ANZAC Day Wrightson Medal

Last year, the EFFC Board approved the introduction of a new medal, awarded to a Shark’s player who best represents the spirit of the ANZACs in the annual Derby against South Fremantle. The Wrightson Medal is in recognition of Roy & Arthur Wrightson, who were both Premiership Players for EFFC in the early 1910’s and sadly lost their lives in France during WW1. (1916 & 1917 respectively).

The brothers were born in Fremantle and both played for football for East Fremantle Football Club, Arthur from 1908 to 1913 and Roy from 1910 to 1915.

In 1915 Roy enlisted in the 11^th Battalion and landed at Marseilles, France on the 5 April 1916 to join the British Expeditionary Force. He was killed in action in France on the 30^th May 1916 at Fleurbaix after less than 2 months of active service. He is buried in the Military Cemetery Rue Petillon near Armentieres, France.

Arthur enlisted in April 1916 and was in the 48^th Battalion. He was killed on the 12^th October 1917 at Paschendale, Belgium. There is no known grave for Arthur, with records showing some difficulty in the identification of the men in this trench. He is one of thousands whose headstone reads….“Known only unto God.”  Arthur is memorialised on the Menin Gate with the thousands of other soldiers that were never identified

The Wrightson Medal will be presented on field after Tuesday’s game. Matthew Watson was awarded the inaugural medal at last year’s derby, bagging 5 goals from 14 disposals.