Noel Forbes Humphreys was a rugby union international who was part of the first official British and Irish Lions team that toured South Africa in 1910 while playing stand-off for Tynedale. He fought in the First World War as a Captain in the Tank Corps (10th Battallion). He was Mentioned in Despatches and was also awarded the Military Cross. He was killed in action on 27/03/1918 and is commemorated at Etaples Military Cemetery Noel Forbes Humphreys was born in 1891 in Llangan Rectory, Bridgend, Wales. He was the son of Henry James Humphreys and Sydney (nee Williams) and one of at least six children. His family moved from Wales to northern England as his father's profession within the Church dictated. By the time Humphreys began playing rugby at club level the family had passed through Cheshire and had settled at Thornley Vicarage, Tow Law, Co. Durham. He attended St Chad's College, Denstone and went on to Durham School. http://www.tynedalerfc.co.uk/archives/pastpoints.htm In Memory of Captain NOEL FORBES HUMPHREYS M C, Mentioned in Despatches 10th Bn., Tank Corps who died age 27 on 27 March 1918 Son of Henry James and Sydney Humphreys, of Thornley Vicarage, Tow Law, Co. Durham. Born at Llangan Rectory, Bridgend, Glam. Remembered with honour ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Noel_Forbes_Humphreys http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/30135/supplements/5992 Noel is included on the list of notable Old Dunelmians, former students of Durham School at Durham, England - and he is also remembered on the Tow Law memorial http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Durham/TowLaw.html
While he was selected for the 1910 Lions tour of South Africa, Noel Humphreys did not gain an international cap for either Wales or the Lions. Gareth
