Syd_Anderson_(footballer,_born_1918)
Syd Anderson (footballer, born 1918)
Australian rules footballer
Sydney Louis Anderson (13 January 1918 – 20 May 1944) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
| Syd Anderson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Anderson (centre) with other members of his RAAF squadron | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Sydney Louis Anderson | ||
| Date of birth | (1918-01-13)13 January 1918 | ||
| Place of birth | Moonee Ponds, Victoria | ||
| Date of death | 20 May 1944(1944-05-20) (aged 26) | ||
| Place of death | Wewak, Territory of New Guinea | ||
| Original team(s) | South Port | ||
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Weight | 73 kg (161 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Wing | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1939–1941 | Melbourne | 52 (12) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1941. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
The son of Sydney Sims Anderson (1888-1964), who became Town Clerk of the City of Port Melbourne,[1] and Adela Myrtle Anderson (1884-1983), née Day, Sydney Louis Anderson was born on 13 January 1918.
A tall wingman,[4] Anderson was a premiership player in every one of his three VFL seasons.
His father played 98 games for Port Melbourne in the VFA;[5] his brother, Claude Anderson, played 2 games for South Melbourne; and his nephews (Claude's sons), Syd Anderson played 4 games for South Melbourne and 56 games for Port Melbourne, and Graeme Anderson played 71 games for Collingwood and 144 games for Port Melbourne.
Anderson enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force in December 1941.[6] Commencing as a Pilot Officer, he was promoted to Flying Officer in September 1943.
Whilst serving on air operations near Wewak in the Territory of New Guinea in 1944, Anderson's Bristol Beaufort was shot down by Japanese flak, and all aboard save one were killed, including Anderson.[7][8]
In 1949, his parents donated a trophy in his memory to the Melbourne Football Club,[9] and the club decided to award the Syd Anderson Trophy annually to the player who came second in the club's best and fairest — the trophy to the winner was named after "Bluey" Truscott, and the trophy to the season's third best and fairest player was named after Ron Barassi Sr.[10]
- "Picture of Syd Anderson's crewmates". awm.gov.au. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
- Main, J. & Allen, D., "Anderson, Syd", pp. 203–206 in Main, J. & Allen, D., Fallen — The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War, Crown Content, (Melbourne), 2002. ISBN 1-74095-010-0
- World War II Nominal Roll: Flying Officer Sydney Louis Anderson (410192).
- World War II Service Record: Flying Officer Sydney Louis Anderson (410192).
- Syd Anderson's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour: Flying Officer Sydney Louis Anderson (410192).
- Commonwealth War Grave Commission: Flying Officer Sydney Louis Anderson (410192).
- DemonWiki profile
- Boyles Football Photos: Syd Anderson.
- Members of the Melbourne Football Club Team (September 1940), Collection of the Australian War Memorial.