Robert Burgess (rugby union)

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Robert Burgess
Birth nameRobert Balderston Burgess
Date of birth(1890-12-25)25 December 1890
Date of death9 December 1915(1915-12-09) (aged 24)
Place of death Armentières, France
University Trinity College, Dublin
Occupation(s)Barrister
Rugby union career
Position(s) Forward
Amateur team(s)
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1913–1914 Dublin University Football Club ()
Senior career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1913 Barbarians 1 (0)
International career
YearsTeamApps(Points)
1912 Ireland 1 (0)
----
Military career
Buried
Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension Nord (II.B.63), Bailleul, France
50°44′16″N2°44′33″E / 50.737761°N 2.742365°E / 50.737761; 2.742365
AllegianceFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Service / branchFlag of the British Army.svg  British Army
RankCaptain
Unit Royal Engineers
MemorialsReading room, Trinity College, Dublin

Robert Balderston Burgess (25 December 1890 – 9 December 1915) was a rugby union player, who represented Ireland. He died at Armentières during the First World War.

Contents

Early life

Burgess was born on 25 December 1890 to Henry Burgess, a railway manager, and his wife Agnes. He went to Portora Royal School, where he played rugby and was reputedly the best forward in the team. From there he went to Trinity College, Dublin. [1]

Rugby career

Burgess was fast for a forward, and a strong tackler. [1] He was selected to play for Ireland for a single match, on 30 November 1912 against the touring South Africans, which the visitors won 0–38. [2] From 1913 to 1914, Burgess was playing for Dublin University Football Club and was the club's honorary secretary. [1] He was invited to play for the Barbarians, alongside Alexander Jackson, the Irish centre, and former England captain Edgar Mobbs, against Newport RFC on 27 December 1913, losing 14–0. [3]

International appearance

OppositionScoreResultDateVenueRef(s)
Red Ensign of South Africa (1912-1951).svg  South Africa 0–38Lost30 November 1912Lansdowne Road [4]

Military service and death

Soon after the First World War began, in November 1914, Burgess was commissioned in the Royal Army Service Corps. He was soon promoted to captain in January 1915 and served with the Royal Engineers. On 9 December 1915, [5] he was hit by a shell while cycling down the rue de Dunkerque in Armentières, northern France, and died at a casualty clearing station. He was the fourth Irish international rugby player to be killed in action in the First World War. [1] His commanding officer said of him:

The late Captain Burgess was an excellent officer, always ready for his duty day and night, and was the most popular officer in his section. [1]

He is buried at the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension Nord (II.B.63), [5] and is commemorated at the entrance to the reading room at Trinity College, Dublin. [6]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 McCrery 2014, p. 111.
  2. ↑ Robert Burgess at ESPNscrum
  3. ↑ "Archive - Barbarian FC". barbarianfc.co.uk.
  4. ↑ "Ireland-France 1912". ESPN UK.
  5. 1 2 "CWGC - Casualty Details - Robert Balderston Burgess". cwgc.org.
  6. ↑ McCrery 2014, p. 112.

Bibliography

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