Jack Keddie (12 February 1922 – 15 August 1945) was an

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 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 ...

. Considered to be a great talent, his league career was cut short due to war. He was accidentally drowned on ''

Victory in the Pacific Day Victory over Japan Day (also known as V-J Day, Victory in the Pacific Day, or V-P Day) is the day on which Imperial Japan surrendered in World War II, in effect bringing the war to an end. The term has been applied to both of the days on ...

'' while serving with the Second AIF.

Family

The son of schoolteacher Robert Keddie, and Christina Keddie, née Edmond, Jack Keddie was born in

Maffra Maffra is a town in Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne. It is in the Shire of Wellington local government area and it is the second most populous city of the Shire. It relies mainly on dairy farming and other agriculture, and is the sit ...

on 12 February 1922. He was engaged to Olive Myrtle Wright, of

Palmwoods, Queensland Palmwoods is a rural town and locality in the Sunshine Coast Region, Queensland, Australia. In the , Palmwoods had a population of 5,676 people. Geography Palmwoods is part of the Sunshine Coast situated near Nambour. It is situated close to ...

, in September 1944. He died before they could be married.

Football

"A natural athlete with a loping gait and ability to win the ball almost at will", Keddie was recruited from Keilor, and a regular Second XVIII player, he played one senior match for Essendon, when he was selected to replace the injured Harold Lambert in the match against Fitzroy on 30 August 1941. He injured his shoulder, and was replaced in the last quarter. Playing for the Essendon Second XVIII he scored four goals in its 1941 Grand Final victory over the Fitzroy Second XVIII.

Death

Keddie, who could not swim, was accidentally drowned at

Wewak Wewak is the capital of the East Sepik province of Papua New Guinea. It is on the northern coast of the island of New Guinea. It is the largest town between Madang and Jayapura. It is the see city (seat) of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Wewak. Hi ...

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on 15 August 1945 while serving with the Second AIF, when the rowing boat he was sharing with his brother Lyle Keddie (VX91352), and his two mates, Clarrie Vernon (VX113376) and Patrick George Dungan (VX131595) overturned. All four were serving in the same A.E.M.E. unit.Main & Allen (2002), p.273.

Footnotes

Sources

* Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing. * Main, J. & Allen, D., "Keddie, Jack", pp.273–275 in Main, J. & Allen, D., ''Fallen – The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War'', Crown Content, (Melbourne), 2002.
World War Two Service Record: Sergeant Jack Keddie (VX105370)
''National Archives of Australia''.
Roll of Honour: Sergeant Jack Keddie (VX105370)
''Australian War Memorial''.

External links