- Robert Gregory
William Robert Gregory MC (born
20 May 1881 inCounty Galway ,Ireland ; died23 January 1918 nearGrossa ,Padua ,Italy [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Players/26/26761/26761.html Cricket Archive profile] ] ) was an Irishcricketer andartist .The only child of
William Henry Gregory and Lady Gregory, an associate ofW. B. Yeats , Robert was born in County Galway in Ireland in May 1881. He studied at Harrow,New College, Oxford and theSlade School of Art [http://ireland.wlu.edu/landscape/Group1/robert_gregory.htm Obituary] ] he excelled atbowls ,boxing ,horse riding andcricket . He was good enough at cricket to play once for theIreland cricket team [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/irelandall/ire110.htm CricketEurope Stats Zone profile] ] , taking 8/80 with hisleg spin bowling in a first-class match against Scotland in 1912. He didn't score a run. [http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/ireland/content/player/24380.html Cricinfo profile] ] His bowling performance in that match remains the tenth best in all matches for Ireland [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/irelandall/irer24.htm Best innings bowling figures for Ireland in all matches] ] and the fourth best in first-class cricket for Ireland. [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/irelandfirstclass/irer24.htm Best innings bowling figures for Ireland in first-class cricket] ] Hisbowling average of 10.22 is the second best for Ireland in first-class cricket. [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CSTATZ/irelandfirstclass/irer27.htm Top first-class bowling averages for Ireland] ]An accomplished artist, he worked in the design studio of
Jacques Émile Blanche , and had his own exhibition of paintings in Chelsea in 1914. The following year, he joined the war effort, becoming a member of the 4thConnaught Rangers , transferring to theRoyal Flying Corps in 1916. He became a Chevalier of theLegion d'Honneur in 1917, and was awarded aMilitary Cross for "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty."He was killed in Italy at the age of 37 when an Italian pilot mistakenly shot him down.
Robert's death had a lasting effect on W. B. Yeats, and he became the subject of four poems by him;
In Memory of Major Robert Gregory ,An Irish Airman Foresees His Death , Shepherd and Goatherd, and Reprisals.References
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