This is a photograph of a Royal Navy Rugby team which was largely composed I believe of submariners. More importantly two of the players went on to be awarded the Victoria Cross. The first member is John Wallace Linton seen seated in the first row , third from left. The other VC holder is sat on the grass to the right. This is “Red” Ryder who was awarded his VC for operations with HMS Campbeltown at St Nazaire in 1942. Ryder when he left Hong Kong in the early 1930s sailed home in a ketch called Tai-Mo-Shan with a number of other officers. The ketch appears in the film Mamma Mia.
Date picture taken
unknown