Regiment: Gloucestershire Regt.
Died: 21 April 1916 aged 32 in Iraq. Killed in action.
Battle: Siege of Kut. Cemetery: Basra Memorial P 17
Son of A. B. Rathbone, Red Gables, Formby, Liverpool, b. 1884.
Lower V—VI. School Prefect. XXII Cricket; XL Football; Shooting VIII.
Oriel College, Oxford; B.A. 1905. Played Golf for Oxford against Cambridge.
Formerly Schoolmaster; subsequently Actor.
Great War, enlisted 1914; Captain 11th Bn. attd. 7th Bn. Gloucestershire Regiment; Despatches.
Married Theodora de Selincourt, 22nd October 1910.
Daughter: Pamela Joyce Rathbone, born 25th November 1912.
Address: 107 Haverstock Hill. NW.
'After a short time spent as a schoolmaster, he joined the Benson Company, and, making rapid progress as an actor, had played important parts on the London stage with marked success. In February 1915 he was given a commission in the 11th Battalion of the Gloucestershire Regiment, becoming Lieutenant in August and Captain in November. Sent out to Gallipoli, he took part in the evacuation at Suvla Bay. He was reported as having been killed on April 21st. The curtain has fallen on an artist who gave promise of reaching a foremost place in his profession, but we think rather of the man who never lost his boyish charm of manner and character, and of the home which is bereft of a strong and lovable personality.' (Malvernian, Jun 1916).
Service record:WO 339/32752
Unit war diary:WO 95/5158/1