 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth name | William Purdon Geen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 14 March 1891 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Newport, Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 31 July 1915 (aged 24) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of death | Hooge, Flanders, Belgium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| School | Haileybury College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| University | Oxford University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable relative(s) | Frank Purdon (uncle) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ---- | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service/ |  British Army | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years of service | 1914–1915 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | Second lieutenant | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unit | 9th King's Royal Rifle Corps | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Battles/wars | First World War | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Memorials | Menin Gate | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
William Purdon Geen (14 March 1891 – 31 July 1915) was a rugby union wing and centre, who represented Wales, and played club rugby for Oxford University and Newport and county rugby for Monmouthshire. He was also invited to play for the Barbarians on several occasions. Geen unsuccessfully trialled for England in 1910, but was selected and played for Wales on three occasions in the 1912–1913 season. Injury prevented him from playing more internationals, and his service in the First World War put an end to his career.
Geen excelled athletically at Oxford, earning four Blues between 1910 and 1913. However, in three successive Varsity Matches, he failed to score after dropping the ball over the tryline. In the holidays, he played club rugby for Newport, and he was part of the team that defeated the touring South African side of 1912–1913. He was also a decent cricketer keeping wicket for Oxford University Authentics and Monmouthshire.
Geen was commissioned second lieutenant into the 9th King's Royal Rifle Corps in August 1914, and sent to the Western Front in May 1915. He was killed in action in Hooge, Belgium. He is remembered on the Menin Gate memorial.