It is one hundred years since the war to end all wars first raged over Europe . . . and yet even now it’s difficult to fathom the depth of this nation’s human loss - almost 62,000 young lives in totality - before the guns fell silent in November 1918.
It was said that the flower of a generation — the fittest, the strongest, the bravest and most brilliant — were taken from us in the prime of their fledgling lives.
Amongst them were 11 men who once chased the leather for the Carlton Football Club - 11 of the tens of thousands who paid for their nation’s liberties in blood, who sacrificed their tomorrows so that we could have today . . .
They went with songs to the battle, they were young.
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow.
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
- from Laurence Binyon’s poem “For the Fallen”
In the lead-up to Carlton's Anzac Day centenary clash with St Kilda in Wellington, carltonfc.com.au will honour 'The Great Fallen' - our brave and selfless former players lost in war, who will be in our hearts and minds on game day:
