nations Championship was the sixteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Five matches were played between 5 February and 2 April. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
. The opening game to Ireland was another loss, but in the encounter with Scotland
Scotland national rugby union team
The Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked eighth in the IRB World Rankings as of 19 September 2011...
, Stout was joined by his brother Percy for the first time at international level. Percy also represented Gloucester, but at threequarters position. The game ended in a three all draw, and the brothers were chosen again in the final encounter, against Wales at the Rectory Field
Rectory Field
Rectory Field is a playing field in Blackheath, London. It was developed in the 1880s by Blackheath Cricket, Football and Lawn Tennis Company and became the home of Kent County Cricket Club and rugby union team Blackheath F.C....
in Blackheath. Not only did England win the match, but both Stout and Percy scored a try
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...
each, the first time brothers had both scored a try for England at international level. The next time this feat was achieved was in the 1993 Five Nations Championship
1993 Five Nations Championship
The 1993 Five Nations Championship was the 64th series of the Five Nations Championship, an annual rugby union competition between the major Northern Hemisphere rugby union national teams. The tournament consisted of ten matches held between 16 January and 22 March 1993.The tournament was the 64th...
by Rory
Rory Underwood
Rory Underwood MBE is a former English rugby union footballer who played wing for, most notably, Leicester Tigers and Bedford. He represented England and the British Lions and is a former Royal Air Force pilot....
and Tony Underwood
Tony Underwood
Tony Underwood is a former English rugby union footballer who played as a wing three-quarter back. He is of Chinese-English parentage....
.
Stout played in only the final two matches of the 1899 Home Nations Championship
1899 Home Nations Championship
The 1899 Home Nations Championship was the seventeenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 5 January and 18 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
, a terrible season for England in which they lost all three encounters. Percy played in all three loses, and the brothers played their last match as England players together in the encounter with Scotland on 11 March 1899.
In 1899, Stout was approached to join the British Isles team on the first official tour of Australia
1899 British Lions tour to Australia
The 1899 British Isles tour to Australia was the fourth rugby union tour by a British Isles team and the second to Australia; though the first tour in 1888 was a private venture, making the 1899 tour the first official undertaking of Australia...
. Stout played in all 21 matches of the tour, scoring four tries in total. After the tourists lost the First Test to Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
, the British captain, Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux
Matthew Mullineux MC was an English rugby union scrum-half who, although not capped for England, was selected for two British Lions tours. He gained one cap during the 1896 tour to South Africa and captained the 1899 tour of Australia...
, removed himself from further Test matches and gave Stout the on-field captaincy. The British team went on to win the final three Tests, taking the series 3-1.
On his return to England, Stout was not part of the England team, despite playing for the Barbarians on their Christmas tour of Wales of 1899. The next time Stout represented England he had left Gloucester and was now playing for Richmond. Stout was selected to play in the final game of the 1903 Home Nations Championship
1903 Home Nations Championship
The 1903 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-first series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 10 January and 21 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, losing the Calcutta Cup
Calcutta Cup
The Calcutta Cup is a rugby union trophy awarded to the winner of the annual Six Nations Championship match between England and Scotland. It is currently England's since the 2009 Six Nations Championship....
to Scotland at Richmond. Before the next season began, Stout was offered a place on his second British Isles' tour, this time to South Africa. Stout played in all three Tests against South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
, which resulted in two draws and a loss.
Back in Britain, Stout was not only selected for the 1904 Home Nations Championship
1904 Home Nations Championship
The 1904 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-second series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 9 January and 19 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, but was given the captaincy. England drew the opener against Wales, in which Stout converted one of the England tries; and although Stout played in the remaining two games of the tournament, John Daniell
John Daniell (cricketer)
John Daniell, was an international rugby union player for England and a first-class cricketer for Somerset and Cambridge University Cricket Club....
was handed the captaincy. Stout's final campaign for England was the 1905 Championship
1905 Home Nations Championship
The 1905 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-third series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 14 January and 18 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales....
, in which Stout captained his country to three defeats.
Military service
With the outbreak of World War I, Stout joined the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and was posted to the 20th Hussars
20th Hussars
The 20th Hussars was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. In 1922 it was amalgamated with the 14th Hussars to form the 14th/20th Hussars, later the 14th/20th King's Hussars.-History of the 20th Hussars:...
. In September 1914, he and his brother Percy, were both promoted to acting Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
. During the war, Stout was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
, for his actions while serving in the British lines. On hearing that the enemy had been seen working close to the British positions, he took Corporal G. Tester and a light machine gun to the saphead, at the end of the trench. They mounted the machine gun on top of the trench, and then Corporal Tester, standing on Stout's shoulders, opened fire on the enemy who were only 30 to 40 yards away. Under heavy enemy fire, Tester fired 150 rounds, before he and Stout switched positions to allow Stout to continue the attack. The next day fourteen enemy dead were counted. For this action Stout was awarded the MC while Tester received the DCM
Distinguished Conduct Medal
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean...
. The events were recorded and published, along with a black-and-white print, in a volume recounting acts of heroism from the First World War.
Stout was promoted to full Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in August 1918.