| Footballing Anzacs |
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| Thursday, 08 October 2009 20:54 | |
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Footballing Anzacs is a tribute to the men of various Australian British Association football clubs that enlisted and fought in the Great War. Farewells, such as the one reported below, were commonplace all around Australia, as sportsmen of all persuasions, responded to the call to arms. "The South Australian British Football association tendered a farewell social to the members who are included in the Expeditionary Force at the King of Hanover Hotel on Wednesday evening. Mr. R. J. Holiday, chairman of the association, welcomed the members and wished them God-speed. He said that while the association was poor financially it was rich in strength of sentiment and action when demands of duty had to be met. Sergeant W. Holmes. R.G. A. responded. He said that all those Britishers, be they "socccrites" or not, who were included in the Expeditionary Force, would have the satisfaction of knowing that they carried with them the good will of all Australian Britishers. Sergeant Edwards (Broken Hill) gave the toast of "The South Australian British Football Association," and Mr. T. Thompson responded. Mr. M. Davis proposed "Our chairman." The "soccerite" members of the contingent present were Sergeants Holmes, Leicester, Edwards, Wasley. Privates Mountford, Harvey, Kirk. Fisher, Wallers. Kelloran, Brown, Cleary, Sheppard, Rapley, Walt. Dunlop, Carter, Kelley, Cox, Towler, Norris, Mann, and Matthews." South Australians Horace Edmund Brideoake (Adelaide Freemason Ramblers BAFC) Service number: 6846 Rank: Private Roll title: 8 Field Ambulance (n.d.) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 10 November 1915 Place of embarkation: Melbourne Ship embarked on: HMAT Ascanius Ship number: A11 Bertrand Filsell (Adelaide BAFC) Service number: 3744 Rank: Private Roll title: 10 Infantry Battalion - 9 to 12 Reinforcements (September-December 1915) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 2 December 1915 Place of embarkation: Adelaide Ship embarked on: RMS Malwa In Victoria, British Association footballers enlisted throughout June and July of 1914. This included 5 members of the Albert Park BAFC, Kelly, Fraser, Cox, Geoffrey and Stirrup. On Feb 11 1915, Victorian President Harry Dockerty, made mention of the fact that 200 footballers had enlisted out of a membership of 500. Victorians Patrick John Kilty (Melbourne English BAFC) Service number: 1187 Rank: Private Roll title: 3 Pnr Bn [Pioneer Battalion] (June 1916) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 6 June 1916 Place of embarkation: Melbourne Ship embarked on: HMAT Wandilla Ship number: A62 Hilton Heslop Marsden (Melbourne English BAFC) Service number: 2936 Rank: Private Roll title: 37 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (May-December 1916) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 16 December 1916 Place of embarkation: Melbourne Ship embarked on: HMAT Medic Ship number: A7 John Robison (Melbourne English BAFC) Service number: 4299 Rank: Private Roll title: 6 Infantry Battalion - 13 to 18 Reinforcements (December 1915 - July 1916) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 29 December 1915 Place of embarkation: Melbourne Ship embarked on: HMAT Demosthenes Ship number: A64 William Brown Biggart (Melbourne Scottish BAFC) Service number: 1931 Rank: Private Roll title: 37 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (May-December 1916) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 16 August 1916 Place of embarkation: Melbourne Ship embarked on: RMS Orontes John Graham Mallock (Irymple BAFC) Service number: 310 Rank: Private Roll title: 22 Infantry Battalion (May 1915) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 10 May 1915 Place of embarkation: Melbourne Ship embarked on: HMAT Ulysses Ship number: A38 The Tasmanians made many sacrifices. Most of the Tasmanian contingent were part of the 12th Battallion, one of the first groups to land at Gallipoli. "The 12th Battalion was among the first infantry units raised for the AIF during the First World War. Half of the battalion was recruited in Tasmania, a quarter was recruited in South Australia, and a quarter from Western Australia. With the 9th, 10th and 11th Battalions it formed the 3rd Brigade. The battalion was raised within three weeks of the declaration of war in August 1914 and embarked just two months later. After a brief stop in Albany, Western Australia, the battalion proceeded to Egypt, arriving in early December. The 3rd Brigade was the covering force for the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915 and so was the first ashore at around 4:30 am. Lieutenant Colonel L. F. Clarke, commander of the 12th Battalion, was killed by a sniper within hours of the landing. The battalion was heavily involved in establishing and defending the front line of the ANZAC position, and in August contributed two companies to the attack on Lone Pine. It was the only battalion in the brigade to do so. The 12th served at ANZAC until the evacuation in December." Enlisted Tasmania players:
Tasmanians Eugene William McQuaid - (St George BAFC) Service number: 66 Rank: Corporal Roll title: 12 Infantry Battalion (October 1914) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 20 October 1914 Place of embarkation: Hobart Ship embarked on: HMAT Geelong Ship number: A2 Algernon Atherton Almond - (St George BAFC) Service number: 65 Rank: Corporal Roll title: 12 Infantry Battalion (October 1914) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 20 October 1914 Place of embarkation: Hobart Ship embarked on: HMAT Geelong Ship number: A2 Raymond Thomas Fagg - (Lindisfarne BAFC) Service number: 1208 Rank: Private Roll title: 12 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 8 Reinforcements (December 1914 - September 1915) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 22 December 1914 Place of embarkation: Melbourne Ship embarked on: HMAT Themistocles Ship number: A32 Stanley George Trinder - (Elphin BAFC) Service number: 945 Rank: Saddler Corporal Roll title: [1] Divisional Train (1 to 4 Companies ASC [Army Service Corps]) (October 1914) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Place of embarkation: Melbourne Ship embarked on: HMAT Geelong Ship number: A2 Roy James Blackberry - (Elphin BAFC) Service number: 1950 Rank: Gunner Roll title: 3 FAB [Field Artillery Brigade] (September 1914) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 20 October 1914 Place of embarkation: Hobart Ship embarked on: HMAT Geelong Ship number: A2 Frank Roden Miller - (Elphin BAFC) Service number: 269 Rank: Private Roll title: 12 Infantry Battalion (October 1914) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 20 October 1914 Place of embarkation: Hobart Ship embarked on: HMAT Geelong Ship number: A2 Arthur Dallas Lawlor Harrington - (West Tamar BAFC) Service number: 238 Rank: Private Roll title: 12 Infantry Battalion (October 1914) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 20 October 1914 Place of embarkation: Hobart Ship embarked on: HMAT Geelong Ship number: A2 Note : This is a work in progress. If you are able to provide any information, please feel free to drop us an email, we'd really appreciate your assistance. |