The Olympic and Wimbledon Tennis icon who died on the Western Front

The Olympic and Wimbledon Tennis icon who died on the Western Front  

The dashing Anthony Wilding, with his blond hair and magnetic personality, has been variously described as ‘tennis' first matinee idol’ and the sport’s ‘Great Gatsby’.

Anthony lived a charmed life: he was engaged to an American actress, travelled between tournaments in Europe on his motor bike and was hugely popular with swooning fans.

But most importantly Anthony excelled at tennis, winning 186 tournaments worldwide, including the Wimbledon gentleman’s singles four years in a row. His record remained intact, until broken by Bjorn Borg.

Anthony’s British parents moved to New Zealand, where he was born and grew up. At 19, the talented sportsman travelled to England to study law at Cambridge.

Anthony won his first Wimbledon Championships in 1910. 

Thereafter he travelled across Europe on his beloved motorcycle, playing his ‘manly brand of tennis’, and living comfortably off his prize money. He competed at the Stockholm Olympics in 1912, winning a bronze medal.   

On the Great War’s outbreak Anthony joined the Royal Naval Armoured Car Division, answering their appeal for ‘fifty gentlemen...to bring their own cars and place them at the disposal of the navy.’

A friend remembered meeting Anthony near the front line. He wasn’t wearing regulation breeches and puttees; rather he ‘strolled up in “slacks” and low shoes, looking for all the world as if he were about to pop down in his car to Wimbledon.’  

On 9 May 1915 Anthony’s unit was thrust into the Battle of Aubers Ridge. 

He was killed when a shell exploded on his dugout’s roof. The attack was an unmitigated disaster with 11,000 British soldiers killed.

He is buried at Rue-des-Berceaux military cemetery. 

Strangely, despite Anthony being an icon of his day, and a war hero, there’s relatively little awareness of him today.