Alan Tait (Australian footballer)

Alan Tait
Personal information
Full name Alan Taylor Tait
Date of birth (1891-04-29)29 April 1891
Place of birth Armadale, Victoria
Date of death 10 August 1969(1969-08-10) (aged 78)
Place of death Parkville, Victoria
Original team(s) Ormond College / Geelong College
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1911 University 1 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1911.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Alan Taylor Tait MC (29 April 1891 – 10 August 1969)[1] was an Australian educator, decorated World War I soldier and an Australian rules footballer who played with the University Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[2]

The son of Rev. George Tait and Mary Agnes Sym, Alan Tait was born in the eastern part of Melbourne in 1891. He attended Geelong College from 1903 – 1908, being a School Prefect and a prominent member of its football, cricket and athletics teams. He then attended the University of Melbourne, and during 1911 made his single VFL appearance in a game against Collingwood where University failed to score a goal.

He was studying at the University of Edinburgh in 1914 and enlisted to serve in World War I with the Royal Scots. He served in France, and in April 1917, after receiving an officer's commission,[3] was awarded the Military Cross, the citation, which appeared in The London Gazette in July 1918, reading as follows:

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in vacating, under orders, a position and withdrawing to a sunken road, and then retaking the same position in the face of a very heavy fire. He held this position until it became untenable and then was ordered to withdraw. His coolness was magnificent, and he showed himself a fine leader of men.[4][5]

At the end of the war he returned to New College and completed his training as a theological student, and was licensed by the Presbytery of Edinburgh of the United Free Church of Scotland.[6] Returning to Australia in 1919, he gained his Diploma of Education and married Dorothy Ada Tate in 1920.[7] He joined the Geelong College staff in 1920 and later served as Vice-Principal from 1939 until his retirement in 1957.[8]

Sources

  1. ^ "Alan Tait – Player Bio". Australian Football. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  2. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Bas Publishing. p. 866. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  3. ^ "No. 30082". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 May 1917. p. 4930.
  4. ^ "No. 30813". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 July 1918. p. 8849.
  5. ^ Cullen, Barbara (2015). Harder than football : league players at war. Richmond, Victoria: Slattery Media Group. ISBN 978-0-992379-14-8.
  6. ^ "SCOTS COLLEGE". The Brisbane Courier. Queensland, Australia. 23 October 1930. p. 3.
  7. ^ "Family Notices". The Argus. Victoria, Australia. 13 July 1920. p. 1.
  8. ^ "TAIT, Alan Taylor MC (1891-1969)". The Geelong College.