Second Lieutenant Ernest Richard Despard

Regiment: Tank Corps
Date published: 23/11/1917
Killed in action: Yes
Date of death: 26/09/1917
Age at death: 30
Cemetery: Dozinghem Military Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Plot: V. E. 7.
Information: Second Lieutenant Ernest Richard Despard, Tank Corps, who died of wounds, received same day, on the 26th of September last, was the only son of Mr. William W. Despard, of Donore, Queen's County. He was educated at Armagh and Portora Royal Schools, and was a member of the Rugby fifteen for the latter school. He then entered Trinity College, Dublin, and later on (in March, 1916), joined the O.T.C., from which he received his commission, the following September, in the Machine Gun Corps, and was transferred to the Tank Corps on its formation. He proceeded to France on active service in June, 1917, and was killed whilst bringing back his crew, after having, in spite of great difficulties, almost reached the position which he was assisting to capture.