Richard Patrick Hemphill was accidentally killed on this day in 1917

Richard Patrick Hemphill was born in Birr, King’s County (now County Offaly), Ireland on 17 March 1894.

His parents were the Rev, Samuel and Flora (née Delap). The family lived at Townparks in Birr which, at the time, was called Parsonstown.

'Pat' as he was known was educated at Chesterfield School and St Columba’s College, Rathfarnham, Dublin and Campbell College, Belfast.

Pat was a member of the OTC and a medical student a Trinity College, Dublin. He was an active member of the Student Volunteer Missionary Union and, in 1914, volunteered for missionary work. He was gazetted 2nd Lieut 6th Bn The Leinster Regt 10 December 1914.

He served in France from 19 May 1915 (six months) and in Salonika from November 1915 (for over a year) where he was Machine Gun Officer and, for a short time, in charge of the company.

Having been accepted to train as a pilot, he became attached to the RFC in Egypt in February 1917.

By the end of 1916, four of the family, Richard, sister Betty and his two brothers Robert and Alexander were serving ‘King and Country’.

Betty Hemphill was a VAD at the General Hospital, Boulogne.

Captain. (Temp Lt-Colonel) Robert Hemphill was commanding 107th Field Ambulance, France and had been involved in the Retreat from Mons.

2nd Lieut. Alex W Hemphill RFA, was recovering in hospital having sustained injuries on the Somme that October. He returned to the front and survived the war staying with the army and rising to the rank of Major.

Richard was accidentally killed at Heliopolis Cairo, 24 March when he fell from his plane. He was buried in Cairo War Memorial Cemetery.

2nd Lieut. Richard Patrick Hemphill, 6th (Service) Bn The Prince of Wales Leinster Regiment, attached to the RFC.