Eric Loudoun-Shand
Encyclopedia
Eric Gordon Loudoun-Shand MC
TD
MA (born Eric Gordon Shand on 31st Mar 1893) was a Rugby Union
international who played for Scotland
and captained Oxford University
's Rugby side in the 1919 Varsity Match
. During what would have been the prime of his playing career he fought in the First World War.
, Scotland
. He was one of the ten children of John Loudoun Shand and his wife Lucy, and was the youngest of the five brothers. His father, who originated from Scotland, adopted his middle name Loudoun as the first part of a double-barrelled surname, and all members of the family followed suit. His father, John Loudoun Loudoun-Shand (died 2 February 1932 at Craigellie, Alleyn Park, Dulwich. Aged 86 years) was a prominent plantation owner in what was then called Ceylon. Arriving in the Island in 1864 Mr. Loudoun-Shand did a lot of planting chiefly in the Dimbula and Dickoya districts and in 1879 and 1880 was elected Chairman of the Planters' Association of Ceylon in what was a difficult period. Known as "Silver-tongued Shand" due to his oratory prowess, in 1882 and 1884 he was Planting Member of the Legislative Council. He was also an Honorary Life Member of the Ceylon Association in London. His mother died in September 1930 in Ceylon. She had travelled there in 1872 to be married.
Along with his four brothers, Eric attended Dulwich College
. His eldest brother, William, followed his father into the planting business. The second of the brothers Stewart was a recipient of the Victoria Cross
. Alexander, the third brother, became a Commander in the Royal Australian Navy
and was the head of the Royal Australian Naval College. The fifth of the five brothers was C. B. Loudoun-Shand who resided Delta, Pussellawa for a while. He was known as 'Bosun' Loudoun-Shand and was the Colonel of the volunteer force 'The Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps' .
. Whilst there he played in an unbeaten first XV in 1909 which contained five future internationals dubbed the 'Famous Five'. These five would all go on to play in the 1913 Varsity match
, (and also produced the captains of both Oxford and Cambridge in 1919), and all served in the First World War. They were Eric Loudoun-Shand himself and Grahame Donald
who both went on to play for Scotland, William David Doherty
who went on to play for and captain Ireland, Jenny Greenwood who went on to play for and captain England and the record-breaking Cyril Lowe
.
From Dulwich College, Eric went to Oxford University. He was selected to play as a Centre in the 1913 varsity match against Cambridge University. In that same year he was selected to play for Scotland
against England
at Twickenham
on 15 March. In that match, which Scotland lost by 3 point to nil due to LG Brown's try, he wore the number 4 shirt. On the opposing side were two of his former school team mates, CN Lowe and JE Greenwood. His international career was then interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War. He joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps
and during the war rose to the rank of Major and received the Military Cross
. He was also a holder of the Territorial Decoration
.
He did not return to international rugby, but he did make a return for Oxford University in 1919. He captained the side and his opposing captain was his former school team mate J. E. Greenwood
. It was due to a chance encounter with Eric Loudoun-Shand that Greenwood was allowed to captain the Cambridge side that year. It was within the prerogative of the Oxford captain to deny Cambridge the chance to field Greenwood, who had left the University just prior to the war. However, the long association proved to be to Greenwood's good fortune. Eric Loudoun-Shand played that match with a severely injured arm, an injury from the Great War. So bad was this injury that he later had to have the arm amputated.
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....
TD
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
MA (born Eric Gordon Shand on 31st Mar 1893) was a 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...
international who played for 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...
and captained Oxford University
Oxford University RFC
The Oxford University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union club of the University of Oxford. The club contests The Varsity Match every year against Cambridge University at Twickenham.-History:...
's Rugby side in the 1919 Varsity Match
Varsity match
A varsity match is a sporting fixture between two university rivals; in its original and most common form, it is used to describe meetings between Oxford University and Cambridge University.-Popular British and Irish Varsity matches:*University of Oxford v...
. During what would have been the prime of his playing career he fought in the First World War.
