George Eric Fairbairn (18 August 1888 – 20 June 1915) was a British rower who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics. He was killed in action in the First World War. Fairbairn was born at Melbourne Australia, the son of Thomas Fairbairn, a pastoralist and his wife Lena Carmyle. He was also the nephew of rower Steve Fairbairn. He was educated at Eton College and Jesus College, Cambridge and rowed for Cambridge in the Boat Race in 1908. At the 1908 Summer Olympics, most of the Cambridge crew competed in the eight which won bronze medal, but Fairbairn went into the coxless pairs with Philip Verdon and won the silver medal. In 1909 he missed the Boat Race because of illness. Fairbairn also played rugby for Rosslyn Park F.C. During the First World War, Fairbairn served as a second lieutenant with the Durham Light Infantry and was killed in action, aged 26, at Bailleul. He was buried at the Bailleul Communal Cemetery nearby. See also List of Olympians killed in World War I List of Cambridge University Boat Race crews References 1888 births 1915 deaths People educated at Eton College Alumni of Jesus College, Cambridge British male rowers Olympic rowers of Great Britain Rowers at the 1908 Summer Olympics Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain Durham Light Infantry officers British military personnel killed in World War I Olympic medalists in rowing Artists' Rifles soldiers Medalists at the 1908 Summer Olympics George Eric British Army personnel of World War I