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{{short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{Infobox AFL player 2▼
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
▲{{Infobox AFL player 2biography
| name = Rupert Balfe
| image = AWM.H05654.jpeg
| alt =
| caption =
| fullname = Joseph Rupert Balfe
| birth_date = {{birth date|1890|3|9|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Brunswick, Victoria|Brunswick]], [[Australia]]
| originalteam = Brunswick
| death_date = {{death date and age|1915|4|25|1890|3|9|df=y}}
| death_place = [[Anzac Cove]], [[Gallipoli]], [[Ottoman Turkey]]
| originalteam = [[Brunswick Football Club|Brunswick]] ([[Victorian Football Association|VFA]])
| debutdate = 15 May{{start date|1909|5|15|df=y}}
| debutteam = [[University Football Club|University]]
| debutopponent = [[St Kilda Football Club|St Kilda]]
| debutstadium = [[Junction Oval]]
| height = <!-- ### cm -->
| playingteams = [[University Football Club|University]] (1909,1911)▼
| weight = <!-- ### kg -->
 
| position =
7 Games, 2 Goals
| statsend = 20051911
| years1 = 1909, 1911
▲| playingteamsclub1 = [[University Football Club|University]] (1909,1911)
| games_goals1 = 7 (2)
| careerhighlights =
}}
 
'''(Joseph) Rupert Balfe''' (9 March 1890 – 25 April 1915) was an [[Australian rules football]]er and soldier who was killed during the [[landing at Anzac Cove]].<ref>{{Ref AFL Encyc|10th|38}}</ref><ref group="note">Despite various suggestions given over time, related to particular individuals, it is clear that, because, at least, six former VFL footballers were killed during the chaos of [[Landing at Anzac Cove|the landing at Anzac Cove]] — RupertCove—Rupert Balfe (University), [[Alan Cordner]] (Geelong and Collingwood), [[Claude Crowl]] (St Kilda), [[Charlie Fincher]] (South Melbourne), [[Fen McDonald]] (Carlton and Melbourne), and [[Joe Pearce (footballer)|Joe Pearce]] (Melbourne) — it—it can never be definitively argued that one of these men was "the first VFL footballer killed in the First World War".</ref>
 
==Early life and education==
The son of Matthew Balfe (later mayor of Brunswick) and Sarah Knott, Rupert Balfe was born in Brunswick in 1890. Balfe attended [[Princes Hill State School]] before earning a [[scholarship]] to attend Thomas Palmer's University High School, in Grattan Street, Carlton.<ref>Palmer's institution, University High School, was a private school; and has no connection of any sort with the later State school, [[University High School, Melbourne]] which commenced teaching in 1910: see, for instance, advertisement at [https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/73764646 ''The Footscray Independent'', (Saturday, 3 March 1894), p. 2]; also: [http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/palmer-thomas-7950 Clements, M.A., "Palmer, Thomas (1858–1927)", in Serle, G. (ed), ''Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 11 1891–1939 (Nes-Smi)'', Melbourne University Press, (Carlton), 1988].</ref>
 
After completing his secondary education in 1908, he studied medicine at the [[University of Melbourne]] and was in his final year when he enlisted to serve in World War I.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article154125779 |title=LIEUT RUPERT BALFE |newspaper=Brunswick And Coburg Star |location=Victoria, Australia |date=21 May 1915 |page=1}}</ref>
==Education==
Born in Brunswick, Balfe attended Princes Hill State School before earning a [[scholarship]] to attend University High School. Rupert decided after High School that he would study medicine. He attended [[Melbourne University]] for his degree and accomplished it. During his years at the University he played for the VFL Football Club.
 
==The Truetrue Athleteathlete==
HeBalfe played [[Australian rules football]] for VFA Club Brunswick whilst enjoyingstarring in athletics at University High. He played in athe [[1908 VFA season|1908 VFA Grand Final]] withfor Brunswick against Footscray, along with his two brothers, Harold and Stan. Balfe, a wingman, broke his(whose arm duringwas the matchbroken) and that turned the game, with Footscray winning by 24 pointsStan. When at Melbourne University, he becameplayed a classy footballer withfor the VFL/AFL side [[University Football Club|University]], but due to his studies he wasplayed a limited number of games. He played on 1one game in season 1909–1910, making his debut inthe 1909, but in 1911 he came back,season and allowed for 6 more games, beforeduring endingthe a1911 football career for athleticsseason.
 
