Dave Howie

Background

David Dickie Howie was born in Rosebery Temple, Midlothian, to Archibald and Jessie Howie.

Education

He attended Kirkcaldy High School.

Career

He enlisted as a trooper in the local yeomanry in September 1914, at the start of the First World War. After undergoing training in England, he was commissioned second lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery in April 1915 and despatched to Gallipoli in August. During the evacuation of Anzac Bay, he contracted pneumonia, and died in Cairo, Egypt, after shooting himself with a revolver while in a state of delirium.

He is buried at the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery.

Howie, who played as a forward, was capped seven times for Scotland between 1912 and 1913. While there, he played as a forward in the school rugby XV for three years.

Howie, like his father, was a farmer. Dave Howie was the brother of Bob Howie, who also played for Kirkcaldy and also gained seven national caps, in the 1920s, as well as representing Great Britain in four games on the 1924 tour to South Africa.

Howie began playing for Kirkcaldy Reconstruction Finance Corporation in 1908.

He was considered a "useful forward", and in 1912 became the first Kirkcaldy Reconstruction Finance Corporation player to earn selection for Scotland. He went on to play in each of the subsequent Home Nations Championship games that year, as well as participating in the game against the South African tourists in November. He was again selected in 1913 for the games against Wales and France.

International appearances

On 8 September 1914, Howie enlisted as a trooper in the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry.

He remained in training in England until April 1915, when he was commissioned into the 1st Highland Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, and sailed for Gallipoli in August 1915. During the evacuation of Anzac, he contracted pneumonia and died in Cairo on 19 January 1916.

His death was from "self-inflicted revolver wounds, whilst temporarily of unsound mind, due to the delirium of pneumonia". According to Sister Laycock, who was tending to him, he was "quiet and drowsy" during most of the day, and shot himself a few minutes after she had last seen him alive, apparently sleeping: she heard the shot on entering the room again.

He is buried at the Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Grave Number.

267 Doctorate and is commemorated on the Kinghorn War Memorial.

Achievements

• He also was the winner in 1903 of the Nairn Cup, awarded to the school"s champion athlete. His debut came in Scotland"s first international match of 1912, with a convincing win against France.