- 1917 LEGENDARY SOLDIER SPORTSMAN
 monument, b y Alfred Turner, carries reliefs of 'Sport' and 'War', and is surmounted by a heroic female figure. The inscription reads 'In memory of Edgar R Mobbs DSO, erected by subscriptions of admirers the world over, to the memory of a great and gallant soldier sportsman. When the Great War broke out he founded 'Mobbs Company', joined as a private and rose to command a battalion to which it belonged. He did his duty even unto death'. In the 1 930s the monument was moved to be near the town war memorial in Abington Square. The bust is wreathed after the Mobbs Memorial Match.
The following (extracted from the website: 1914-1918.invasionzone.com.) is a testament to Edgar Mobbs' extraordinary personality and charisma. The extract, written by the grandson of George Henry Percival, demonstrates how Edgar Mobbs inspired his fellow sportsmen to follow his call to arms. Edgar subsequently paid the ultimate price; George was one of the fortunate survivors.
' G eorge Henry Percival played for the Northampton Saints as scrum-half, in the period 1 900-1 9 1 4. By the time the war broke out, he was in the second-team and only played occasionally under Edgar Mobbs, but when Edgar called the meeting asking all sportsmen to join up alongside him, George
followed the call.
Unfortunately, as are most scrum-halves, he was pretty short, and when he got to the front of the queue, the Sergeant thanked him politely, but pointed out he was too short. George remonstrated with him, saying 'My Captain said to come and join up, so here I am.' The Sergeant became terser, and in the end had to threaten to kick him out the door. George turned on the Sergeant and said 'With (bleeps) like you running this war, you'll soon kill off all the tall men, and then you 'll have to come for me, 'cos I won't come willing.'
Two years later they had killed off the tall
men, lowered the height restrictions, and sent George his call-up papers, which he ignored. Eventually, two redcaps came to the house in Hood Street, only to find him with his case packed. He put his jacket on and said: 'I told you (bleeps) in 1914 you'd have to come and fetch me, and now you have. Let's go to War'.
Even though he had wanted to serve with Edgar, he was put into the 3rd Norfolk's initially, but was transferred to the 4th East Surrey's in 1 91 7. Around 1 2th October he had spent 'no more than two weeks in sound of the guns', before being gassed at Poelcappelle, the highpoint of the 1 st Battle of Passchendaele, while serving with the 1 8th Division. Transferred back to the Norfolk's, he was discharged on 2nd December 1 91 7.
Not that it seemed to affect him too much, as he was still working for British Timken a few months before he died aged 84. Oh, and his big secret, whispered in 1 962 - "I was offered terms" - i.e. he had been approached by a Rugby League side, when even just to speak to them would get you thrown out of any Union side. A tough little man'
'In memory of Edgar R Mobbs DSO, erected by subscriptions of admirers the world over, to the memory of a great and gallant soldier sportsman. When the Great War broke out he  unded 'Mobbs Company', joined as a private and rose to command a battalion to which it belonged. He did his duty even unto death'.
  Phonebox Magazine 49