Biography
Eric Gordon Shand was born on 31st Mar 1893 in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He was one of the ten children of John Loudoun Shand and his wife Lucy, and was the youngest of the five brothers. His father, who originated from Scotland, adopted his middle name Loudoun as the first part of a double-barrelled surname, and all members of the family followed suit. His father, John Loudoun Loudoun-Shand (died 2 February 1932 at Craigellie, Alleyn Park, Dulwich. Aged 86 years) was a prominent plantation owner in what was then called Ceylon. Arriving in the Island in 1864 Mr. Loudoun-Shand did a lot of planting chiefly in the Dimbula and Dickoya districts and in 1879 and 1880 was elected Chairman of the Planters' Association of Ceylon in what was a difficult period. Known as "Silver-tongued Shand" due to his oratory prowess, in 1882 and 1884 he was Planting Member of the Legislative Council. He was also an Honorary Life Member of the Ceylon Association in London. His mother died in September 1930 in Ceylon. She had travelled there in 1872 to be married.
Along with his four brothers, Eric attended Dulwich College
Dulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
. His eldest brother, William, followed his father into the planting business. The second of the brothers Stewart was a recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
. Alexander, the third brother, became a Commander in the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
and was the head of the Royal Australian Naval College. The fifth of the five brothers was C. B. Loudoun-Shand who resided Delta, Pussellawa for a while. He was known as 'Bosun' Loudoun-Shand and was the Colonel of the volunteer force 'The Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps' .
Rugby career
Eric learnt his rugby at Dulwich CollegeDulwich College
Dulwich College is an independent school for boys in Dulwich, southeast London, England. The college was founded in 1619 by Edward Alleyn, a successful Elizabethan actor, with the original purpose of educating 12 poor scholars as the foundation of "God's Gift". It currently has about 1,600 boys,...
. Whilst there he played in an unbeaten first XV in 1909 which contained five future internationals dubbed the 'Famous Five'. These five would all go on to play in the 1913 Varsity match
Varsity match
A varsity match is a sporting fixture between two university rivals; in its original and most common form, it is used to describe meetings between Oxford University and Cambridge University.-Popular British and Irish Varsity matches:*University of Oxford v...
, (and also produced the captains of both Oxford and Cambridge in 1919), and all served in the First World War. They were Eric Loudoun-Shand himself and Grahame Donald
Grahame Donald
Air Marshal Sir David Grahame Donald KCB DFC AFC RAF , often known as Sir Grahame Donald, was a Royal Naval Air Service pilot during World War I, a senior Royal Air Force officer between the wars and a senior RAF commander during World War II. In February 1939, Donald was appointed Director of...
who both went on to play for Scotland, William David Doherty
William David Doherty
William David Doherty, M.A., M.Ch., F.R.C.S., known as George Doherty was a medical superintendent of Guy's Hospital, London, and a former captain of the Ireland national rugby union team.-Early life:...
who went on to play for and captain Ireland, Jenny Greenwood who went on to play for and captain England and the record-breaking Cyril Lowe
Cyril Lowe
Cyril Nelson "Kit" Lowe MC DFC was an English rugby union footballer who held England's international try scoring record for over sixty years, First World War flying ace credited with nine victories, and supposedly the inspiration for W. E. Johns' character "Biggles".- Early life :Lowe was born in...
.
From Dulwich College, Eric went to Oxford University. He was selected to play as a Centre in the 1913 varsity match against Cambridge University. In that same year he was selected to play for 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...
against 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...
at Twickenham
Twickenham Stadium
Twickenham Stadium is a stadium located in Twickenham, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is the largest rugby union stadium in the United Kingdom and has recently been enlarged to seat 82,000...
on 15 March. In that match, which Scotland lost by 3 point to nil due to LG Brown's try, he wore the number 4 shirt. On the opposing side were two of his former school team mates, CN Lowe and JE Greenwood. His international career was then interrupted by the outbreak of the First World War. He joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps
King's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
and during the war rose to the rank of Major and received 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....
. He was also a holder of the Territorial Decoration
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
.
He did not return to international rugby, but he did make a return for Oxford University in 1919. He captained the side and his opposing captain was his former school team mate J. E. Greenwood
John Eric Greenwood
John Eric Greenwood was a rugby union international who represented England from 1912 to 1920. He also captained his country. During what would have been the prime of his playing career he fought in the First World War.-Early life:...
. It was due to a chance encounter with Eric Loudoun-Shand that Greenwood was allowed to captain the Cambridge side that year. It was within the prerogative of the Oxford captain to deny Cambridge the chance to field Greenwood, who had left the University just prior to the war. However, the long association proved to be to Greenwood's good fortune. Eric Loudoun-Shand played that match with a severely injured arm, an injury from the Great War. So bad was this injury that he later had to have the arm amputated.