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]
| Gordon Hamilton | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Gordon Ross Hamilton | ||
| Date of birth | 13 July 1920 | ||
| Place of birth | East Prahran, Victoria | ||
| Date of death | 23 February 1941 (aged 20) | ||
| Place of death | Chelsea, Victoria | ||
| Original team(s) | Myer's | ||
| Height | 173 cm (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Weight | 71 kg (157 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1940 | South Melbourne | 2 (0) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1940. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Career
editFootball
editHamilton 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
editOn 30 December 1940 Hamilton enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy, and he was sent to HMAS Cerberus, near Crib Point on the Mornington Peninsula.[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
editReferences
edit- ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
- ^ Main, Jim (2009). 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. 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. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ^ a b "World War Two Nominal Roll". Government of Australia. Archived from the original on 21 October 2014. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ^ "Family Notices". The Argus. Melbourne. 25 February 1941. p. 4. Retrieved 24 September 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "More League Permits". The Argus. Melbourne. 27 April 1940. p. 11. Retrieved 24 September 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "AFL Tables – Hawthorn v South Melbourne – Sat, 10-Aug-1940 2:45 PM – Match Stats". AFL Tables. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ^ "AFL Tables – South Melbourne v Geelong – Sat, 17-Aug-1940 2:45 PM – Match Stats". AFL Tables. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
- ^ "New Football President". The Argus. Melbourne. 26 February 1941. p. 14. Retrieved 24 September 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Sailor Drowned Saving Girl". The Argus. Melbourne. 24 February 1941. p. 5. Retrieved 24 September 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Sailor Loses Life Attempting to Rescue Girl". The Advocate. Burnie, Tasmania. 24 February 1941. p. 5. Retrieved 24 September 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Naval Man Drowned In Rescuing Girl". The Sydney Morning Herald. 24 February 1941. p. 9. Retrieved 24 September 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "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
edit- Gordon Hamilton's playing statistics from AFL Tables