Edgar Mobbs

Who was Edgar Mobbs?

Edgar Roberts "Mobbsy" Mobbs DSO was an English rugby union footballer who played for and captained Northampton R.F.C. and England. He played as a three quarter.

He was educated at Bedford Modern School where the name of a house now commemorates him.

After initially being turned down as too old to join the army in World War I, Edgar raised his own "sportsman's" company of 250 sportsmen for the Northamptonshire Regiment. He rose to command his battalion with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Edgar was killed in action, in July 1917, at Zillebeke during the Third Battle of Ypres, while attacking a machine gun post. His body has never been found, so his name is on the Menin Gate memorial. He was honoured with the Distinguished Service Order.

In 1921 the first Mobbs' Memorial Match was held between the East Midlands RFU and the Barbarians at Franklin's Gardens. In 2008 the Barbarians played Bedford Blues in the Mobbs Memorial Match at Goldington Road 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.