Lest we Forget
A tribute to the Anzac Spirit that lives on within the Hawthorn Football Club
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They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning;
We will remember them.Lest we forget.
What a special day Anzac Day is.
While its origin is specifically centred around the 1915 landing at Gallipoli in Turkey, the day has evolved to become a commemoration and remembrance of all Australians killed in military operations.
And for the Hawthorn Football Club it holds significant meaning as we (as a club) pay our respects to those who have fought, served and even died for our freedoms.
From the Museum, to the Kokoda Trek, to the four pillars, to our jumpers — we honour these servicemen and servicewomen in a variety of ways.
Hawks Museum: ‘It’s a really important part of our history’
One of the people who knows better than others about the significance held through the club is Hawks Museum curator and historian, Peter Haby.
Speaking to Haby ahead of Anzac Day in 2023, the connection of the club to what Anzac Day represents is clear.
“The local RSL prior to covid used to come in the week prior to Anzac Day and have a little service with us including flags and the last post as well,” he explained.
“We have a cabinet at the doorway of the museum that we’ve had in place since we came here - this was done in conjunction with the local RSL who have been very supportive of our efforts to recognise players that have served.
“It’s the ‘Lest we Forget’ cabinet in honour of the Hawthorn Football Club players that made the ultimate sacrifice.”
One of the most significant pieces in the museum is the guernsey worn in 1916 by Dan Minogue during an Exhibition Match between Australian servicemen in London in aid of the British and French Red Cross.
“We do have on display the guernsey that Dan Minogue had in the game in 1916 — we have that jumper on display which is blue and white with a map in the centre.
“The grandson of Dan (Dan Junior) is one of the friends of the museum and is a supporter of ours since we started. He’s got a photo and the guernsey of his grandfather and thought this was the only place to keep it so he generously loaned it to the museum - there are only about five of them in circulation so it really is an honour to have it here.”
A number of other important service related items are also stored in the Hawks Museum.
“We have Kevin Curran’s Simpson Medal that he won in the Hawks versus Western Australia game in 1948 as well as the diary from Spider Everitt and Ben Dixon which they put together the first time we went over and did the Kokoda Trek.
“It is all very special and is a really important part of our history.”
Kokoda: ‘This was much more than a training camp’
The Kokoda experience was something that Alastair Clarkson brought to the club, and he did so for a number of reasons.
As he explained ahead of ANZAC Round in 2018 on the Hawthorn website:
“One of the most significant things we do in the induction of our players to the club is take them to Kokoda. We live in a very different society to what other generations, our forefathers, lived.
“We’re fortunate that we live in today’s society, but what comes with that is perhaps a lack of appreciation or gratitude for what has happened before us.
“Something that young people may not understand, purely from lack of exposure, is the lives that many lived when fighting for the freedom of our country.”
In his book Relentless, our now coach Sam Mitchell reflected on the experience:
“This was much more than a training camp; it was a shared experience we could use as a reference point into the future.
“We had done it together - the players and coaches. We were in for the hard road ahead as we attempted to rebuild the football club.
“It wasn’t going to be easy, and this experience at Kokoda was something we kept referring back to over the next four or five years.
“As a club, we adopted the four pillars of Kokoda — Courage, Endurance, Mateship and Sacrifice — and they were the attributes we would aspire to as we attacked our football club under Clarko.”
I was lucky enough to trek Kokoda in 2018 and just happened to be reading Mitchell’s autobiography at the time. It was an incredible moment marrying the experience itself with the way it had been projected through our club. A life changing experience.
Luke Breust: ‘It sends shivers down your spine’
Ahead of our game against the Crows on Sunday, we were treated to a number of perspectives on Anzac Day and what it means to the club.
As well as a wonderful speech from John Haward — Hawk Life Member and Sea Squadron First Armoured Regiment member — we also heard from Luke Breust giving a player’s perspective on what the day means.
“It’s a huge honour - a huge privilege to represent the Anzacs and to wear this jumper,” he said.
“We have been fortunate enough the last few years to actually play on Anzac Day and it’s a surreal feeling — the bugle, the Australian anthem and stuff like that on game day certainly sends shivers down your spine.
“Outside of the national anthem on Grand Final day it is up there with the best feeling you can get on the footy field.
“Wrapped with arms around your teammates, going into battle and obviously it’s nowhere near the battle that those guys had to confront all these years ago, but the significance of it isn’t lost on us and we get to pay our respects and reflect on it.”
The Hawks spent time in Tasmania ahead of Anzac Day paying their respects and again the club has done an incredible job this week and in general linking the significance of the day through to the community.
I am proud of my club and am grateful for all those that served and sacrificed.
Lest we Forget.
