LEST WE FORGET

As we take a moment to pause at some time today to remember those that have fought and died for Australia, a game of football seems irrelevant. However football has helped in recent times in the acknowledgement and and appreciation of both returned service men and women as well as those currently serving our nation in remote and dangerous places. 
Today St Bedes/Mentone Tigers and Old Scotch represent the VAFA in playing on ANZAC Day. These two clubs have built up there own small tradition in the past few seasons and there is no doubt that the crowd at Brindisi St this afternoon will forget about football for a moment as they stand listening to the Last Post and observing a minutes silence to remember the fallen. 
Whilst the list of armed forces who played in the VAFA  and never made it home is extensive we would like to honour two of them today who fought and earned Australia’s highest military honour receiving the Victoria Cross for their actions and bravery on the battlefield. 
Captain Robert Cuthbert Grieve in WWI and Flight Lieutenant William Ellis Newton in WWII both played football in the VAFA. 
Below are details on both men, just two amongst many names to have fought and served this country with distinction. Good luck to St Bedes/Mentone Tigers and Old Scotch today and Lest We Forget. 
Captain Robert (Bob) Cuthbert Grieve
19 June 1889 – 4 October 1957
Unit –  A Company, 37th Battalion, 3rd Division
Awarded the Victoria Cross following the Battle of Messines in Belgium on 7 June 1917.
In 1959, Grieve’s family presented his Victoria Cross to Wesley College and it is now on permanent display at the Shrine of Remembrance.
The centenary history of the Collegians Football Club states that Grieve first played for Collegians in 1911 and returned to again play after the Great War.
He was on the committee at Collegians 1911-13, delegate 1912 and vice-president 1925-49.
Flight Lieutenant William (Bill) Ellis Newton
8 June 1919 – 29 March 1943
Unit –  No. 22 Squadron
Posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross on 19 October 1943 for his actions on 16-18 March 1943 in the South West Pacific theatre of Word War II.
On 18th March 1943, Newton ditched his aircraft in the sea off Salamaua, Papua New Guinea. He was captured by the Japanese and subsequently beheaded on 29 March 1943. 
Newton’s mother presented his Victoria Cross to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra where it is on permanent display with 60 other Imperial Victoria Cross medals.
Newton played for Old Melburnians – 6 games in 1939 and 2 games in 1940. He may have played prior to 1939 but VAFA records are not available before that year.