Robertson Smyth

Robertson Smyth
Date of birth	18 August 1879
Place of birth	Banbridge, County Down, Ireland
Date of death	5 April 1916 (aged 36)
Place of death	London, England
School	Dungannon Royal School
University	Trinity College, Dublin
Rugby union career
Position(s)
Position(s)	Forward
Amateur team(s)
Years	Team
	Dublin University
Senior career
Years	Team
1902; 1904–;	Barbarians; Wanderers;
International career
Years	Team
1903–1904; 1903	Ireland; Great Britain
	----
Military career
Buried	Banbridge Municipal Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1905–1916
Rank	Major
Unit	Royal Army Medical Corps
Awards	Mentioned in despatches

Major Robertson "Robbie" Stewart Smyth (18 August 1879 – 5 April 1916) was an international rugby player, who represented Ireland and Great Britain. Born in County Down, Ireland, he went to Dungannon Royal School, then studied medicine at Trinity College, Dublin, where he obtained his doctorate in 1904. After a year as house surgeon at Sir Patrick Dun's Hospital, he was commissioned into the Royal Army Medical Corps in 1906, and went to India the following year.

Smyth captained the Dublin University 1st XV, and earned his first of three caps 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 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. Having given up his commission, he died a few months later in April 1916.