Player War Service honour board - Hawthorn Football Club
World War 1
Note:
* MFJA: Metropolitan Junior Football Association
* VFA: Victorian Football Association
* VFL: Victorian Football League
Died on Active Service
Hugh Callan (MJFA) - ARMY
John Joseph Collins (MJFA) – ARMY
William Minifie Field (MJFA) - ARMY
Don McConville, M.M. (VFA) – ARMY
Joseph Leo Skene (MJFA) - ARMY
Joe Slater (MJFA) - ARMY
Joseph Austin Sorby (VFA) - ARMY
Served World War 1
Percy John Abercrombie (MJFA) – ARMY
John Mitchell Allan (MJFA) - ARMY
Edwin Jon ‘Ted’ Alley (VFA) - ARMY
Aubrey Bickford (VFA) – ARMY
Robert Noel Bodington (MJFA) - ARMY
Henry Campbell ‘Cam’ Brady (VFA) - ARMY
Patrick Lawrence ‘Lal’ Brady (VFA) - ARMY
Leslie John Carbarns (VFA/VFL) - ARMY
Matthew Joseph Collins M.S.M. (MJFA*) - ARMY
Timothy James Collins (MJFA) - ARMY
Thomas Crowe (VFA) – ARMY
Frederick John Finch (VFA/VFL) - ARMY
Neil Henry Gibson, M.M. – ARMY
Victor Bass Forsyth Gordon (VFA) - ARMY
Frank James Hanna (VFA) - ARMY
James ‘Jim’ Jackson (VFA/VFL) - ARMY
A Johnson (VFA)
Clarence Lloyd Lethlean (VFA/VFL) - ARMY
Rupert Leslie Lowell (VFA) - ARMY
William ‘Bill’ Marchbank – ARMY
Alfred Stanley Dudley McKenzie – NAVY
Arthur Stanley Dudley McKenzie (VFL) - ARMY
Daniel Thomas ‘Dan’ Minogue (VFL) - ARMY
Albert Edward ‘Bert’ Officer (VFL) - ARMY
John Edward Renouf (MJFA) - ARMY
A. Robinson (VFA)
Alexander Salvado (VFA) - ARMY
James Seaton (VFA) - ARMY
G. Spencer (VFA)
John Thomas Stagoll (VFA) – ARMY
Henry Cyril Augustus Steele (VFA) - ARMY
Donald Sydney Sutherland (VFA) - ARMY
George Patrick Tory (VFA) - ARMY
Ernest ‘Tich’ Utting (VFA/VFL) – ARMY
Thomas Hugh Wade (VFA) - ARMY
Arthur Wilkinson (VFA) – ARMY
Hector Richard ‘Hec’ Yeomans M.M. (VFA/VFL) – ARMY
Records incomplete for the MJFA / VFA years 1902-1924
Served World War 1 and 2
John ‘Jack’ Brake (MJFA) – ARMY
Hubert James ‘Bert’ Calwell (VFL) - ARMY
Albert Edward Chadwick (VFL) – ARMY, RAAF
World War 2
Died on Active Service World War 2
Douglas Curphey (VFL 2nd 18) - ARMY
John Montague Drake - ARMY
Alfred Rowton Giblett - ARMY
Lyle Bruce Hone - ARMY
James Alexander Nash, D.F.M. - RAAF
Richard Michael Pirrie - RAN
John Frederick Price - ARMY
Leonard Thomas - ARMY
Geoffery Maxwell Wheeler - ARMY
Leo ‘Gus’ Young - ARMY
Harold Walter Zucher - ARMY
Served World War 2
Alec Albiston - ARMY
George Harold Albiston - ARMY
Neil James Allison - ARMY
Gordon Anderson - RAAF
Leonard William Andrews - ARMY
Gervais Colquoun ‘George’ Arnott - ARMY
Leslie Frank Asling - RAAF
Albert William ‘Bob’ Austen - ARMY
Colin Edward Austen - ARMY
Victor Cecil ‘Ces’ Austen - RAAF
Royston William Baldwin - ARMY
Alan Louis Baralli - ARMY
Frederick John Austin Barker - ARMY
John Myler Frederick Barnes - RAAF
Geoffrey Herbert Barwick - ARMY
Reginald Armstrong Bell - ARMY
Jack Blackman - RAN
James Joseph Vincent Bohan - ARMY
Frank Vincent Booth - ARMY
Brendan Norman Brady - ARMY
Jack Brain - ARMY
Wallace Handley Bristowe - RAAF
William Edward Browne - ARMY
Hilton Edward Buckney - ARMY
Thomas Stephen Calwell - RAAF
William Carey - ARMY
John Henry Carmody - ARMY
Geoffrey Edwin Cartledge - ARMY
Gilbert Edwin Cartwright - ARMY
John Bernard Francis Cleary - RAAF
Albert John ‘Jack’ Clements - ARMY
Arthur Clements - RAAF
Leo Joseph Clements - ARMY
Clifford Noel Colling - RAAF
Leo Michael Connors – ARMY, RAAF
Laurence Osmaston Cordner - ARMY
Walter Henry Culpitt - RAAF
Francis Edward Curran - ARMY
Kevin Stanley Curran - ARMY
Francis Lawrence Cutter - ARMY
Frederick William Terence ‘Tom’ Davey - ARMY
