William Eric Carlsson (January 1892 – 14 July 1916) was a South African first-class cricket, rugby union player and a soldier in the South African Army.

William Carlsson
Personal information
Full name
William Eric Carlsson
BornJanuary 1892
Hoetjies Bay, Cape Colony,
South Africa
Died14 July 1916 (aged 24)
Longueval, Somme, France
BattingUnknown
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1910/11Western Province
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 4
Runs scored 44
Batting average 6.28
100s/50s –/–
Top score 24
Catches/stumpings 4/–
Source: CricketArchive, 1 April 2021
Rugby union career
Position(s) Wing, Centre
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
1914 Villagers RFC ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1914 Western Province (0)

Carlsson was born at Hoetjies Bay in January 1892.[1] He was educated at both the Diocesan College and St George's Grammar School.[2][3] Carlsson played first-class cricket for Western Province in the 1910–11 Currie Cup, making four appearances against Eastern Province, Border, Natal, and Griqualand West.[4] He scored 44 runs in his four matches, with a highest score of 24.[5]

Carlsson played club rugby for Villagers RFC and provincial rugby for Western Province, making his debut in 1914. He was a member of the Western Province team that won the Currie Cup in 1914, by winning all nine of their matches in the competition.[6][7]

Carlsson served in the South African Army during the First World War as a private in the 1st Infantry Brigade, which travelled to Europe as part of the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force.[1] He saw action on the Western Front, where he fought in the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. He was killed in action at Delville Wood on 14 July.[8] He is commemorated at the Thiepval Memorial.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b McCrery, Nigel (30 July 2015). Final Wicket: Test and First Class Cricketers Killed in the Great War. Pen and Sword. p. 314. ISBN 978-1473864191.
  2. ^ "Old Diocesans Union" (PDF). Diocesan College. June 2014. p. 109. {{cite magazine}}: Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  3. ^ "Player profile: William Carlsson". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  4. ^ "First-Class Matches played by William Carlsson". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  5. ^ "First-Class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by William Carlsson". CricketArchive. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  6. ^ Stent, R. K. (1976). 100 Years of Rugby. Cape Town: Villager Football Club. p. 19.
  7. ^ Parker, A. C. (1983). W.P. Rugby : centenary, 1883-1983. Western Province Rugby Football Union (South Africa) (1st ed.). Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa: WPRFU. pp. 46, 302. ISBN 0-620-06555-9. OCLC 54188953.
  8. ^ Renshaw, Andrew (2011). Wisden on the Great War: The Lives of Cricket's Fallen 1914–1918. Vol. 2nd. Pen and Sword. p. 212. ISBN 978-1526706980.
  9. ^ "Private William Eric Carlsson Sharp". www.cwgc.org. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
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