Gordon Hamilton (Australian footballer) explained

Gordon Hamilton
Fullname:Gordon Ross Hamilton
Birth Date:13 July 1920
Birth Place:East Prahran, Victoria
Death Place:Chelsea, Victoria
Originalteam:Myer's
Height:173 cm
Weight:71 kg
Statsend:1940
Years1:1940
Club1:South Melbourne
Games Goals1:2 (0)

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, 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

Notes and References

  1. Book: Holmesby. Russell. Main. Jim. The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. 2007. 9781920910785.
  2. Book: Main, Jim. Jim Main. In The Blood: South Melbourne – Sydney Swans Football Club. 2009. Bas Publishing. Seaford, Victoria. 9781921496011.
  3. Web site: Players Killed on Active Service – AFL Records on Service from Boer War / WW1 / WW2 – AFL.com.au. Australian Football League. 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    note that this citation refers to an incomplete and out-of-date version of the Wikipedia article List of Victorian Football League players who died on active service.

  4. Web site: Roll of Honour – Gordon Ross Hamilton. Australian War Memorial. 24 September 2014.
  5. Web site: World War Two Nominal Roll. Government of Australia. 24 September 2014. 21 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141021054858/http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=N&veteranId=1119969. dead.
  6. News: Family Notices. . . Melbourne . 25 February 1941 . 24 September 2014 . 4 . National Library of Australia.
  7. News: More League Permits. . . Melbourne . 27 April 1940 . 24 September 2014 . 11 . National Library of Australia.
  8. Web site: AFL Tables – Hawthorn v South Melbourne – Sat, 10-Aug-1940 2:45 PM – Match Stats. AFL Tables. 24 September 2014.
  9. Web site: AFL Tables – South Melbourne v Geelong – Sat, 17-Aug-1940 2:45 PM – Match Stats. AFL Tables. 24 September 2014.
  10. News: New Football President. . . Melbourne . 26 February 1941 . 24 September 2014 . 14 . National Library of Australia.
  11. News: Sailor Drowned Saving Girl. . . Melbourne . 24 February 1941 . 24 September 2014 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  12. News: Sailor Loses Life Attempting to Rescue Girl. . . Burnie, Tasmania . 24 February 1941 . 24 September 2014 . 5 . National Library of Australia.
  13. News: Naval Man Drowned In Rescuing Girl. . . 24 February 1941 . 24 September 2014 . 9 . National Library of Australia.
  14. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pnozAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PZcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4125%2C4115681 "Sailor Drowned at Chelsea in Rescue Effort"
  15. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article164976402 "Gallant Sailor Was South Footballer: Gordon Hamilton Gave Life to Save Drowning Girl"
  16. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=p3ozAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PZcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3971%2C4142635 "Funeral Notices: Hamilton"
  17. http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2247254/HAMILTON,%20GORDON%20ROSS Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Hamilton Gordon Ross.

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