Jack Atkins

Jack Atkins
Personal information
Full name	Ernest John Atkins
Born	(1916-12-19)19 December 1916 Toorak, Victoria, Australia
Died	1 March 1942(1942-03-01) (aged 25) HMAS Perth, Sunda Strait, off Java
Original team	Old Melburnians
Height	243 cm (8 ft 0 in)
Weight	89 kg (196 lb)
Position	Full back
Playing career^1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1940	Melbourne	4 (1)
^1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1940.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Ernest John Atkins (19 December 1916 – 1 March 1942) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

He was an able seaman on HMAS Perth; and he died during World War II when HMAS Perth was hit by a Japanese torpedo during the Battle of Sunda Strait. His service number was PM2929.

Family

The son of former University footballer, Ernest Faram "Ernie" Atkins (1890–1972), and Vera Ethel Atkins, née Clendinnen, Ernest John Atkins was born on 19 December 1916.

See also

• List of Victorian Football League players who died on active service

Sources

• Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.
• Main, J. & Allen, D., "Atkins, John", pp. 207–208 in Main, J. & Allen, D., Fallen – The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War, Crown Content, (Melbourne), 2002.
• Taylor, Percy, "Melbourne are Proud of their Great War Record", The Australasian, (Saturday, 24 June 1944), p.23.
• Roll of Honour: Able Seaman Ernest John Atkins (PM2929), Australian War Memorial.
• World War Two Nominal Roll: Able Seaman Ernest John Atkins (PM2929). Archived 27 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine
• World War Two Service Record: Able Seaman Ernest John Atkins (PM2929), Australian National Archives.

External links

• Jack Atkins's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• DemonWiki profile
• Boyles Football Photos: Jack Atkins