Tommy Hughes (Australian footballer)

Thomas Edward Hughes (25 December 1886 – 19 August 1981) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the Victorian Football League (VFL), usually playing on the wing or in defence.

Tommy Hughes
Personal information
Full name Thomas Edward Hughes
Date of birth (1886-12-25)25 December 1886
Place of birth At sea near Launceston, Tasmania
Date of death 19 August 1981(1981-08-19) (aged 94)
Place of death Northcote, Victoria
Original team(s) Leopold (MJFA)
Position(s) Wing / Backline
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1911 Carlton 6 (1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1911.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Military service edit

He enlisted in the First AIF on 27 November 1915.

Some mistaken sources, confusing Hughes with one of two other AIF men of the same name who were killed in action,[1] claim that he had been killed in the Somme during World War I; when, in fact, he returned to Australia on 23 June 1919.

Other mistaken sources based their statements on the obituary of "Private Tom Hughes" that appeared in The Winner of 6 June 1917,[2] without having seen the retraction notice published a week later,[3] that clearly stated that the deceased "Private Tom Hughes" was not one and the same as the "Gunner Tom Hughes" who once played for Carlton.[4][5]

Death edit

He died on 19 August 1981.[6]

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ Namely, Private Thomas Edward Hughes (75) who died of his wounds on 8 October 1917, and Private Thomas Edward Hughes (4823) who was killed in action on 3 September 1916.
  2. ^ Brave Footballers, The Winner, (Wednesday, 6 June 1917), p.8.
  3. ^ Statement Corrected, The Winner, (Wednesday, 13 June 1917), p.8.
  4. ^ In fact, the deceased "Private Tom Hughes" was Private Albert Thomas Hughes (5985), who was killed in action on 3 May 1917 (see: Roll of Honour: Private Albert Thomas Hughes (5985), Australian War Museum).
  5. ^ see also: Tommy Hughes, blueseum.org.
  6. ^ Deaths: Hughes, The Age, (Thursday, 21 August 1981), p.30.

References edit

External links edit

  • "Tommy Hughes". Blueseum.
  • Tommy Hughes at AustralianFootball.com  
  • Tommy Hughes's playing statistics from AFL Tables