Godfrey Robert Goldin (10 June 1919 – 7 February 1943) was a champion schoolboy

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

er who also played with

Essendon Essendon may refer to: Australia *Electoral district of Essendon *Electoral district of Essendon and Flemington *Essendon, Victoria **Essendon railway station **Essendon Airport *Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League United King ...

in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He died of wounds sustained in action while serving with the Second AIF in New Guinea during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

Family

The son of Robert Vane Goldin (1886-1969), and Ellen Christina Goldin (1890-1973), née Graham, Godfrey Robert Goldin was born on 10 June 1919. He was engaged to Grace Lillian Osborne in September 1942. They never married. His younger brother, Allan "Dick" Goldin, played 104 games in six seasons (1947 to 1952) for the Preston Football Club in the Victorian Football Association (VFA). He later coached Preston Seconds.

Football

East Coburg State School

He was a champion schoolboy footballer, he played for the East Coburg State School team (coached by

Jack Baggott John Henry Baggott (20 July 1906 – 2 June 1995) was an Australian rules footballer who played and coached in the Victorian Football League (VFL) between 1927 and 1940 for the Richmond Football Club, Essendon Football Club, and South Melbourn ...

, and represented Victoria in the 1933 Inter-State Schoolboys' Australian Rules Carnival in Brisbane.

Coburg Amateurs Football Club (VAFA)

He played for the Coburg Amateurs team that won the D Grade premiership in 1936.

Essendon (VFL)

Recruited by Essendon in 1937, he played a season with Essendon's Second XVIII before making his debut against North Melbourne on 27 May 1939. With his early preseason training restricted by illness and injury, Goldin played several games with the Second XVIII in 1940.

Cricket

He played for Preston Cricket Club in the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association.

Military service

He enlisted in the Second AIF on 11 March 1941.

Death

Having served in the North Africa, he died in New Guinea on 7 February 1943 of wounds he had sustained fighting against the Japanese in the

Battle of Wau The Battle of Wau, 29 January – 4 February 1943, was a battle in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Forces of the Empire of Japan sailed from Rabaul and crossed the Solomon Sea and, despite Allied air attacks, successfully reached Lae, w ...

.In Memoriam: Roll of Honour—On Active Service: Goldin, ''The Argus'', (Monday, 7 February 1944), p.2.
/ref> He was buried at the Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery.

Footnotes

References

* * Main, J. & Allen, D., "Goldin, Godfrey", pp.254-257 in Main, J. & Allen, D., ''Fallen – The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War'', Crown Content, (Melbourne), 2002. * Maplestone, M., ''Flying Higher: History of the Essendon Football Club 1872–1996'', Essendon Football Club, (Melbourne), 1996.
World War Two Nominal Roll: Private Godfrey Robert Goldin (VX51038)
''Department of Veterans' Affairs''.
Roll of Honour: Private Godfrey Robert Goldin (VX51038)
''Australian War Memorial''.
Roll of Honour Circular: Private Godfrey Robert Goldin (VX51038)
collection of the ''Australian War Memorial''.
Victorians in Casualty List: Australia and The Islands: Wounded in Action and Placed on the Dangerously Ill List, ''The Argus'', (Friday, 19 February 1943), p.4.

Victorians in Army Casualty List: Australia and The Islands: Previously Reported Wounded in Action, Now Reported Died of Wounds, ''The Argus'', (Thursday, 4 March 1943), p.5.

External links

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Private Godfrey Robert Goldin (VX51038)
''Commonwealth War Graves Commission''. {{DEFAULTSORT:Goldin, Godfrey 1919 births 1943 deaths Australian rules footballers from Melbourne Essendon Football Club players Australian military personnel killed in World War II Australian Army personnel of World War II Australian Army soldiers Burials at Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery Military personnel from Melbourne People from Abbotsford, Victoria