Wiiliam Ernest Parker (28 March 1922 – 3 December 1974) was an Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Ern Parker
Personal information
Full name Wiiliam Ernest Parker
Date of birth (1922-03-28)28 March 1922
Place of birth Barkstead, Victoria
Date of death 3 December 1974(1974-12-03) (aged 52)
Place of death Bundaberg, Queensland
Original team(s) Waubra
Height 191 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 85 kg (187 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1947 South Melbourne 1 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1947.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

War Service edit

Parker enlisted in the Australian Army in July 1941 as a 19 year old.[2] He initially served in Malaya as a nursing orderly and in 1942 was declared as missing in action after the fall of Singapore. During his incarceration Parker worked on the Burma Railway and he survived to return to Australia in late 1945.[3]

Notes edit

  1. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 688. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  2. ^ "World War II Roll: William Ernest Parker". Department of Veterans Affairs.
  3. ^ Cullen, Barbara (2015). Harder than football : league players at war. Richmond, Victoria: Slattery Media Group. p. 423. ISBN 978-0-992379-14-8.

External links edit