24/05/2021
Basil Maclear - Killed in action May 24th 1915
Described as “a lion of the game” Maclear played in the centres for , winning 11 international caps. Rejected by the England selectors as “not good enough”, the fact that he lived in Cork meant that he was eligible to play for Ireland. On 11 February 1905, Maclear made his debut against England, scoring a try, creating two more and kicking over a conversion. Ireland won the game 17-3, and no doubt Maclear enjoyed the post match celebrations.
He scored a try from deep inside his own half against the 1906 Springboks, a moment that had the Daily Mail correspondent singing his praises - “There is no other player in Great Britain who could have scored such a try. It was an epoch-making event, and it is safe to say that the run will live forever in the annals of the game.”
In May 1015 his Royal Dublin Fusiliers were surrounded at Mouse Trap Farm outside Ypres. Despite a desperate message to HQ - “We must have reinforcements”, Maclear was left with no alternative but to attempt a break out to get back to the British line. He was shot and killed in the attempt. Of the 668 Fusiliers that he had led into the initial attack, 647 were either killed, wounded or missing. Maclean’s body was never recovered, and his name is one of more than fifty thousand inscribed on the walls of the Menin Gate.
