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Son of Sir Godfrey Lagden, K.C.M.G., K.B.E., and Lady Lagden, of "Selwyn," Oatlands Chase, Weybridge. A Rhodes Scholar (South Africa) 1908. Born Maseru, Basutoland. Resided in Weybridge, Surrey. Educated at Mr. Pellat's School in Swanage and then Marlborough College Lagden soon showed himself to be a fine all round sportsman. Whilst at Marlborough he was a regular member of the schools rugby, cricket, hockey and raquets teams. This was a sporting prowess that he was to take with him into later life as he went up to Oriel College, Oxford, and beyond. Whilst still an undergraduate Lagden's all-round sporting skills were to grow. Eventually he would win four blues in cricket, two in hockey, one in raquets and not least three in rugby. His first encounter with Cambridge on the rugby pitch came on December 11th 1909 at the Queens Club in one of the most famous of the many encounters between the two sides. In front of a good crowd the Oxford backs were rampant, Ronnie Poulton in particular entering folk law with his five tries during the emphatic Oxford victory. The Oxford pack, including Lagden who was regarded as a hard hitting forward, played well against their Cambridge counterparts who had been considered the stronger prior to the game. This soon proved not to be the case, and a revival by the Cambridge backs during the second half proved to be far too little too late. Lagden retained his place in the varsity side the following year, again meeting Cambridge at the Queens Club on December 13th 1910. This was to prove a far closer encounter than the previous year's meeting, against all expectations, as Cambridge came into the game on the back of a run of poor form, but raising their game for this, their most important fixture of the year. Cambridge played a simple game well, as opposed to the exuberance of the Oxford backs. The Oxford pack underperformed, also against expectation, leaving only two points between the two teams at half time in Oxfords favor. Despite Cambridge's best efforts although they were hampered by injuries, Oxford managed to retain the lead and claim the fixture by twenty three points to eighteen. Early the following year on March 18th 1911 Lagden was selected for England to play Scotland at Twickenham. Mist before play and hard ground made both the pitch and the ball greasy, which did little to assist the backs of either side. The packs were evenly matched on the day, the English bigger and stronger but also slower than their Scottish counterparts. The play was as fast and open as the conditions allowed, England facing what was generally regarded to be the best of the Scottish sides selected that season. During the game Lagden was to score two conversions on his debut in what was eventually to be a thirteen points to eight victory as England retained the Calcutta Cup, although had the English pack played as expected there is every chance that the winning margin may have been far more. This was to be Lagden's only international cap as he immediately fell from favor with the English selectors. In this he was considered unlucky, not least by Edward Sewell, a prominent chronicler of the sport of rugby union at the time. Returning to Oxford and his studies there was still Cambridge to play and Lagden took to the pitch for his third and final Varsity match on December 12th 1911 at the Queens Club. It was a match in which the experience of the Oxford side was to tell convincingly. Poulton, in particular, was at his sparkling best and a young light blue side had little to offer in return. Ten minutes into the game Oxford were already eleven points to the good and although the Cambridge team battled hard they could find no way back. Before the game the Cambridge pack had been fancied, but Oxford dug in well, also outstripping Cambridge in the loose. Lagden, who also scored two conversions during the match, played well, a core member of his pack. Their cohesion was commented on by the Times, "we have been hearing of the dashing play of Lagden but the best work is always anonymous." Overall the nineteen points to nil defeat was even more crushing than the score line suggested. It was a fitting final Varsity match for Lagden. After completing his studies Lagden himself made the decision to move in education becoming a Master at Harrow School soon after he graduated from Oxford. Continuing his sporting pastimes he was associated with the Richmond Club. He had also, perhaps more prophetically been an active member of the Officer Training Corps, attaining the rank of Lieutenant whilst at Oxford. He enlisted on the first day of World War One in August 1914 joining the Kings Royal Rifle Corps. By early in 1915 he had been attached to its 4th Battalion and travelled to France for active duty. At this time the 4th Battalion of the Rifles was stationed in The St Eloi sector, some fifteen miles north of Neuve Chapelle on the Ypres salient. In early 1915 between the first and second battles of Ypres the fight