Bill Carson

Rugby union When Carson returned to New Zealand he focused on rugby, playing provincially with and for the North Island representative team as a flanker.

Carson was selected by the editors of the 1937 Rugby Almanac of New Zealand as one of their 5 promising players of the year.

As with his cricket career, he represented his country at rugby without appearing at Test level. Selected for the All Blacks' 1938 tour of Australia he made his All Blacks debut on 20 July 1938 for a game against the Combined Western Districts, followed by matches against Newcastle and the ACT.

He was seen as a likely candidate for inclusion in the All Black side to tour South Africa in 1940. However, World War II caused the cancellation of the tour to South Africa and spelled the end of Carson's rugby and cricket career.

World War II Carson embarked on war duty in 1940 and went on to participate in the Crete, North African and Italian campaigns. While serving in Italy with the 5th Field Regiment of the NZ Artillery, as a major, Carson was severely wounded in battle. He was evacuated but died from jaundice aboard ship whilst being taken from Bari in Southern Italy to Egypt.

A distinguished soldier, Carson was awarded the Military Cross in June 1943, and was mentioned in dispatches.