Hal Withers Explained

Hal Withers
Birth Date:11 October 1904
Birth Place:Bengal, India
Death Place:Millbank, London, England
Occupation:Army officer / Engineer
School:Cheltenham College
Position:No. 8
Repyears1:1931
Repcaps1:5
Reppoints1:0

Henry Hastings Cavendish Withers (11 October 1904 — 6 September 1948) was a British Army officer, engineer and Ireland international rugby union player of the 1930s.

The son of an Army colonel, Withers was born in Bengal and educated at Cheltenham College.[1]

Withers, a forward, was a product of Army rugby and gained five Ireland caps. He played all of Ireland's 1931 Five Nations fixtures and featured against the touring Springboks at the end of the year.[2]

A graduate of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, Withers was commissioned into the Royal Engineers and posted to India in 1934. He served as a garrison engineer in Quetta and in 1940 was decorated with Distinguished Service Order for "gallant and distinguished services" on active service during World War II.[3]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Obituary . . 17 September 1948.
  2. News: Withers a great success . . 3 January 1931.
  3. News: Awarded the D.S.O. . . 16 July 1940.