| Gordon Hamilton | |
|---|---|
| Born |
13 July 1920 East Prahran, Victoria |
| Died |
23 February 1941 (aged 20) Chelsea, Victoria |
| Height | 173 cm |
| Weight | 71 kg |
Gordon Ross Hamilton (13 July 1920 – 23 February 1941) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1][2] He was the first South Melbourne player to die on active service in World War II.[3][4]
Career[]
Football[]
Hamilton was born in East Prahran on 13 July 1920, to Gordon and Lily Hamilton.[5][6] He arrived at South Melbourne from Myer's in 1940 as a centre player.[7] His first opportunity to play league football came in round 15, when Hamilton played for South Melbourne in a six-point loss to Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval.[8] A week later, Hamilton played his second senior game with South Melbourne, this time in a four-point win over Geelong.[9] Hamilton, described as a "promising young player", was 19th man in both games.[10]
Military[]
On 30 December 1940, Hamilton enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy, which sent him to the Flinders Naval Depot.[5]
Soon after, on 23 February 1941, Hamilton drowned off a Chelsea beach, in an attempt to save the life of a young girl who had got into difficulties in the choppy seas.[11] His companions were able to bring the girl to shore and revive her, but Hamilton didn't make it back.[12] His body was found 300 yards away on a sandbank.[13][14]
On Monday 24 February, the flag over the South Melbourne Cricket Club pavilion was flown at half mast as a tribute to Hamilton, and Mr. Pat Farnan and Mr. Fred J. Ferry of the South Melbourne Football Club attended his funeral.[15] Hamilton was buried at Fawkner Cemetery on Tuesday, 25 February 1941.[16][17]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
- ↑ Main, Jim. In The Blood: South Melbourne - Sydney Swans Football Club. Seaford, Victoria: Bas Publishing. ISBN 9781921496011.
- ↑ "Players Killed on Active Service - AFL Records on Service from Boer War / WW1 / WW2 - AFL.com.au". Australian Football League. http://www.afl.com.au/news/2014-04-24/players-killed-on-active-service-afl-records-on-service-from-boer-war-ww1-ww2. Retrieved 24 September 2014.: note that this citation refers to an incomplete and out-of-date version of the Wikipedia article List of Victorian Football League players who died on active service.
- ↑ "Roll of Honour - Gordon Ross Hamilton". Australian War Memorial. http://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1689687/. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "World War Two Nominal Roll". Government of Australia. http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=N&veteranId=1119969. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ↑ "Family Notices.". Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 25 February 1941. p. 4. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8152204. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ↑ "More League Permits.". Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 27 April 1940. p. 11. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12452773. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ↑ "AFL Tables – Hawthorn v South Melbourne – Sat, 10-Aug-1940 2:45 PM – Match Stats". AFL Tables. http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1940/101619400810.html. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ↑ "AFL Tables – South Melbourne v Geelong – Sat, 17-Aug-1940 2:45 PM – Match Stats". AFL Tables. http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/1940/091619400817.html. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ↑ "New Football President.". Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 26 February 1941. p. 14. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8176726. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ↑ "Sailor Drowned Saving Girl.". Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 24 February 1941. p. 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article8156318. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ↑ "Sailor Loses Life Attempting to Rescue Girl.". Burnie, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 24 February 1941. p. 5. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article68494814. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ↑ "Naval Man Drowned In Rescuing Girl.". National Library of Australia. 24 February 1941. p. 9. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article17737831. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ↑ "Sailor Drowned at Chelsea in Rescue Effort", The Age, (Monday, 24 February 1941), p.6.
- ↑ "Gallant Sailor Was South Footballer: Gordon Hamilton Gave Life to Save Drowning Girl", (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 1 March 1941), p.1.
- ↑ "Funeral Notices: Hamilton", The Age, (Tuesday, 25 February 1941), p.1.
- ↑ Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Hamilton Gordon Ross.
External links[]
- G's statistics from AFL Tables
The original article can be found at Gordon Hamilton (Australian footballer) and the edit history here.