Captain Robert Alexander (24 September 1910 – 19 July 1943) was an Irish

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

and

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

player who represented Ireland at both sports during the 1930s. He also played rugby for both the British Lions and the

Barbarians A barbarian (or savage) is someone who is perceived to be either uncivilized or primitive. The designation is usually applied as a generalization based on a popular stereotype; barbarians can be members of any nation judged by some to be less c ...

. Alexander, an RUC officer, was killed in action during the

Second World War 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 ...

while serving with the

Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was an Irish line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1968. The regiment was formed in 1881 by the amalgamation of the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot and the 108th Regiment o ...

. www.rugbyrelics.com
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Rugby international

Ireland

Between

1936 Events January–February * January 20 – George V of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India, dies at his Sandringham Estate. The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King E ...

and

1939 This year also marks the start of the Second World War, the largest and deadliest conflict in human history. Events Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix. January * January 1 ** Third Reich *** Jews are forbidden to ...

Alexander made 11 appearances and scored 1 try 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 ...

. He made his debut in a 6–3 win against

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

on 8 February 1936 at Lansdowne Road. On 27 February

1937 Events January * January 1 – Anastasio Somoza García becomes President of Nicaragua. * January 5 – Water levels begin to rise in the Ohio River in the United States, leading to the Ohio River flood of 1937, which continues into Fe ...

, again at Lansdowne, he scored his one try for Ireland in an 11–4 win against

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. He made his last appearance for Ireland on 11 March 1939 in a 7–0 defeat against

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

at Ravenhill.

British Lions

In 1938 Alexander, together with fellow Ireland international

Paddy Mayne Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne, (11 January 1915 – 14 December 1955) was a British Army officer from Newtownards, capped for Ireland and the British Lions at rugby union, lawyer, amateur boxer, and a founding member of the ...

, was also a member of the British Lions squad that went on a

tour of South Africa The Tour of South Africa was a stage cycling race in South Africa that was only held once, in 2011. It was part of UCI Africa Tour as a 2.2 The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the world's governing body in the sport of bicycle racing, clas ...

Cricket international

As a cricketer, Alexander was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler. He played once for

in a first-class match against

on 18 June 1932Cricinfo profile
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References

1910 births 1943 deaths Burials in Sicily Alumni of Queen's University Belfast Barbarian F.C. players British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Ireland British Army personnel killed in World War II Irish cricketers Irish rugby union players North of Ireland F.C. players Cricketers from Belfast Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers officers Royal Ulster Constabulary officers Ulster Rugby players Ulster Scots people Ireland international rugby union players Rugby union players from Belfast Military personnel from Belfast Police officers from Belfast Rugby union flankers {{Ireland-rugbyunion-bio-stub

Rugby international

Ireland

British Lions

Cricket international

See also

References