Page 74 - They Also Served

30
Basil Maclear 1900.
The son of an officer in The Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment), Basil Maclear was born in Portsmouth on 7th April 1881. His grandfather was a noted astronomer (Maclear crater on the moon is named after him) and friend of David Livingstone. Educated at Bedford Grammar School, Maclear excelled at sports, captaining the 1st XV and was good enough to play for Blackheath Rugby Club at the age of 15.
At Sandhurst, he represented the
Academy at rugby, cricket, athletics
and shooting and won the Sword of Honour. Commissioned into the Royal Dublin Fusiliers in 1900, he immediately joined his regiment during the Boer War and was MiD. Seconded to the RWAFF, he served as adjutant of the Lagos Battalion and returned home in 1905 to continue his rugby career. 5 foot 11 inches and 14 stone, he was described as ‘forceful rather than subtle; dangerous in attack and formidable in defence’. In a club match at Richmond, watched by the selectors, he converted ten out of twelve tries but, despite England not having a place-kicker, he was ignored. Posted with his regiment to Fermoy and, therefore, residing in the country, he subsequently became eligible to play for Ireland.
Selected for the home international series match against England in 1905, he gained sweet revenge by scoring a try in the 17–3 victory. He also played in the victory against Scotland and defeat against Wales. Later that year, he achieved the unique feat of playing against the 1905 All Blacks four times, playing for Blackheath, Bedford, Munster, and Ireland. After playing all three home internationals in the 1906 season, he scored an 80-yard try against South Africa at Belfast, still reckoned to be the best Irish try ever. Maclear played in all the 1907 home internationals before a knee injury ended his international career after eleven matches with four tries and three conversions.
Posted to Sandhurst as an instructor in 1912, he was in charge of physical training
68