John Darwall-Smith
John Anderton Darwall-Smith (12 April 1912 – 22 June 1976) was an English first-class cricketer. Darwall-Smith played first-class cricket for Oxford University and the Free Foresters in mid-1930s, before serving in the Second World War.
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | John Anderton Darwall-Smith | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 12 April 1912 Marylebone, London, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 22 June 1976 (aged 64) Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Right-arm fast-medium | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | Randle Darwall-Smith (brother) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1933–1934 | Oxford University | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 4 June 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Life, cricket and war service
Darwall-Smith was born at Marylebone in April 1912. He was educated at Winchester College,[1] From Winchester he went up to Trinity College, Oxford.[2] While at Oxford he made his debut in first-class cricket for Oxford University against the touring West Indians in 1933 at Oxford.[3] He made three further first-class appearances for Oxford, playing two more matches in 1933 and one in 1934.[3] He scored 83 runs and took 9 wickets in his four matches,[4][5] but was unable to establish himself in the Oxford team.[1] While at Oxford he played football for Oxford University and Corinthians.[1] He made a final appearance in first-class cricket for the Free Foresters against Oxford University in 1937.[3]
During the height of the Second World War, Darwall-Smith was commissioned into the King's Royal Rifle Corps as a second lieutenant in March 1941.[6] He was mentioned in dispatches in March 1945, by which point he held the rank of captain.[7] He died in hospital at Hemel Hempstead in June 1976.[1] His younger brother, Randle Darwall-Smith, also played first-class cricket.
References
- "Wisden – Obituaries in 1976". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
- Oxford University Calendar. University of Oxford. 1944. p. 610.
- "First-Class Matches played by John Darwall-Smith". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- "First-class Batting and Fielding For Each Team by John Darwall-Smith". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- "First-class Bowling For Each Team by John Darwall-Smith". CricketArchive. Retrieved 3 June 2019.
- "No. 35121". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 March 1941. p. 1892.
- "No. 36994". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 March 1945. p. 1560.