Albert Gourlay
Encyclopedia
Albert John Gourlay was an Australian rules football
er who played with Melbourne
and Carlton
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
Born in Emerald Hill, Gourlay played his early football at West Melbourne
before entering the VFL. He played just three games for Melbourne, in the 1903 VFL season
and at the end of the year crossed to Carlton. Playing as a defender, Gourlay made three appearances with Carlton and experienced all possible results, a win, draw and a loss.
He later emigrated to New Zealand, where he got married and worked as a canvasser in Wellington. In 1917 he signed up to serve his adopted country in the war and traveled to the United Kingdom with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
. Gourlay fought with the 29th Reinforcements of the Wellington Infantry Regiment, B Company, on the front
and suffered serious wounds. He had been taking part in some of the final offensives of the war and his death at a military hospital in England occurred just ten days before the ceasefire.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played with Melbourne
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
and Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
in the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL).
Born in Emerald Hill, Gourlay played his early football at West Melbourne
West Melbourne Football Club
West Melbourne Football Club was an Australian rules football club which played in the Victorian Football Association . They were based at the North Melbourne Cricket Ground and had a red and white striped guernsey.-History:...
before entering the VFL. He played just three games for Melbourne, in the 1903 VFL season
1903 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1903.-Premiership season:In 1903, the VFL competition consisted of eight teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume...
and at the end of the year crossed to Carlton. Playing as a defender, Gourlay made three appearances with Carlton and experienced all possible results, a win, draw and a loss.
He later emigrated to New Zealand, where he got married and worked as a canvasser in Wellington. In 1917 he signed up to serve his adopted country in the war and traveled to the United Kingdom with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force
New Zealand Expeditionary Force
The New Zealand Expeditionary Force was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight for Britain during World War I and World War II. Ultimately, the NZEF of World War I was known as the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force...
. Gourlay fought with the 29th Reinforcements of the Wellington Infantry Regiment, B Company, on the front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
and suffered serious wounds. He had been taking part in some of the final offensives of the war and his death at a military hospital in England occurred just ten days before the ceasefire.