Reginald Davies - RAAF
Howard Maxwell Day - ARMY
Frederick Arthur De Abel - ARMY
Vincent Joseph Anthony Doherty - RAAF
James Francis Donnellan - ARMY
Ernest Stanley Elder - ARMY
David William Elliman - ARMY
Reginald Farrant - ARMY, RAAF
Thomas James Ferguson - RAAF
Cashen Noel Fitzgerald - ARMY
Edgar James ‘Ted’ Fletcher - RAN
Sydney Frederick Francis - RAAF
Alan Samson Fuller - ARMY
Norman Leslie Goss (Snr) - ARMY
Frederick William Percy Hansen - RAN
John Dennis Harris - ARMY
Ronald William Harris - RAAF
John Warwick Hester - ARMY
James Kevin Hevey - ARMY
Norman Thomas Hillard - RAAF
Allan Thomas Hird - ARMY
Albert Mosely Hodges - ARMY
Kenneth Leslie Hopper - RAAF
Reginald Horkings – ARMY, RAAF
Leslie William Hughson - ARMY
Henry Joseph Jacobs - ARMY
John Francis Jobson - ARMY
Harvey David Johnson - ARMY
Lionel Oldfield Johnston - RAAF
Frederick George Jones – ARMY
Patrick Alphonsus Kennedy - ARMY
Kevin James Landrigan - ARMY
James Henry Logan - RAAF
Clarence Alexander Lonsdale - ARMY
Frank Seymour Luckins - ARMY
John Joseph Lyons - ARMY
Kenneth Andrew Mace - ARMY
Harold Robert Maskell - ARMY
Leonard Josiah Maxwell - RAAF
James Leonard McCashney - ARMY
Albert Thomas McComb - ARMY
Charles Malcolm McGillivray - ARMY
John Maxwell ‘Jack’ McLeod - RAAF
Donald Clarence McVilly – MERCHANT NAVY
Edward Leslie Meade - RAN
Thomas James Mercer - ARMY
Robert Bennett Milgate - ARMY
Albert Edward Mills - ARMY
Arthur William Mills - RAAF
Daniel Henry Moloney - RAAF
William Milne Moore - ARMY
James Morgan - RAAF
Alton Harry Mort - RAAF
Kenneth William Munro – ARMY, RAAF
Robert James Neate - ARMY
Kenneth William Newton, M.C. - ARMY
Frank Nolan - ARMY
Cyril Edwin Henry Nott - RAAF
John ‘Peter’ O’Donohue - RAN
Stanley Gordon Ogden - ARMY
Kenneth Onley - ARMY
John Leslie Pabst - ARMY
Ronald Paternoster - ARMY
Neil Alan Pearson - RAAF
Clive Alexander Philp – RAAF
Charles Thomas Pierce - ARMY
Kevin James Pirrie - ARMY
Albert Edward Prior - ARMY
Francis Joseph Prowse - ARMY
William Dudley Ripper - ARMY
William Haigh Robinson – ARMY, RAAF
Roy Albert Rodda - ARMY
Thomas Desmond Rowe - ARMY
Louis George Anthony Salvas - ARMY
Ralph Curtis Shalless – ARMY, RAAF
Keith Gordon Sharpley - RAAF
Thomas John Sharpley - RAAF
Edmond Shea - RAAF
Ernest Richard Glenister Sheil - RAAF
James Morgan Sinclair - RAAF
Thomas Robert Spear - ARMY
Frank William Cape Stewart - RAAF
Stuart Gilchrist Stewart - ARMY
Joseph William Sutherland - ARMY
Herbert Carey Tregutha Sutton - ARMY
Clarence Adair Swenson – ARMY
Percival Albert Tantau (VFA) - ARMY
Ralph John Taylor - ARMY
William Charles Stewart Taylor - RAAF
Harold Joseph Turner - RAAF
Fredrick William West ARMY
Raymond Edward James Whelan - ARMY
James Stephen White - RANMatthew Alfred Wilkins - ARMY
Korean War
John Andrew McGreevy - ARMY
National Service 1951 – 1972
Graham Francis Arthur - ARMY
Frank Considine - ARMY
Graham Stanley Cooper - ARMY
John Patrick Dineen - ARMY
Brendan Cornelius Edwards - ARMY
John William Elward - ARMY
Brian Terence Falconer - ARMY
Alan Frederick Fanning - RAN
Clarence Steadman Hay - ARMY
Ian John Hinks - ARMY
Rodney Alfred Horrocks - RAAF
Geoffery Benjamin Howells - ARMY
Brian Eugene Kann - ARMY
Norman Leslie Maginness - ARMY
Ian Wallace Mathers - ARMY
Clarence Ian McCann - ARMY
Ian Carnegie Mort - ARMY
Peter O’Shea - ARMY
Ian Pearson - ARMY
Norman Walter John Smith - ARMY
Paul McDonough Sullivan - RAN
Noel Hepburn Voight - ARMY
Keith Edwin White - ARMY
Allan George Woodley - ARMY
Ray Yeoman - ARMY
Wonderful tribute Andrew, much appreciated.