Spencer Walklate (11 January 1918 – 3 April 1945) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s and served as a special operations serviceman who was killed in action in World War II.
 Spencer Walklate.1943 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Spencer Henry Walklate | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 11 January 1918 Maclean, New South Wales, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 3 April 1945 (aged 27) Papua New Guinea | |||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 15 st 0 lb (95 kg) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop, Second-row | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: [1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career
editSpencer "Sam" Walklate was born in Maclean, New South Wales and came to the St George Dragons in 1942 during World War II. A policeman at Darlinghurst, Walklate was a big strapping front row forward who made an immediate impact at the club with his fearless attack and defence. He played his last game for the St George on 8 April 1944 after suffering a knee injury.[2][3]
War service
editWalklate had enlisted in the Australian Army at the end of the 1943 season and joined an elite special-ops group sent to New Guinea, which was under Japanese occupation at the time.
Death
editListed as missing in action in mid-1945, he is believed to have been tortured and executed by the Japanese during a mission on 13 April 1945.[4] His remains were not discovered until 2013, on Kairiru Island and were buried the following year at Port Moresby (Bomana) War Cemetery.[5]
His name is included on the World War II Honour Roll at RSL Memorial at Bondi Junction. Spencer Walklate's brother, Eric Mervyn Walklate, was also killed in World War II.[6]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Spencer Walklate - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". Rugbyleagueproject.org.
- ^ Tigers Triumphant. SMH 9/4/1944 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/168758178?searchTerm=%22spencer%20walklate%22&searchLimits=l-decade=194%7C%7C%7Cl-year=1944
- ^ Whitiker/Hudson. Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, 1995 edition
- ^ WW2 Nominal Roll (http://www.ww2roll.gov.au/Veteran.aspx?serviceId=A&veteranId=291907[permanent dead link])
- ^ Nolan, Anna (15 June 2014). "Two Australian World War II soldiers laid to rest in Papua New Guinea". ABC News. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
- ^ "Obituary". The Northern Star. 2 December 1954. p. 7.