Major-General John Cecil Alexander Dowse (1891–1964) was an Irish-born British Army medical officer in World War I and World War II. He played rugby for Ireland in 1914.

Biography

Dowse was born at

Glenageary Glenageary ( ga, Gleann na gCaorach , meaning "Glen of the Sheep") is an area in the suburbs of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown, Ireland. While there is no officially defined boundary, it is surrounded by the areas of Dalkey, Dún Laoghaire, Glasthule ...

county Dublin "Action to match our speech" , image_map = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Dublin.svg , map_alt = map showing County Dublin as a small area of darker green on the east coast within the lighter green background of ...

, where his father was rector of St Paul's Church. In 1894 the family moved to Monkstown where Dowse later played

rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

for

Monkstown Football Club Monkstown Football Club is an Irish rugby club based in Dublin, playing in Division 1A of the Leinster League. In addition to the First XV, they also have Second (J2), Third (J3) and Fourth (J4) XV's, a mini rugby section and a Golden Oldies t ...

. He was educated at

Trent College Trent College is a co-educational independent day and boarding school located in Long Eaton, Derbyshire between Nottingham and Derby. Founded in 1868 as a local ’middle class alternative’ to the more famous public schools, it is now a coedu ...

, Derbyshire, and

Trinity College Dublin , name_Latin = Collegium Sanctae et Individuae Trinitatis Reginae Elizabethae juxta Dublin , motto = ''Perpetuis futuris temporibus duraturam'' (Latin) , motto_lang = la , motto_English = It will last i ...

. In 1914 Dowse played rugby for

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

against France, Scotland and Wales. However, his rugby career was cut short by the outbreak of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

and he was commissioned as a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

in the

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...

in August 1914. He served on the Western Front and in India, remained in the army after the war and served during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

in France, North Africa, Italy and Egypt. He ended the war with the rank of acting

Major-General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

(made substantive in November 1945). After the war he was Commandant and Director of Studies at the

Royal Army Medical College The Royal Army Medical College (RAMC) was located on a site south of the Tate Gallery (now known as Tate Britain) on Millbank, in Westminster, London, overlooking the River Thames. The college moved from the site in 1999 and the buildings are no ...

1948–49. He then retired and was colonel commandant of the RAMC (a ceremonial position) 1950–56. Dowse was appointed a Commander of the Order of St John in 1947. The Greek government awarded him the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Phoenix in 1948.

Notes

References

DOWSE, Major-General John Cecil Alexander
''Who Was Who'', A & C Black, 1920–2015; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2014

at Scrum.com
IRFU Profile
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External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dowse, John 1891 births 1964 deaths Irish rugby union players Ireland international rugby union players Monkstown Football Club players People educated at Trent College Alumni of Trinity College Dublin Royal Army Medical Corps officers British Army personnel of World War I British Army generals of World War II Companions of the Order of the Bath Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Recipients of the Military Cross Commanders of the Order of St John Grand Crosses of the Order of the Phoenix (Greece) People from Glenageary British Army major generals Rugby union forwards Rugby union players from County Dublin