Richmond and War
"Not Football but the canon ball has all our attention now.'' - Richmond Guardian, August 1914
A chronology of the Richmond Football Club and the Wars. (under construction)\
(Researched by Rhett Bartlett, using Trove newspapers, club annual reports, minutes books, oral history, Trevor Ruddell research)
A list of all known RFC player and officials who served in Wars can be found here.
1853 - THE CRIMEAN WAR CHRONOLOGY
Wednesday September 14
Charles James Jago, 16 years of age from Cornwall and a bugler of the 1st Batallion of the Rifle Brigade, lands with The Allies on the north-west coast of the Crimea at Calamita Bay. Jago would later become Mayor of Richmond from 1893-1895 and a patron of the football club during that period. He is the only known Richmond Football Club identity to fight in this war.
On the 50th anniversary of the landing he recalled how the Rifle Brigade, crouching and shivering in the rain broke up the pontoons in which they had landed and made fires to warm themselves.
1854
Tuesday October 17
Jago takes "a prominent part" in the Siege of Sevastapol, which begins on this day.
1855
Tuesday September 11
The Siege of Sevastapol ends after Russian forces abandon the city.
1899 - 1902 THE BOER WAR CHRONOLOGY
1900
Tuesday May 1
William Henry Arnott (RFC 1893) departs Melbourune for South Africa on the transport Victoria (Harder Than Football, pg 102)
1902
April 26
George "Mallee" Johnson (RFC 1901-04) interrupts his football career at Tigerland to enlist with the Army and joins the 6th Australian Commonwealth Horse. He will miss 12 consecutive matches this season.
Saturday August 9
George “Mallee” Johnson kicks four goals for Richmond on his return from Boer War service.
WORLD WAR ONE CHRONOLOGY
1914
Saturday June 27
Fitzroy defeats Richmond at Brunswick Street. 'All chance for finals gone', Richmond Guardian writes.
Sunday June 28
Archduke Francis Ferdinand of Austria is assassinated in Sarajevo, Bosnia. It is the catalyst for world war.
Saturday August 1
South Melbourne defeat Richmond at Lake Oval. Hughie James kicks 4 of Richmond's 5 goals.
Tuesday August 4
Britain declares war on Germany.
Wednesday August 5
Australia declares war on Germany.
Hector Milne, a Richmond official and a lieutenant in the light horse, spends the evening galloping miles throughout Melbourne and its satellites to mobilise his division. His horse is so exhausted from the work that it dies the next day.
August 17
George Stormouth Henry Gibson (RFC 1908-10) enlists in the Australian Imperial Force
september - Hector Milne letter
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article254626630
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article254632145
Friday September 11
William G. V. Williams, who was born and bred in Richmond, is killed in German New Guinea and becomes the first Australian casualties of the Great War.
Wednesday September 30
Messrs Stott and Hoare, Collins Street, forward a typewriter to Hector Milne for use in the regimental headquarters.
Circa late September
George Stormouth Henry Gibson (RFC 1908-10) leaves with the first Australian contingent for the war.
1915
Sunday April 25
ANZACs storm the beach at Gallipoli. George Stormouth Henry Gibson receives a gunshot wound during the landing.
Frank Twomey (RFC 1913-14) also is at the landing
1916
hector milne loses an eye http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article93813212 , http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article254636318
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