Clyde Helmer
| Clyde Helmer | |||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Reginald Clyde Helmer | ||
| Date of birth | 22 April 1916 | ||
| Place of birth | Mooroopna, Victoria | ||
| Date of death | 24 April 1945 (aged 29) | ||
| Place of death | Aitape, New Guinea | ||
| Original team(s) | Mooroopna | ||
| Height | 184 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1937–1941 | Geelong | 71 (137) | |
| 1942 | Melbourne | 2 (3) | |
| Total | 73 (140) | ||
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1942. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Reginald Clyde Helmer (22 April 1916 – 24 April 1945) was an Australian rules footballer who played for Geelong and Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Family[edit]
The son of Nils Helmer (1882-1967), and Eva May Helmer (1887-1971), née Hill, Reginald Clyde Helmer was born at Mooroopna on 22 April 1916. He was the nephew of Reginald Valentine Hill, D.S.O.,[1] the cousin of Fred Hawking, and the uncle of Geelong footballer John Helmer.
He married Marjorie Mary Frances Gibson (1919-1983), later Mrs. Maurice Steeth, in 1944.
Football[edit]
A forward, Helmer could torpedo punt on either foot.
Geelong (VFL)[edit]
In 1937 he played a centre half-forward in the Geelong Second XVIII team that won the Second's premiership.
In 1938, just his second league season, topped Geelong's goalkicking with 74 goals. In a game that year against Fitzroy he kicked a career best eight goals.
Interstate Team (VFL)[edit]
On 29 July 1939 he played at centre half-forward for Victoria against South Australia.
Melbourne (VFL)[edit]
He crossed to Melbourne in 1942 but could only manage two games.[2]
South Sydney Football Club (NSWFL)[edit]
In 1944 he played for the South Sydney Australian Football Club in the New South Wales Football League.
Military service[edit]
During World War II Helmer was a Temporary Warrant Officer in the Australian Army and lost his life in New Guinea after a bomb he was trying to defuse exploded.
Remembered[edit]
On 5 May 1945, a minute's silence was observed in Helmer's memory before the match between the South Sydney and RAAF teams at Trumper Park Oval in Paddington, New South Wales.[3]
See also[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
References[edit]
- Blake, Jim, "Who's Who in Football, No.6: Geelong", The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 25 May 1940), p.6.
- Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.
- Main, J. & Allen, D., "Helmer, Clyde", pp.264-266 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 Two Service Record: WO2 Reginald Clyde Helmer (VX130748), National Archives of Australia.
- World War Two Nominal Roll: WO2 Reginald Clyde Helmer (VX130748), Department of Veterans' Affairs.
- Roll of Honour Circular: WO2 Reginald Clyde Helmer (VX130748), Collection of the Australian War Memorial.
- Killed in Action, The Sporting Globe, (Wednesday, 2 May 1945), p.14.
External links[edit]
- Clyde Helmer's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Clyde Helmer at AustralianFootball.com
- Clyde Helmer, at Demonwiki.
- Clyde Helmer, at Boyles Football Photos.
- Geelong Seconds 1937, at Boyles Football Photos.
- 1916 births
- 1945 deaths
- Australian military personnel killed in World War II
- Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state)
- Geelong Football Club players
- Melbourne Football Club players
- Mooroopna Football Club players
- South Sydney Football Club players
- Australian Army personnel of World War II
- Military personnel from Victoria (state)