of his battery. During the Germans' final large offensive, begun on 21 March 1918, he was gassed, and succumbed to the effects of gas poisoning while off-duty and seemingly safe behind Allied lines, dying aged just 29 on 20 April 1918 at Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. At the time of his death, he was serving in the 73rd Siege Battery under Major Walter Brydon, who died about a week earlier. His death was one of the indirect causes of the tradition of the two-minute silence, instigated by his father when Mayor of Cape Town. Reginald Hands was awarded the 1914–15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his military service. He is buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France [Grave VII. A. 39]. At his old school, every year a boy is awarded the Hands Memorial Essay Prize. See also List of international rugby union players killed in action during the First World War References Sources World Cricketers - A Biographical Dictionary by Christopher Martin-Jenkins published by Oxford University Press (1996) The Wisden Book of Test Cricket, Volume 1 (1877–1977) compiled and edited by Bill Frindall published by Headline Book Publishing (1995) Who's Who of Cricketers by Philip Bailey, Philip Thorn & Peter Wynne-Thomas published by Hamlyn (1993) www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players The Complete Who's Who of England Rugby Union Internationals by Raymond Maule published by Breedon Books Publishing Company Ltd. (1992) Taylor, Anton, "Honouring a Century of Silence", The Old Diocesan, Vol.1, (March 2018), pp. 58–60. 1888 births 1918 deaths South African military personnel killed in World War I South Africa Test cricketers South African cricketers Western Province cricketers English rugby union players England international rugby union players South African rugby union players Cricketers from Cape Town Members of the Middle Temple Alumni of University College, Oxford South African Rhodes Scholars