Robert Montagu Poore | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Poore pictured in 1899 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 20 March 1866 Dublin, Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 14 July 1938 (aged 72) Boscombe, Hampshire, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Buried | 50°46′37″N 1°59′18″W / 50.7769°N 1.9883°W | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | British Army British Indian Army | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years of service | 1883–1921 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Rank | Brigadier-General | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commands | Provost marshal (South Africa) 7th Hussars Jhansi Brigade | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Battles / wars | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Awards | Distinguished Service Order Order of the Indian Empire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Right-handed | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Unknown | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National side |
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| Test debut (cap 28) | 13 February 1896 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Test | 21 March 1896 v England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Domestic team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1892/93–1913/14 | Europeans | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1892/93 | Bombay | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1898–1906 | Hampshire | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1898 | Marylebone Cricket Club | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 13 November 2022 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Brigadier-General Robert Montagu Poore CIE DSO DL JP (20 March 1866 – 14 July 1938) was an Anglo-Irish cricketer and British Army officer who, while serving in South Africa in 1896, played in three Test matches for the South African cricket team. He featured most prominently in first-class cricket playing county cricket in England for Hampshire between 1898 and 1906, where he gained a reputation as a batsman, having notable success in 1899 when he was the highest first-class run-scorer in England. Alongside playing for Hampshire, Poore also played first-class cricket in India for the Europeans in the Bombay Presidency Matches. An all-round sportsman, he was also a capable swordsman, and polo, tennis, racquets, and squash player, in addition to being a skilled marksman. Poore had success in the Royal Naval and Military Tournaments, being adjudged the best man-at-arms on four occasions.
Poore began his military service in the Volunteer Force with the 3rd (Royal Wiltshire Militia) Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment in 1883, before gaining a regular commission in the British Army in 1886. From there, he transferred to the 7th Hussars in the same year and shortly after served in British India, where he was aide-de-camp to the Governor of Bombay. Poore served in the Second Matabele War in Southern Africa and later in the Second Boer War from 1899 to 1902, in which he was seconded to the Mounted Military Police and served as provost marshal at Army Headquarters Pretoria. In this role, he played an important part in investigating and recording the war–crimes trial and execution of Breaker Morant and Peter Handcock. Decorated with the Distinguished Service Order during the war, Poore later returned to the Hussars and served in the First World War between 1914 and 1918, commanding the Jhansi Brigade of the British Indian Army from 1915, for which he was made a Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire in 1918. He retired from active military service in 1921. In later life, he was a deputy lieutenant for Dorset.