Patrick Rucker

Patrick William Rucker (5 May 1900 – 20 May 1940) was an English first-class cricketer and British Army officer.

Rucker was born at Chislehurst in May 1900. He was educated at Charterhouse School, before going up to Brasenose College, Oxford.^[1] While studying at Oxford, he played first-class cricket for Oxford University in 1919. In his debut match against the Gentlemen of England at Oxford, he bowled the first delivery in first-class cricket since the 1918 Armistice and the first since the suspension of first-class cricket in 1914.^[1] He made seven first-class appearances for Oxford in 1919, which included playing in The University Match against Cambridge.^[2] He took 11 wickets with his left-arm medium pace bowling, at an average of 42.00 and best figures of 4 for 107.^[3]

Rucker married Betty Fairweather at High Wycombe in 1927.^[1] He later served in the Second World War, being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Sussex Regiment in November 1939.^[4] He fought during the Battle of France in May 1940, travelling to Amiens via Abbeville and Lens, all the while the regiment was harassed by Luftwaffe dive-bombers. On 20 May, his battalion was attacked at Amiens by a motorcycle battalion of the 1st Panzer Division, during which Rucker was killed in action. He is commemorated at the Dunkirk Memorial.^[1] His brother, Robin, was killed during the First World War in service with the Royal Air Force,^[1] while another brother, Charles, also fought in the First World War, with the army, and played first-class cricket.