Stephen Steyn

Lt. Stephanus Sebastian Leonard Steyn (10 November 1889 – 8 December 1917) was a Scottish-South African rugby union player and British Army officer who was killed in World War I.[1][2]

Stephen Steyn
Birth nameStephanus Sebastian Leonard Steyn
Date of birth(1889-11-10)10 November 1889
Place of birthMoorreesburg, Cape Colony
Date of death8 December 1917(1917-12-08) (aged 28)
SchoolDiocesan College
UniversityUniversity College, Oxford
Occupation(s)Junior doctor
Rugby union career
Amateur team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
Oxford University RFC ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
1911-12 Scotland

Steyn was born in Moorreesburg, Cape Colony to Margaret Fraser Dobie Steyn of Dunbar and physician Gabriel Hendrik Steyn,[3] who was a cousin of Martinus Theunis Steyn, President of the Orange Free State. Steyn was educated at Diocesan College, Rondebosch and University College, Oxford, where he studied medicine as a Rhodes scholar.[1] He played for Oxford University RFC and was capped for Scotland in 1911–12.[2] He was part of the Oxford team that won a surprise victory over South Africa, reportedly owing to Steyn and fellow South African Lennox Broster's knowledge of Afrikaans, which helped them understood everything the rival team was saying. He continued his medical training at Guy's Hospital in London.[1]

He was killed on 8 December 1917, aged 28, while serving with the Royal Field Artillery. He is buried at the Jerusalem War Cemetery.[4]

References
  1. McCrery, Nigel (2014). Into Touch: Rugby Internationals Killed in the Great War. Pen and Sword. pp. 200–201. ISBN 9781781590874.
  2. Bath, Richard (ed.) The Scotland Rugby Miscellany, p. 109. (Vision Sports Publishing Ltd, 2007 ISBN 1-905326-24-6)
  3. "Gabriel Hendrik Steyn: 1861.06.12 - 1907.02.16". www.steyn.pro.
  4. "Casualty Details: Stephanus Sebastian Leonard Steyn". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
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