2nd LIEUTENANT SIDNEY BARCLAY BLAIR, 3rd (RESERVE) BATTALION attached to the 2nd BATTALION ROYAL WARWICKSHIRE REGIMENT, was the third son of John Blair, J.P. M.D. of Bidston House, Upper Dicconson Street, Wigan and his wife Elizabeth daughter of Francis Love of York. His father John Blair was surgeon at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary Wigan, a medical author and a JP from 1905, he was also an old ‘rugger’ exponent and one of the original vice presidents of the recently re-formed Wigan Old Boys RUFC in 1913. Sidney was born on the 20th August, 1895, at Upper Dicconson Street and baptised at St Michaels Church, he was the third oldest of six brothers his older brother served in the 5th Manchester Regiment.
Sidney was educated at Wigan Grammar School from 1905 to 1908, then Warminster Grammar School, Giggleswick School, and Liverpool University. At Giggleswick he won a £40 scholarship, where he also won his 1st Colours in 'rugby football' and cricket and was one of the Gymnasium VIII, a Praeposter of Paley (a prefect of Paley House), and a Corporal in the OTC (Officer Training Corps).
He matriculated at Liverpool University in May, 1913, and passed the first examination for his degree of M.B. (Bachelor of Medicine) in October, 1914 just after the outbreak of war.
At Wigan he played for the newly reconstituted Wigan Old Boys Rugby Club in the 1913-14 season , and at Giggleswick he won several silver cups for diving and swimming.
2nd Lieutenant Blair was quick to volunteer and was gazetted to the 3rd Reserve Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, in November 1914, and he went to France in March 1915 leaving the reserve 3rd Battalion and was attached to the 2nd Battalion of his regiment. He was killed aged 19 on the 16th May, 1915, at Festubert France. While leading his platoon he was struck by a shell between the first and second lines of German trenches and he was buried in Le Touret Military Cemetery Grave Ref: 11.F.16.
His colonel wrote: “He died gallantly leading his platoon attacking the Germans, 16 May."
His Adjutant: ” I always found him so willing and always ready to be of service. his loss will be greatly felt in the regiment.”
His Capt: “Your son belonged to my company, and he was killed between the 1st and 2nd line German trenches, his platoon was the first of the battalion to attack, and he led them most gallantly." - Capt. Thomas Blackman.
2nd Lieutenant Blair at 19 years of age, was already a distinguished sportsman, and commanded a platoon of just over 50 men in the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regt. which was part of the 22nd Brigade one of the brigades comprising the British 7th Division in 1915.
Sidney had come to France as part of a draft from the 3rd Reserve Battalion to make up the deficiency in men and officers lost following the heavy fighting the 2nd Royal Warwick’s had endured from their arrival in August 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force and latterly in the First Battle of Ypres. He would have seen action very quickly after his arrival, in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, then The Battle of Aubers and was killed in the Battle of Festubert some 76 days or so from his arrival at the front.

This 1913 report of the Tyldesley v Wigan game underlines what a sportsman Sidney Blair was at only 17 years of age then!
“Tyldesley in Good Form. - Playing at their new ground, Tyldeslcy gained a victory over Wigan Old Boys by 16 points to nil. Though the home backs were weakened by the absence of W. H. Blakemore, they gave a very sound exhibition, more especially in the second half, when Wigan found it difficult to hold them. It was in the forward line, however, that Tyldesley's superiority was most marked. They had a considerable advantage over their opponents in the matter of weight, and their effective work in the pack and close dribbles played a great part the fortunes of the game. Ivers at full-back, Evans at centre-threequarter, and Kemp and Bleakley at half-back played splendidly in the Tyldesley rearguard, and Morrison, Barr, GW Smith and G. A. Leather were prominent among a fine set of forwards. On the Wigan side, S. Blair, Nixon and the two Prestts were clever backs, the first-named making some particularly fine runs. Manchester Courier 6th Oct 1913
SOURCES:
'played for Wigan Old Boys Rugby Club' – The Bond of Sacrifice a Biographical Record of all officers who fell in The Great War. Vol II, Wigan Grammar School Roll of Honour, CWGC, Wigan Parish Records – St Michaels, The Roll of Honour.- a Biographical Record of All Members of His Majesty’s Naval and Military Forces Who Have Fallen in the War, Lancashire : biographies, Rolls of Honour, War Diaries – The Royal Warwickshire Regiment 2nd Bttn. WO95/1664/3, A History of Giggleswick School – from its foundation 1499 to 1912 by Edward Allen Bell MA, UK Census Returns, Manchester Courier Archives.