William Purdon
Encyclopedia
Major-General William Brooke Purdon DSO
OBE
MC
(28 November 1881 – 1 December 1950) was an Irish
soldier, physician
and medical administrator. Towards the end of his life he was a representative of the Northern Ireland Government in London and for four years was an Honorary Surgeon to the King. In his youth Purdon was a rugby footballer of some note, representing several Irish clubs and was selected to play international rugby for Ireland
on three occasions in 1906.
in 1881. He was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution
and Methodist College Belfast
before matriculating to Queen's College, Belfast where he studied medicine. He graduated as Bachelor of Medicine in 1906 and joined the Royal Army Medical Corps
. In 1913 he took the Doctor of Public Health, and it was his specialisation in hygiene that he made his name after the war. During the First World War Purdon served the British Army with distinction. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
and the Military Cross
and was mentioned in dispatches
three times during the conflict.
In 1923 he was made an Officers of the Order of the British Empire and an Officers of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. From 1930 to 1934 he was Assistant Director of Hygiene at the War Office
and from 1934 to 1935 he was Deputy Director Medical Services British Troops in Egypt. From 1935 to 1938 he was Professor of Hygiene at Royal Army Medical College and during the Second World War he was medical supervisor of Queen Mary's Hospital
, Roehampton. From 1938 to 1941 he was Honorary Surgeon to King George VI
. In 1940 he was awarded the post of Deputy Director Medical Services Western Command. After retiring from the British Army he took up the role of Agent in London of the Northern Ireland Government.
team. It was while representing Queen's College that he was selected for the Ireland national team, playing all three games in the 1906 Home Nations Championship
. His first match, played away to England
, saw him score a try
in a 16-6 victory. Although part of the losing Ireland team against Scotland in February, his final game home to Wales saw a win which gave Ireland the Championship title. The Wales game, which Ireland won 11-6, saw the Irish team finish with just 13 men on the pitch, after Ernie Caddell broke his leg and Purdon was forced to withdraw with torn knee ligaments. As well as Queen's, Purdon also played for North of Ireland F.C. and Collegians
and was selected for the Army
rugby team.
In 1949, Purdon was made President of London Irish
, a post he held until his death in 1950.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(28 November 1881 – 1 December 1950) was an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
soldier, physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and medical administrator. Towards the end of his life he was a representative of the Northern Ireland Government in London and for four years was an Honorary Surgeon to the King. In his youth Purdon was a rugby footballer of some note, representing several Irish clubs and was selected to play international rugby for Ireland
Ireland national rugby union team
The Ireland national rugby union team represents the island of Ireland in rugby union. The team competes annually in the Six Nations Championship and every four years in the Rugby World Cup, where they reached the quarter-final stage in all but two competitions The Ireland national rugby union...
on three occasions in 1906.
Personal career
William Purdon was born in BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in 1881. He was educated at Royal Belfast Academical Institution
Royal Belfast Academical Institution
The Royal Belfast Academical Institution, is a Grammar School in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Locally referred to as Inst, the school educates boys from ages 11–18...
and Methodist College Belfast
Methodist College Belfast
Methodist College Belfast , styled locally as Methody, is a voluntary grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland, one of eight Northern Irish schools represented on the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, and is a member of the Independent Schools Council...
before matriculating to Queen's College, Belfast where he studied medicine. He graduated as Bachelor of Medicine in 1906 and joined the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
. In 1913 he took the Doctor of Public Health, and it was his specialisation in hygiene that he made his name after the war. During the First World War Purdon served the British Army with distinction. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
and the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
and was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
three times during the conflict.
In 1923 he was made an Officers of the Order of the British Empire and an Officers of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem. From 1930 to 1934 he was Assistant Director of Hygiene at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
and from 1934 to 1935 he was Deputy Director Medical Services British Troops in Egypt. From 1935 to 1938 he was Professor of Hygiene at Royal Army Medical College and during the Second World War he was medical supervisor of Queen Mary's Hospital
Queen Mary's Hospital
Queen Mary's Hospital Roehampton is a hospital in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1915 to provide care for wounded soldiers, it became a world renowned limb fitting and amputee rehabilitation centre. Recently rebuilt and modernized it has become a unit of the Wandsworth Primary Care Trust...
, Roehampton. From 1938 to 1941 he was Honorary Surgeon to King George VI
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
. In 1940 he was awarded the post of Deputy Director Medical Services Western Command. After retiring from the British Army he took up the role of Agent in London of the Northern Ireland Government.
Rugby career
Purdon first played rugby union as a schoolboy, before playing for the Queen's CollegeQueen's University RFC
Queen's University Rugby Football Club is the rugby union team of Queen's University Belfast. Founded in 1869, it is the second oldest rugby union club in Northern Ireland . They originally played as Queen's College, Belfast and have won the Ulster Senior Cup a record 21 times...
team. It was while representing Queen's College that he was selected for the Ireland national team, playing all three games in the 1906 Home Nations Championship
1906 Home Nations Championship
The 1906 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-fourth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 13 January and 17 March...
. His first match, played away to England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
, saw him score a try
Try
A try is the major way of scoring points in rugby league and rugby union football. A try is scored by grounding the ball in the opposition's in-goal area...
in a 16-6 victory. Although part of the losing Ireland team against Scotland in February, his final game home to Wales saw a win which gave Ireland the Championship title. The Wales game, which Ireland won 11-6, saw the Irish team finish with just 13 men on the pitch, after Ernie Caddell broke his leg and Purdon was forced to withdraw with torn knee ligaments. As well as Queen's, Purdon also played for North of Ireland F.C. and Collegians
Collegians (Belfast)
Collegians is the name of a club for former pupils of Methodist College Belfast. In the 108-year history of the club, it had rugby union, cricket, hockey, basketball and athletics sections...
and was selected for the Army
Army Rugby Union
The Army Rugby Union is the governing body for rugby union in the British Army and a constituent body of the Rugby Football Union . The ARU was formed on 31 December 1906 and marked the fulfilment of Lieutenant J.E.C...
rugby team.
In 1949, Purdon was made President of London Irish
London Irish
London Irish RFC is an English rugby union club based in Sunbury, Surrey, where the senior squad train, the youth teams and senior academy play home games, and the club maintain their administrative offices. The senior squad play home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading and compete in the top...
, a post he held until his death in 1950.