Oswald Milne Bertram (17 April 1909 – 5 May 1983) was an Australian rules footballer who played with

South Melbourne South Melbourne is an inner suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 3 km south of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Port Phillip local government area. South Melbourne recorded a population of 11,548 at ...

and St Kilda in the VFL during the 1930s.

Family

The son of Frank Ernest Bertram, and Agnes Bertram, née Milne, he was born at Upper Sturt on 17 April 1909. He married Grace Mary Orme in 1940.

Football

Bertram was a rover and was recruited from

South Australian National Football League The South Australian National Football League, or SANFL ( or ''S-A-N-F-L''), is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the state's governing body for the sport. Originally formed as t ...

club West Torrens, where he was a leading player who twice represented South Australia at interstate level. He joined South Melbourne for the 1933 season and helped them to win the premiership, kicking 28 goals for the year. Bertram, who had been unemployed for three years, was one of a number of interstate footballers who joined South Melbourne in the early 1930s, including Jack Wade and

Wilbur Harris Wilbur Harris (28 May 1912 – 28 June 1981) was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Harris was a ruckman, recruited from South Australian club West Torrens. The collection o ...

, also South Australians, with the promise of immediate, long-term, secure, paid employment outside of football within the (137 store) grocery empire of the South Melbourne president, South Melbourne Lord Mayor, and Member of the Victorian Legislative Council, Archie Crofts. The collection of players recruited from interstate became known as South Melbourne's "Foreign Legion". After playing in a losing Grand Final the following season he moved to St Kilda in 1935, spending two seasons there.

Military service

He enlisted in the Second AIF on 15 July 1940, eventually retiring from the armed services, with the rank of Major in the Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps, on 18 April 1959.Royal Australian Army Ordnance Corps, ''Commonwealth of Australia Gazette'', no.34, (Thursday, 11 June 1959) p.2083.
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Notes

External links

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Boyles Football Photos: Ossie Bertram.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bertram, Ossie 1909 births 1983 deaths Australian rules footballers from Adelaide Sydney Swans players Sydney Swans Premiership players St Kilda Football Club players West Torrens Football Club players One-time VFL/AFL Premiership players Australian Army personnel of World War II Australian Army officers Military personnel from South Australia