Bill Bussell Explained

Bill Bussell
Fullname:William Samuel Bussell
Birth Date:19 February 1887
Birth Place:Christchurch, New Zealand
Death Date:7 June 1917 (aged 30)
Death Place:Messines, Belgium
Height:163cm (64inches)
Weight:59kg (130lb)
Club1:Sydenham
Year1start:1914
Year1end:15
Appearances1:21
Tries1:10
Goals1:16
Fieldgoals1:1
Points1:64
Teama:Canterbury
Yearastart:1912
Yearaend:1914
Appearancesa:3
Triesa:0
Goalsa:0
Fieldgoalsa:0
Pointsa:0
Teamb:New Zealand
Yearbstart:1914
Appearancesb:1
Triesb:0
Goalsb:0
Fieldgoalsb:0
Pointsb:0
Source:[1]
New:yes

William Samuel Bussell[2] (19 February 1887 – 7 June 1917) was a New Zealand rugby league player who represented New Zealand.[1] Bussell was killed in action during World War I.

Personal life

Bussell was the son of William and Hester Bussell and lived in St Albans, Christchurch.

Playing career

In 1912 Bussell was part of the first ever Canterbury side. Canterbury went down 4-5 to Wellington on 7 September.[3]

In 1914 he played for Sydenham in the Canterbury Rugby League competition and also captained Canterbury before being selected to represent New Zealand against the Great Britain Lions. New Zealand lost the Test match 13-16.[4] He was selected for the 1915 New Zealand tour of Australia that was later abandoned.[3]

World War I

With the outbreak of World War I, Bussell enlisted. In 1917 Private Bussell was killed in action during the Battle of Messines.[5] [3]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org. rugbyleagueproject.org. 31 December 2017. 1 January 2018.
  2. http://www.nzleague.co.nz/kiwis/player_profile.php?letter=B&id=105 BUSSELL, William Samuel 1914 - Kiwi #105
  3. Coffey, John. Canterbury XIII, Christchurch, 1987.
  4. Book: John Coffey, Bernie Wood . 100 years: Māori rugby league, 1908-2008. Huia Publishers. 2008. 35. 978-1-86969-331-2.
  5. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~sooty/nzefroh1917jan-jun.html New Zealand and World War One Roll of Honour 1917 January - June