Herbert Rawson

Colonel Herbert Edward Rawson, CB (3 September 1852 – 18 October 1924) was an English British Army officer and footballer who played once (as a forward) for England, and appeared in two FA Cup finals, winning the cup in 1875 as a member of the Royal Engineers.

Military career

Rawson was born in Port Louis, Mauritius, the son of Rawson W. Rawson who was Treasurer and paymaster-general in the colony. Like his younger brother William, he was educated at Westminster School in London.

After leaving school he was commissioned into the British Army as a lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 12 September 1872. He was promoted to captain on 12 September 1884, major on 31 December 1891, and lieutenant-colonel on 7 July 1899. After the outbreak of the Second Boer War in October 1899, Rawson was posted to South Africa where he commanded Royal Engineers lines of communication in Natal Colony, and as such was part of the force which relieved Ladysmith in March 1900. He received the brevet rank of colonel on 29 November 1900, and was for a time posted in the Transvaal, but was back in Natal Commanding Royal Engineers in the Pietermaritzburg area for the later part of the war. Following the end of hostilities in June 1902, Rawson stayed another couple of months, and left Cape Town on the SS Orissa, which arrived at Southampton in late October 1902. For his service in the war, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the October 1902 South African honours list.

Football and Cricket

Rawson represented his school (Westminster) at football between 1869 and 1871, becoming captain in his final year. After he was commissioned in the Army, he joined the Royal Engineers football club, and was a member of the side who reached the 1874 FA Cup Final, losing 2–0 to Oxford University. His brother William played for the opposition. The following year, the Engineers again reached the final, this time defeating the Old Etonians 2–0 in a replay, after a 1–1 draw in the first match.

Shortly before the 1875 FA Cup Final, Rawson was selected (along with William) for the England team against Scotland. This was the first occasion on which two brothers played for England in the same match. The match ended in a 2–2 draw.

Rawson was also a notable cricketer who made one appearance for Kent, when he was the wicket-keeper in a match against W. G. Grace's XI in September 1873. Although he failed to score, he claimed four wickets either from catches or stumpings. In this match his Royal Engineers colleague, Henry Renny-Tailyour, also played for Kent.

Honours

Royal Engineers

• FA Cup winner: 1875
• FA Cup finalist: 1874