Alan Wallace (1 April 1891 – 10 May 1915) was a gifted New Zealand scholar and sportsman.

Alan Wallace
Personal information
Born(1891-04-01)1 April 1891
Auckland, New Zealand
Died10 May 1915(1915-05-10) (aged 24)
off Gallipoli, Ottoman Turkey
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
1910/11–1911/12Auckland
Career statistics
Competition First-class
Matches 3
Runs scored 102
Batting average 25.50
100s/50s 0/1
Top score 72
Balls bowled 36
Wickets 0
Bowling average
5 wickets in innings
10 wickets in match
Best bowling
Catches/stumpings 2/0
Source: Cricinfo, 19 January 2018

Wallace was born in Auckland in 1891. His parents were George and Florence Wallace. His father worked at Devonport Gas Works and he grew up on Lake Road in that suburb. He attended Auckland Grammar School from 1903 and excelled academically in mathematics, science, and languages. In sport, his main discipline was cricket. His headmaster, James Tibbs, described him as "a lad endowed in no ordinary degree with moral and intellectual force". He won a large number of scholarships and in the junior university scholarship, which he gained when he entered Auckland University College, he came second in the country. He graduated with a Master of Arts in 1912 and gained a Rhodes Scholarship, which enabled him to study mathematics at Balliol College, Oxford. Aged 20 when he became a Rhodes Scholar, he was then the youngest scholar from New Zealand.[1]

Wallace played three first-class matches for Auckland between 1910 and 1912.[2][3] He was killed in action during World War I.[4] Other sports that he competed in were association football, swimming, rowing, and shooting.[1]

Wallace was still at Balliol College when WWI started. He enlisted on 24 September 1914 and he was assigned to the British Section of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. By Christmas of that year, he had arrived in Egypt. He arrived at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915. For his part of rescuing injured soldiers on 2 and 3 May, he was recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal. On 9 May while discussing plans with Major Hugh Quinn, Wallace was shot in the head by a sniper. He died the following day and was buried at sea.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Alan Wallace". University of Auckland. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Alan Wallace". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  3. ^ "Alan Wallace". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  4. ^ "Wallace, Alan". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
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