William Penman (12 May 1917 – 3 October 1943) was a Scotland international rugby union player. He was killed in World War II when he, serving as a captain of a Lancaster bomber, was shot down over Kassel.Bath, p. 109Scrum.com player profile. Retrieved 20 February 2010
Rugby Union career
Amateur career
He was educated at the Royal High School of Edinburgh and then played for Royal HSFP.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19420428/077/0003
He played for United Services.
He joined the RAF in 1935. He played and captained the Royal Air Force Rugby Union team.http://www.no-50-and-no-61-squadrons-association.co.uk/veterans-album/wg-cdr-w-m-penman-dfc-afc-kia/
Provincial career
He played for the Scottish selector F. J. C. Moffat's XV against Watsonians in 1938. This was an annual match against Watsonians and looked on as an unofficial trial match.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000577/19381227/021/0003
He played for East of Scotland District against West of Scotland District on 23 December 1939.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19391226/168/0009
International career
He was capped once for in 1939, in a match against Ireland. At the time, he was the first Royal HSFP player to be capped for 4 seasons, and the first Royal HSFP player to be capped at Full Back.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000452/19390919/070/0003
He played 3 times for the Barbarians, all in 1939.https://www.barbarianfc.co.uk/player/penman-william-mitchell/
Military career
He was a Wing Commander in the 61st squadron of the RAF.https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2075102/william-mitchell-penman/
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Force Cross.https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/82451/Penman-William-Mitchell.htm
Death
He was shot down in a night raid. His Lancaster bomber crashed at Rothwesten, north east of Kassel.https://losses.internationalbcc.co.uk/loss/118387
He is commemorated at Hanover War Cemetery.
On his death, his widow was left with a 10 month old daughter.
See also List of Scottish rugby union players killed in World War II
References
Sources Bath, Richard (ed.) The Scotland Rugby Miscellany (Vision Sports Publishing Ltd, 2007 ) Massie, Allan A Portrait of Scottish Rugby (Polygon, Edinburgh; )
External links
CWGC entry