James Tod Aitken (23 July 1882 – 8 August 1915) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Geelong in the

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). It ...

Family

The son of David Aitken (1843–1907), and Ellen Louisa Aitken (1844–1918), née Tod, James Tod Aitken was born at "Hopkins Hill", Chatsworth, Victoria (near Hexham, Victoria) on 23 July 1882.

Education

He was educated at

Melbourne Grammar School (Pray and Work) , established = 1849 (on present site since 1858 - the celebrated date of foundation) , type = Independent, co-educational primary, single-sex boys secondary, day and boarding , denomination ...

(1895–1899), passing the University Matriculation Examination in 1899. He played cricket with the school's First XI and football with the school's First XVIII from 1897 to 1899.

Football

He played a single game for the Geelong First XVIII in the VFL competition, against St Kilda on 13 June 1903. It seems that he was selected to play against Carlton the following week, but he did not play.

Military service

Employed as a wool clerk with the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Ltd., he enlisted in the First AIF on 15 March 1915, and served overseas with the 5th Australian Infantry Battalion.

Death

He was killed in action near Lone Pine at Gallipoli,

Ottoman Turkey The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

on 8 August 1915. He was buried at the

Shrapnel Valley Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery Shrapnel Valley Cemetery is a cemetery from World War I and is the second largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in the former Anzac sector of the Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey, after Lone Pine Cemetery. History The battles at Gall ...

, near Gallipoli, Turkey.Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Footnotes

References

Dillon, Leigh, "Geelong's Anzac Legends", ''AFL.com.au'', 27 May 2003.
* * Main, J. & Allen, D., "Aitken, James", p. 13 in Main, J. & Allen, D., ''Fallen – The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War'', Crown Content, (Melbourne), 2002.
World War One Nominal Roll, Private James Tod Aitken (2105)
collection of the ''Australian War Memorial''.
World War One Embarkation Roll, Private James Tod Aitken (2105)
collection of the ''Australian War Memorial''.
World War One Service Record: Private James Tod Aitken (2105)
''National Archives of Australia''.
Australian Casualties: 77th List Issued: Killed in Action: Victoria, ''The Argus'', (Tuesday, 14 September 1915), p.5.

Roll of Honour Circular: Private James Tod Aitken (2105)
collection of the ''Australian War Memorial''.
Roll of Honour: Private James Tod Aitken (2105)
''Australian War Memorial''.
Private James Tod Aitken (2105)
''Commonwealth War Graves Commission''.

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Aitken, James 1882 births 1915 deaths Australian rules footballers from Victoria (Australia) Geelong Football Club players Australian military personnel killed in World War I People educated at Melbourne Grammar School Burials at Shrapnel Valley Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery Military personnel from Victoria (Australia)