Robert Johnston (rugby player and soldier)

Robert Johnston

Taddy cigarette card of Johnston
Date of birth	13 August 1872
Place of birth	County Donegal, Ireland
Date of death	24 March 1950
School	King William's College
Rugby union career
Senior career Years Team Apps (Points) 18xx-18xx Wanderers () Provincial / State sides Years Team Apps (Points) 18xx-18xx Transvaal () National team(s) Years Team Apps (Points) 1893 1896 Ireland British Lions 2 3 0(0) 0(0)

Major Robert Johnston, VC (County Donegal, 13 August 1872 – Kilkenny, County Kilkenny, 24 March 1950), was an Irish rugby union player and soldier. During the Second Boer War, Johnston was awarded the Victoria Cross while serving with the Imperial Light Horse. He played rugby for both Ireland and the British Lions. He is one of three Ireland rugby union internationals to have been awarded the Victoria Cross. The other two are Tom Crean, who also served with the Imperial Light Horse in the Second Boer War, and Frederick Harvey who served in the First World War. Johnston, Crean and Harvey all played club rugby for Wanderers. In 1896 Johnston and Crean were also members of the same British Lions squad that toured South Africa . Johnston was also one of three alumni of King William's College to have been awarded the VC. The other two were George Stuart White and Robert Henry Cain. White served in the Second Anglo-Afghan War and Cain served in the Second World War.

Johnston was born at Laputa, near the townland of Clyhore (or Cloughore), between Ballyshannon and Belleek in the south of County Donegal in Ulster. He was the son of Robert Johnston, who served as a Q.C. in County Donegal. He was educated at King William's College on the Isle of Man.