Family of another Scotland cap traced

Mystery had surrounded the whereabouts of the descendants of Charlie Wilhelm  . . . but this month, with the help of Scotland and Edinburgh Rugby back-row forward Jamie Ritchie and his Edinburgh team-mates and management, the puzzle was solved, and the Scotland cap was presented to its rightful owners.

Wilhelm played for Scotland in the Services International at Welford Road, Leicester against England on Saturday 24 February 1945, which Scotland won 18-11.

He is one of 75 male players to receive retrospective caps as a result of an initiative of the Scottish Rugby Union Custodian Board.

Wilhelm, born in South Africa’s Eastern Cape, served in the Navy during World War 2, and was listed as “South African Services,” when he was chosen for Scotland.

Contemporary media reported: “Scotland’s forwards played a rousing game in the loose, where McKenzie, Hastie and Wilhelm were always to the fore.”

A South African newspaper report later remarked: “Wilhelm was always a good forward and as a lieutenant in the navy during the war was picked in two international games for Scotland.”

Post-war he returned to East London and occasionally captained the Border provincial side.  He had a Springbok trial but was apparently rated as “heavy” . . . so he dieted and cut out bread and potatoes and lost 23lbs from a fighting weight of some 235lbs!

Earlier appeals to find his relatives had not borne fruit, but in July, Charlie’s daughter Margaret contacted Scottish Rugby, having seen a story on our website, around a retrospective cap presentation in Inverness to the family of the late Lt J Michael Blair.

Players and management of Edinburgh Rugby met up with Charlie Wilhelm’s family while they were in South Africa to fulfil URC matches earlier this month.

And the Wilhelm family were, at last, presented with the “most precious” Scotland cap number 1164.

Wilhelm’s son in law, Chris Orr, said: “I would like to express our family’s heartfelt gratitude for getting Charlie Wilhelm’s cap to us.

“It’s so special for us that something that happened 80 years ago could be commemorated like this.

“Charlie would have been absolutely thrilled and proud. It was lovely to share the moment with the Edinburgh Rugby team as well and please pass our appreciation on to them for how welcome they made us all feel.”