Rear Admiral Ernest William Roberts,

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(1878–1933) was a rugby union international who represented England from 1901 to 1907.Ernest Roberts Profile on scrum.com
/ref> He also captained his country. As a

Rear Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

in the Royal Navy, he served in Grand Fleet destroyers during World War I. He was appointed an OBE (Military Division) in 1923.

Biography

Ernest Roberts was born on 14 November 1878 in Lowestoft. He died on 19 November 1933 following an adjourned committee meeting to choose teams for an England trial match. Roberts was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium on 22 November 1933. There is a memorial stone in the churchyard of the parish church of St Mary the Virgin at Dedham, Essex commemorating Roberts, his wife and two children. :File:Ernest William Roberts grave.jpg

Rugby union career

Roberts made his international debut on 5 January 1901 at Cardiff Arms Park in the Wales vs England match. Of the 6 matches he played for his national side he was on the winning side on 0 occasions. He played his final match for England on 16 March 1907 at

Rectory Field, Blackheath Rectory Field is a sports ground in Blackheath in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in south-east London. It was developed in the 1880s by Blackheath Cricket, Football and Lawn Tennis Company and became the home ground of rugby union team Blackheath ...

in the England vs Scotland match.

References

1878 births 1933 deaths Royal Navy rear admirals Royal Navy officers of World War I Military personnel from Suffolk English rugby union players England international rugby union players Rugby union forwards Sportspeople from Lowestoft Rugby union players from Lowestoft {{England-rugbyunion-bio-stub 19th-century Royal Navy personnel Burials in Essex