Major Robertson "Robbie" Stewart Smyth (18 August 1879 – 5 April 1916) was an international
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 ...
player, who represented and
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...
. Born in
County Down
County Down () is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the nine counties of Ulster and one of the traditional thirty-two counties of Ireland. It covers an area of and has a population of 531,665. It borders County Antrim to the ...
, Ireland, he went to
Dungannon Royal School, then studied medicine at
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 ...
, where he obtained his doctorate in 1904. After a year as
house surgeon at
Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital
Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital ( ga, Ospidéal Sir Patrick Dun) was a hospital and school for physicians on Grand Canal Street, Dublin, Ireland.
History
Sir Patrick Dun, a prominent physician in Ireland, died in 1713, leaving income generating prope ...
, he was commissioned into 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 1906, and went to India the following year.
Smyth captained the
Dublin University
The University of Dublin ( ga, Ollscoil Átha Cliath), corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin, is a university located in Dublin, Ireland. It is the degree-awarding body for Trinity College Dubl ...
1st XV, and earned his first of three
caps
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for Ireland, against England, in 1903. He was then invited to join the
British Isles tour to South Africa, and played in all three test matches. He also played for 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 ...
on two occasions in 1902, and, after graduating from Trinity College, he played with
Wanderers.
At the outbreak of the First World War, Smyth went to the
Western Front, and remained there until December 1915, when he was invalided by exposure to gas, and retired to London. He was
mentioned in despatches
To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...
. Having given up his commission, he died a few months later in April 1916.
Early life
Robertson Smyth was born on 18 August 1879 in Banbridge, County Down, Ireland. He attended
Dungannon Royal School and then
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 ...
.
Rugby career
Smyth was invited to play for 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 ...
on two occasions in 1902: against
Penarth
Penarth (, ) is a town and Community (Wales), community in the Vale of Glamorgan ( cy, Bro Morgannwg), Wales, exactly south of Cardiff city centre on the west shore of the Severn Estuary at the southern end of Cardiff Bay.
Penarth is a weal ...
on 28 March, winning 11–0; and
Swansea
Swansea (; cy, Abertawe ) is a coastal city and the second-largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Swansea ( cy, links=no, Dinas a Sir Abertawe).
The city is the twenty-fifth largest in ...
on 1 April, losing 17–0.
In his second year at Dublin University, Smyth was selected for the
1st XV, and elected captain of the team for the 1902–1903 season. That same season he earned his first cap for against on 14 February 1903, and was selected again to play two weeks later against .
In response to an invitation from the
South African Rugby Board
The South African Rugby Board was the rugby union governing body of white South Africans between 1889 and 1992. The governing of white and coloured rugby union was handled separately during South Africa under Apartheid.
On the 23 March 1992 the no ...
, it was decided by the
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the Sports governing body, national governing body for rugby union in England. It was founded in 1871, and was the sport's international governing body prior to the formation of what is now known as World Rugby ...
to send a team to South Africa, and on 27 May,
George Rowland Hill
Sir George Rowland Hill (21 January 1855 – 25 April 1928) was an English sporting administrator, official and referee, who is most notable for his role as the Secretary and later President of the Rugby Football Union (RFU). Hill gave 49 years ...
, honorary secretary of the Union, announced the team for the
tour to South Africa, Smyth amongst them. He played in all three tests against , the first two being drawn, but the British Isles losing the third.
Smyth was selected for Ireland to play one more game, against England on 13 February 1904 away at Blackheath. England had lost all three games of the Home Nations championship in 1903, but after obtaining a draw against in January 1904, its prospects against Ireland looked stronger. The Irish forwards contingent, including Smyth, was regarded as 'very strong', all eight of them having played international rugby, but the backs appeared weaker.
After Smyth graduated from Dublin University in 1904, he played rugby for
Wanderers, and was part of the team that won the
Leinster Senior Cup in 1906.
International appearances
For Ireland:
For British Isles:
Military service
After obtaining his medical degree in 1904, Smyth passed selection for 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 ...
(RAMC): at the start of the 20th century, many Irish doctors joined the British armed forces.
Before joining, he was seconded by the War Office to
Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital
Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital ( ga, Ospidéal Sir Patrick Dun) was a hospital and school for physicians on Grand Canal Street, Dublin, Ireland.
History
Sir Patrick Dun, a prominent physician in Ireland, died in 1713, leaving income generating prope ...
, where he was appointed house surgeon in 1905. He took up his commission as lieutenant on 2 January 1906, confirmed 1 July, and went to India in 1907. He was promoted to Captain on 31 January 1909. At the outbreak of the First World War, Smyth went to the
Western Front in September 1914. Effective 15 October 1915, Smyth was promoted to Major. He served there until December 1915, when he was invalided due to exposure. Returning to London, he was
mentioned in despatches
To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...
in January 1916. Smyth retired, effective 22 February 1916 on a gratuity.
He died a few months later, on 5 April, from the effects of the exposure.
See also
*
List of international rugby union players killed in action during the First World War
References
Bibliography
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smyth, Robertson
1879 births
1916 deaths
Irish rugby union players
Royal Army Medical Corps officers
Alumni of Trinity College Dublin
Irish officers in the British Army
British & Irish Lions rugby union players from Ireland
Barbarian F.C. players
British Army personnel of World War I
20th-century Irish medical doctors
People educated at the Royal School Dungannon
Ireland international rugby union players
British military personnel killed in World War I
Rugby union players from County Down
Rugby union forwards
Medical doctors from County Down
Irish military doctors
People from Banbridge
Military personnel from County Down