Gordon Hamilton (Australian footballer)

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 (1920-07-13)13 July 1920
Place of birth East Prahran, Victoria
Date of death 23 February 1941(1941-02-23) (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

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
  1. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia Of AFL Footballers. BAS Publishing. ISBN 9781920910785.
  2. Main, Jim. In The Blood: South Melbourne - Sydney Swans Football Club. Seaford, Victoria: Bas Publishing. ISBN 9781921496011.
  3. "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.
  4. "Roll of Honour - Gordon Ross Hamilton". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  5. "World War Two Nominal Roll". Government of Australia. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  6. "Family Notices". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 25 February 1941. p. 4. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  7. "More League Permits". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 27 April 1940. p. 11. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  8. "AFL Tables – Hawthorn v South Melbourne – Sat, 10-Aug-1940 2:45 PM – Match Stats". AFL Tables. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  9. "AFL Tables – South Melbourne v Geelong – Sat, 17-Aug-1940 2:45 PM – Match Stats". AFL Tables. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  10. "New Football President". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 26 February 1941. p. 14. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  11. "Sailor Drowned Saving Girl". The Argus. Melbourne: National Library of Australia. 24 February 1941. p. 5. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  12. "Sailor Loses Life Attempting to Rescue Girl". The Advocate. Burnie, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 24 February 1941. p. 5. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  13. "Naval Man Drowned In Rescuing Girl". The Sydney Morning Herald. National Library of Australia. 24 February 1941. p. 9. Retrieved 24 September 2014.
  14. "Sailor Drowned at Chelsea in Rescue Effort", The Age, (Monday, 24 February 1941), p.6.
  15. "Gallant Sailor Was South Footballer: Gordon Hamilton Gave Life to Save Drowning Girl", (Emerald Hill) Record, (Saturday, 1 March 1941), p.1.
  16. "Funeral Notices: Hamilton", The Age, (Tuesday, 25 February 1941), p.1.
  17. Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Hamilton Gordon Ross.
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