During the week, Carmody’s grandson Bill kindly forwarded this image and related the following story to perpetuate the memory of a man whose time at Princes Park was all too fleeting.
William Brendan Carmody (1889-1954)
“Bill was the seventh of ten children born to Thomas and Bridget Carmody on 27 July 1889. His occupation as a young man was a laborer, and eventually a clerk.
As a 19 year-old, Bill was recruited from Prahran and played one game for Carlton, named in a forward pocket in Round 7 1908 against Geelong at Princes Park (Monday June 8, being a holiday celebrating the Prince of Wales birthday). It was Carlton’s 200th match, which it won by more than 10 goals.
Bill had stints at Port Melbourne, Ascot Vale, North Melbourne and Collingwood, before transferring to Footscray (VFA) in May 1915.
Within months he had ‘joined up’.
Private William Brendan Carmody enlisted with the AIF in Melbourne on July 15, 1915 (No. 2329), and was posted to the 5th Reinforcements, 22nd Battalion on September 1 that year.
On 24 July 1916 he was involved in the fierce battle of Pozieres, a village in the Somme Valley, where the town was destroyed. In this battle, Bill was shot through the mouth, described as ‘a severe gunshot wound to the face’ with some of the shrapnel passing from one side through his mouth to the other.
According to his daughter Pat, he was left in the trench, presumed dead, but was able to crawl back to the Australian line.
Bill recovered, volunteered to return to France with the medical corps (stretcher bearer and ambulance driver), finally returning to Australia in July 1919.
In 1920, Bill was playing football with Footscray in the VFA. Footscray was premier that year, a time when it dominated the competition for a number of seasons.
Bill and his wife Harriet managed hotels throughout Victoria, and he continued to play football in the country towns, including Eaglehawk, Albury. History records him playing in a losing Grand Final for Corowa (1921), and a winning team, St. Pat’s in Albury in 1922.
On both occasions he was mentioned in the best player list.
Bill also appears in Footscray’s 1920 premiership team photograph, although he is listed as absent. I’ve only seen this photo, and can’t get hold of it.
Bill’s son, Bill played for St Kilda in 1942, then from 1946-1949.”
The Carlton Football Club has welcomed the support of Luke Ryan (grandson of the late 1945 premiership player and 1942 club best and fairest Jim Mooring) and Angie Gilchrist (granddaughter of the 114-game Carlton wingman Graham Gilchrist), as it endeavors to whittle down the numbers.
Long-time Carlton supporter Bob Hopkins also delved into his scrapbook to unearth newspaper images of players such as Bob Bosustow, Dave Browning, Colin Holt and Alan White.
The list of Carlton’s “lost” senior players can be viewed by clicking here. Those with any information and/or images (preferably photos as opposed to press clippings) are encouraged to contact Tony De Bolfo on 9389 6241 or via email, tony.debolfo@carltonfc.com.au.
