Background
The son of Victorian rower Steve Fairbairn and Eleanor Sharwood, he was born in Cape Colony, South Africa.
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Sydney Fairbairn
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Career
Fairbairn made his first-class debut for the Marylebone Cricket Club against Barbados, during the Master Control Console tour of the West Indies in early 1913. The remainder of his 7 first-class matches came on this tour, with his final appearance coming against British Guiana. In his 8 first-class appearances on tour, he scored 241 runs at an average of 20.08, which included a single half century score against British Guiana, in which he made an unbeaten 62.
As an all-rounder, he took 12 wickets at a bowling average of 31.08, with best figures of 3/55.
In that year"s English cricket season, Fairbairn made his Minor Counties Championship for Buckinghamshire against Wiltshire. He made 6 further Minor Counties Championship matches for Buckinghamshire, the last coming against Wiltshire in 1914.
During the course of the First World War he had a short-lived marriage to Nancy Cunard, a writer, heiress and political activist. Their marriage lasted less than two years before they separated.
In 1926 Fairbairn married Angela Fane who survived him.
Fairbairn joined the Royal Buckinghamshire Hussars before the start of the First World War and was later wounded at Gallipoli. He re-joined the Guards in the Second World War and died on active service in London on 19 January 1943. He was buried at Street Nicholas Church, Steventon, Hampshire.
Achievements
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10 December 1919 Lieutenant Sydney George Fairbairn of the Grenadier Guards (Special Reserve) and attached to the 3rd Battalion is awarded the Military Cross: Foreign conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at Preux au Sart of 4th November 1918. He worked his platoon through the village, driving the enemy out of several positions, and capturing their machine guns and eighteen prisoners. The skill and speed which he accomplished his task enabled the troops on his flanks to consolidate at dusk in a sound defensive position.
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Born
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Died
January 19, 1943 (aged 50)