Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918

Sportsmen's Committee, State Parliamentary Recruiting Committee,

Australian War Memorial Collection ARTV00026

http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/ARTV00026

"Representative of two common recruiting devices used in Australia, a well-known local soldier and a target number of men required for a specially named group. Both themes were combined, too, as in the case of Ryan's Thousand (after T.J. Ryan, the Queensland premier) or Carmichael's Thousand (after Captain A.C. Carmichael). This poster, published by the State Parliamentary Recruiting Committee, depicts Lieutenant Albert Jacka, VC, as a role model for a huge campaign to enlist sportsmen into the Australian Imperial Force in 1917. Jacka achieved instant fame back home when he became the first Australian to win the Victoria Cross during the First World War. It was said that one of the reasons he was such a good soldier, and had such a fighting attitude, was that he had been a boxer before the war. The campaign to enlist sportsmen was fuelled by a strong belief that by playing sport young men developed specific skills and qualities that could be used on the battlefield".  Australian War Memorial http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/ARTV00026

Public Schools & Varsity Unit, Members of the Sportsmen's 1000 - 11th Reinforcements.  Taken at Broadmeadows.

SPORTSMEN'S THOUSAND.
Scheme Heartily Approved

A meeting of the Sportsmen's Recruiting Committee was held at the rooms of the  
Victorian Cricket Association yesterday evening, at which Mr. Simeon Nathan was 
the chairman and principal speaker.  The Chairman reported that he had put  to

the Director-General for Recruiting the  proposal to form a Sportsmen's Thousand.

Mr. Mackinnon had conferred with the Minister for Defence, who had approved. It

was proposed to raise a sportsmen's thousand, who would join together, train 

together, go to the motherland together, and, if the exigencies of war permit, fight

together. The proposal was discussed at length, and from various points of view, and
eventually the following motion was carried:  "That this committee expresses its

warmest approval of the proposal to raise a sportsmen's thousand, and pledges itself

to support what ever notion the executive determines upon to raise the thousand

men required."

It was decided that a recruiting rally should be held at the West Melbourne Stadium

on March 16, at which there should be boxing contests and speeches, urging eligible

men to enlist. The speakers suggested are Mr. Page, M.H.R.. Dr. A.N. McArthur (chairman

Victorian Amateur Boxing Association), Warrant-Officer David (secretary Returned Soldiers'

Association), Messrs V Miers (Victorian Junior Cricket Union), H E Hall (commodore Royal

Yacht Club of Victoria), and Miss Temperly. The Stadium authorities have  placed their

premises and staff at the disposal of the committee, and will provide the boxing programme.
It is proposed to ask four or five leading boxers to offer their services, so that a good boxing

programme will be provided.

The Argus Thursday 8 March 1917

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1602115

SPORTSMEN'S THOUSAND.
20 Recruits at Stadium.

Twenty recruits were obtained as the result of a rally at the Stadium last night.  
Recruiting appeals were varied with exhibitions of boxing and vaudeville. Between  
3,000 and 4,000 people were present, including; a number of eligible men, and a section
of the "gods'' was inclined to be noisy, one  speakers, Mr Miers, retiring from the plat-
form after a "count out" had been administered by a smalll section. Appeals were    
made by Major McFarlane, Mr. Miers, (Cricket Association), Warrant-Officer David,
 and Miss Georgina Temperley, B.A., the last-mentioned succeeding in getting
13 recruits on to the platform. Boxing displays were given by Bert Spargo, Harry
Stone, Jack Jannese, Bennie Palmer, and others. The Domain and Royal Park bands 
were in attendance.

The Argus 17 March 1917

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1604476

THE SPORTSMEN'S THOUSAND. (1917, October 17). Winner (Melbourne, Vic. : 1914 - 1917), p. 8. Retrieved September 15, 2014, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154546298