This is one of a series of posts to mark the international Rugby players who served in, and survived, The Great War. If anyone has further information on the men concerned, I’d be most grateful if it could be added to the thread. Gareth Hemphill, Robert DSO played for Ireland Internationals: 4 : 1912 F+ E- S+ W+ Robert Hemphill was born on 26 August 1888 Played as a Forward for: Armagh Royal School, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin University Profession: Army War service: Lieutenant, Acting Captain from 29 March 1915. Later Temporary Major, Acting Lieutenant Colonel from 12 January 1917, Royal Army Medical Corps; acting Colonel to 27 June 1919. DSO Gazetted 3 June 1918. Remarks: Played for the Officers of the Army v the Officers of the Royal Navy in 1913 (8-18). He died on 21 April 1935 in Cornwall
I think this is him in 1911 ... he was a medical student ... and you said he was in RAMC !! http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002644110/ He is remembered on the Bitterne Roll of Honour ?? I have no idea why .... thats near Southampton I think !! Hemphill, Robert Lt-Col RAMC
Tragically ... it all comes together now ! ......... how awful for the children ! Major Robert Hemphill, D.S.O., R.A.M.C., was accidentally killed by a fall from a cliff at Kellan Head, Cornwall, on April 21st, aged 46. His wife was killed at the same time. Major Hemphill, who was medical officer of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, went down to Portuqueen, North Cornwall, with his wife and family, for a short holiday, on April 21st. They went out on the cliffs, where Major Hemphill tried to photograph a buzzard 's nest; in doing so he slipped and fell. His wife, in an attempt to help him, also slipped and fell. Their son Peter, aged 15, broke the window of a coastguard look-out hut and telephoned for help to the coastguard, sending a younger sister to a farm at some distance to ask for help there. He then climbed down the cliffs, and found the bodies of his father and mother at the foot. The coastguards on arrival also went down the cliff they found Major Hemphill dead. His wife was seriously injured, and was taken to hospital, where she died next day. Major Hemphill was born on August 26th, 1888, the son of the late Canon Hemphill of Belfast, and was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, where he graduated B.A., M.B., B.Ch., and B.A.0. in 1912. While at Trinity he played for four years in the University Rugby team, and in 1912 played for Ireland in all four international matches. Entering the R.A.M.C. as lieutenant on January 24th, 1913, he became captain in the long war promotion list of March 1st, 1915, and major on January 24th, 1925, and was just on the period of promotion to lieutenant-colonel. He served in France throughout the war of 1914-18, was mentioned in dispatches in the London Gazette of January, 1st, 1916, and May 25th, 1918, and received the D.S.O. in 1918. He married Kathleen, daughter of the late Mr. Augustus Smith of Bitterne, Hampshire, and had three children. http://www.bmj.com/cgi/issue_pdf/admin_pdf/1/3878.pdf
And heres his brother who wasn't on the census with the family ...... HEMPHILL, Captain Richard Patrick. Born in Birr, King's Co. he served in 6 LR and the RFC. Accidentally killed at Heliopolis, Egypt on the 24.3.17 age 23, he is buried in Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt, row F, grave 203. He was the son of the Rev. Samuel and Flora Margaret Hemphill of Drumbeg Rectory, Dunmurry, Co. Antrim. In Memory of Captain RICHARD PATRICK HEMPHILL Royal Flying Corps and 6th Bn., Leinster Regiment who died age 23 on 24 March 1917 Son of the Rev. Samuel and Flora Margaret Hemphill, of Drumbeg Rectory, Dunmurry, Co. Antrim. Born at Birr, King's Co. Remembered with honour CAIRO WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY Theres an obituary for him on Blacksheep but I can't access it right now ....... HEMPHILL RICHARD PATRICK LIEUT RFC OBITUARY 1917
Looks like I've found Richard and another brother Alexander in 1911 - at the Campbell college Belmont Belfast as boarding pupils http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/reels/nai002208813/
Capt R P Hemphill of No 21 Reserve Squadron RFC, based at Heliopolis, was killed in an accident on 24 March 1917 while flying in a Maurice Farman Shorthorn with Lt L W Waddell, who was injured. Gareth
A tragic way to go, after all he had lived through, and made worse by his wife (and mother of the children) being killed at the same time. Gareth
