Percy Rodriguez
Personal information
Full name John Filomeno Rodriguez
Date of birth (1893-01-05)5 January 1893
Place of birth Broome, Western Australia
Date of death 20 March 1917(1917-03-20) (aged 24)
Place of death Somme, France
Original team(s) Xavier College
Height 173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Weight 73 kg (161 lb)
Position(s) wing/rover
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1914 University 17 (1)
1915 Melbourne 05 (1)
Total 22 (2)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1915.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

John Filomeno "Percy" Rodriguez[1] (5 January 1893 – 20 March 1917) was an Australian rules footballer who played with University and Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Born in Broome, Western Australia.

He was killed in action at France during the Battle of the Somme.

Family

The second of ten children, and the eldest son of pearl fisherman and hotelier Filomeno Francisco "Francis" Rodriguez (1864-1943),[2][3] and Maud Winifred Gwenevere Rodriguez (1877-1921),[4][5] née Miller, John Filomeno Rodriguez was born at Broome, Western Australia on 5 January 1893; he was "the first white boy" to be born at Broome.[6]

Education

Educated at Christian Brothers' College, Perth, and Xavier College, Melbourne.

Football

A champion schoolboy footballer at CBC,[7][8] he was playing senior WAFL football while still at school.

Siblings

Percy and Joe played together for Perth before Percy left for Melbourne; Clarrie and Pat played together for both West Perth and Subiaco; and Clarrie and Tom played together for Claremont-Cottlesloe.[16]

Perth (WAFL)

He played 31 games for the Perth Football Club in three seasons, 1910 to 1912, when, on the suggestion of the Perth captain (former Melbourne and University footballer Harry Cordner), he decided to move to Melbourne. He went to Xavier College (1913-1914); however, because he was too old (at 20) for Associated Public Schools' football, he coached at a junior level at the school.[17]

University (VFL)

He played 17 games for University in the 1914 season.

Melbourne (VFL)

The university team withdrew from the VFL competition prior to the 1915 season; and, along with Claude Bryan, Jack Doubleday, Roy Park, he was cleared from University to Melbourne on 31 March 1915.[18]

In May 1919, an unidentified former Melbourne footballer, wrote to the football correspondent of The Argus as follows:

"In 1914 the Melbourne football team, after its junction with the University, was a fine team, and succeeded in reaching the semi-finals.
Out of this combination the following players enlisted and served at the front:—
C. Lilley (seriously wounded), J. Hassett, H. Tomkins (severely wounded), J. Evans (seriously wounded), W. Hendrie, R. L. Park, J. Doubleday (died), A. Best, C. Burge (killed), C. (viz., A.) Williamson (killed), J. Brake, R. Lowell, E. Parsons (seriously wounded), A. M. Pearce (killed), F. Lugton (killed), A. George, C. Armstrong, P. Rodriguez (killed), J. Cannole (viz., Connole), A. Fraser (seriously wounded), T. Collins.
These are all players of note, and in themselves would have formed a very fine side, but there is only one of them playing at the present time, viz., C. Lilley, who, as a matter of fact, takes the field under some disability owing to severe wounds which he received on service." – The Argus, 16 May 1919.[19]

Military service

He enlisted in the First AIF in Melbourne on 1 June 1915 under the name of "Percy John Rodriguez". On 3 February 1917 he was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant.

Death

He was killed in action on 20 March 1917 during the Battle of the Somme.[20] He has no known grave. His name is listed on the Villers–Bretonneux Australian National Memorial.

Football followers, particularly those connected with the University and Melbourne clubs, will regret to hear of the death in France of 2nd Lieutenant Percy Rodriguez, the former wing player of the two clubs mentioned. Coming from Western Australia, where. although young, he had already earned a reputation as a dashing player, he joined the University Club, and played with them until they withdrew from the league in 1914. In 1915 he played with Melbourne for a time before departing for the front. His dash and daring on the field, and his quiet, unassuming disposition when off, endeared him to all, and his many friends and admirers here will regret exceedingly that his career has been brought to a close all too soon. He was taking the dental course at the University before enlisting.
The Daily News, 20 September 1917.[21]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Note that many of the press reports relating to Rodriguez and members of his extended family have his family name as "Rodrigues", "Rodriquez", or "Rodriques".
  2. ↑ Deaths: Rodriguez, The West Australian, (Tuesday, 5 January 1943), p.1.
  3. ↑ 286.Filomeno Francisco Rodriguez, Q- R- S- T- U- Surname List, Christians Of The Australian Clay. viewed on 20 December 2019.
  4. ↑ Marriages: Rodriguez—Miller (Silver Wedding), The West Australian, (Saturday, 20 March 1915), p.1.
  5. ↑ In Memoriam: Rodriquez, The West Australian, (Tuesday, 20 June 1922), p.1.
  6. ↑ The Late Sergeant P. Rodriquez, The West Australian, (Thursday, 12 April 1917), p.7.
  7. ↑ Great Football Match, The W.A. Record, (Saturday, 2 July 1910), p.5.
  8. ↑ Football: Christian Brothers' College v. Old Boys, The West Australian, (Friday, 19 August 1910), p.7.
  9. ↑ Deaths: Rodruiguez, The West Australian, (Tuesday, 8 July 1952), p.19.
  10. ↑ The Late Clarence Albert Rodriguez, The Midlands Advocate, (Thursday, 10 July 1952), p,5.
  11. ↑ World War One Service Record: Sapper Clarence Albert Rodruiguez (32577), National Archives of Australia.
  12. ↑ World War One Service Record: Warrant Officer Class 2 Joseph Holland Rodriguez (24447), National Archives of Australia.
  13. ↑ Meritorious Service Medal: 5th Military District: No. 24447 Sergeant J.H. Rodriguez, 3rd Divisional Ammunition Column, Commomwealth of Australia Gazette, No.67, (Tuesday, 3 June 1919), p.942; Honors Despatch: Sergeant Joseph Holland Rodriguez, Collection of the Australian War Memorial.
  14. ↑ Alemein Battle, The West Australian, (Wednesday, 7 April 1943), p.2.
  15. ↑ "Officer of the Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.): Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Angelo Rodriguez, M.B.E., M.C.R.A.A., of Canberra. – Comptroller to the Governor-General since August 1957. In recognition of his valuable services to three Governors- General since that date." The Canberra Times, Tuesday, 1 January 1963), p.4.
  16. ↑ 3 Brothers in One Team, The (Perth) Daily News, (Thursday, 30 April 1936), p.7.
  17. ↑ Demonwiki.
  18. ↑ Victorian League. The Age, (Saturday, 3 April 1915), p.12.
  19. ↑ 'Old Boy', "Football: Notes and Comments", The Argus, (Friday, 16 May 1919), p.8.
  20. ↑ Deaths: Rodriquez, The West Australian, (Thursday, 5 April 1917), p.1; Death: Rodriguez, The Nor-West Echo, (Saturday, 7 April 1917), p.7.
  21. ↑ 'franziska', "Mainly About People", The (Perth) Daily News, (Thursday, 20 September 1917), p.3.

References

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