Herb Byrne

Herbert Richard Byrne, DSO VD (28 October 1887 – 3 August 1959) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Herb Byrne
Personal information
Full name Herbert Richard Byrne
Date of birth (1887-10-28)28 October 1887
Place of birth Richmond, Victoria
Date of death 3 August 1959(1959-08-03) (aged 71)
Place of death Kew, Victoria
Original team(s) Xavier College
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1907 Fitzroy 2 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1907.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

The son of Richard Byrne (1860–1908) and Olivia Gertrude Byrne, née Keenan (1864–1931), Herbert Richard Byrne was born at Richmond in Victoria on 28 October 1887.

Football

Having come to attention while playing for Xavier College, Byrne made two senior appearances for Fitzroy in the 1907 VFL season.

Military service

Byrne had a long and distinguished career in the Australian Army.

After enlisting to serve in World War I, Byrne served on the Gallipoli peninsula and in Egypt as an officer. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in October 1917 for saving his men from a shell burst and then rescuing eight of those injured near Ypres in Belgium. Six days later, despite being wounded, he stayed with his men for two days before being ordered to leave to receive medical attention. He was Mentioned in Despatches twice.[2]

After the war Byrne continued to serve as a part-time commissioned officer and was awarded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration for his long and meritorious service.

Byrne enlisted in the 2nd AIF while in Sydney in 1940, and served in the Australian Army for a further four years from January 1940 with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel.[3]

Notes
  1. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 119. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  2. Cullen, Barbara (2015). Harder than football : league players at war. Richmond, Victoria: Slattery Media Group. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-992379-14-8.
  3. "World War II Roll: BYRNE, Herbert Richard". Department of Veterans Affairs.
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