HeBalfe had always beenwas a greatnotable athlete, especially in field athletics. He was a state High School champion in athletics, winning the 100, 200 and 400440 yards handicaps, [[long jump]], [[high jump]] and 120 yards [[hurdles]]. In 1913 he was runner-up in the Victorian long jump at the Victorian athletic championships.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article129343783 |title=Victorian, Athletes to the Fore |newspaper=Referee |issue=1500 |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 July 1915 |page=16}}</ref>
 
==World War I==
ItBalfe was announcedenlisted on 2 September 1914 that he would beas a Second Lieutenant with the 6th [[6th Battalion (Australia)|6th Battalion]] in the [[First Australian Imperial Force]] (AIF). RupertHe Balfewas diedkilled onby thea infamousbursting shell whilst [[ANZACLanding Dayat Anzac Cove|landing]] at [[Gallipoli]], [[Ottoman Turkey]], at the age of 25.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Main |first1=Jim |last2=Allen |first2=David |title=Fallen: The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War |year=2002 |pages=14–16 |publication-date=2002 |location=Melbourne |publisher= Crown Content |isbn=978-1-74095-010-7}}</ref> He was one of many players from [[VFL/AFL players who died in active service|the VFL during the World WarsWar I]] who lost their lives.<ref>{{cite book |last=Cullen |first=Barbara |title=Harder than football : league players at war |year=2015 |page=24 |publication-date=2015 |location=Richmond, Victoria |publisher=Slattery Media Group |isbn=978-0-9923791-4-8}}</ref>
 
==Friendship with Menzies==
==A Remembered Friend==
Balfe had a strong friendship with [[Robert Menzies]], who was studying Lawlaw at Melbourne University. Menzies went on to become the [[Prime Minister of Australia]] from 1939–19411939 to 1941, 1949–1966. Menzies wrote a poem for the late Balfe which appeared in several local newspapers on 16 July 1915.
<blockquote>
'''In Memoriam Lieut. J. R. Balfe, Killed in Action, Gallipoli, July 1915'''<ref name="menzies">{{cite web | url = http://www.menziesvirtualmuseum.org.au/1910s/1915.html | title = MVM 1915 | publisher = Menzies Virtual Museum | accessdateaccess-date = 2010-07-31 | archivedatearchive-date = 20102003-0702-3118 | archiveurlurl-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20030218004159/http://www.webcitationmenziesvirtualmuseum.org.au/5rdtEBFJp1910s/1915.html }}</ref>
<poem style="font-style:italic;">
His was the call that came from far away –
Line 53 ⟶ 64:
 
==See also==
* [[List of VictorianAustralian Footballmilitary Leaguepersonnel playerskilled whoat diedAnzac inCove activeon service25 April 1915]]
* [[List of Victorian Football League players who died on active service]]
 
==Notes==
{{Reflist|group=note}}
{{reflist}}
 
==References==
{{Reflist}}
* Main, J. & Allen, D., "Balfe, Rupert", pp.&nbsp;14–16 in Main, J. & Allen, D., ''Fallen — The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War'', Crown Content, (Melbourne), 2002. ISBN 1-74095-010-0
* 51st casualty list.
 
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.awm.gov.au/roh/person.asp?p=145-2211 Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour: Joseph Rupert Balfe]▼
*{{AFL Tables | R/Rupert_Balfe }}
* [http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/R/Rupert_Balfe.html AFL Statistics: Rupert Balfe]
▲*Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour: [http://www.awm.gov.au/roh/person.asp?p=145-2211 Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour: Joseph Rupert Balfe]
 
{{Authority control}}
 
{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
| NAME =Balfe, J.Rupert
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = Australian rules footballer
| DATE OF BIRTH =9 March 1890
| PLACE OF BIRTH =[[Brunswick, Victoria|Brunswick]], [[Australia]]
| DATE OF DEATH =25 April 1915
| PLACE OF DEATH =[[Gallipoli]] [[Turkey]]
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balfe, J.Rupert}}
[[Category:Military personnel from Melbourne]]
[[Category:University Football Club players]]
[[Category:Brunswick Football Club players]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria]]▼
[[Category:Australian Army officers]]
[[Category:Australian military personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Australian military personnel killed in World War I]]
[[Category:AustralianPeople military personnel killededucated at Anzac Cove onUniversity 25High AprilSchool, 1915Melbourne]]
▲[[Category:Australian rules footballers from VictoriaMelbourne]]
[[Category:1890 births]]
[[Category:1915 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Brunswick, Victoria]]
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