Profile

Arthur Douglas West was one of many players Oldham recruited from the West Country in the early 1900s. A member of the famous Bath RUFC, in November 1912 he fell foul of the Rugby Union’s non-professional stance with respect of an expenses payment and was banned from playing for any club within the Rugby Union.

He subsequently joined Oldham in January 1913. Still only 19 years old, he was a forward who made steady progress and most likely was granted a Lancashire Cup winners medal after the victory over Wigan in October 1913. He didn’t play in the final but featured in earlier rounds.

In the 1914-15 season he was a first team regular. He amassed a total of 45 senior appearances, scoring 5 tries and 1 goal.

Arthur originally joined up with the Manchester Regiment, like many of his team-mates, but was serving with the King’s Liverpool Regiment with the rank of sergeant when he was killed in action on November 15th 1916 on the Somme at Beaumont Hamel.

He is buried in the British Cemetery at Tilloy-Les-Mofflianes, near Arras and remembered on the Bath War Memorial.