Fred Heintz

Frederick John Heintz (22 July 1913 – 20 February 1942) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He was killed at Ambon in World War II.

Fred Heintz
Personal information
Full name Frederick John Heintz
Nickname(s) "Fatty"
Date of birth (1913-07-22)22 July 1913
Place of birth Carlton, Victoria
Date of death 20 February 1942(1942-02-20) (aged 28)
Place of death Ambon, Dutch East Indies
Original team(s) Fitzroy Methodists / Oakleigh
Position(s) Half Forward Flank
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1931–33 Fitzroy 14 (18)
1934–38 Oakleigh (VFA) 57 (116)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1938.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

The son of Ernest John Heintz (1889-1920), and Cath Heintz, née Noonan, Frederick John Heintz was born in Carlton on 22 July 1913. He married Annie Mavis McCartney in 1933. They had four children, Mavis Heintz (1933), Frederick Heintz (1934), Coral Heintz (1936) and Lois Heintz (1939).

Football

Fitzroy

Strictly speaking, he made his VFL debut for Fitzroy, against Collingwood, on 18 July 1931, when he was selected as 19th man;[1] however, in those days, the 19th man in a VFL team only took the field to replace an injured player — and, because there were no Fitzroy injuries, Heintz, although selected, never took the field. He was selected, for a second time, in the Fitzroy team, on the half-forward flank, against Footscray, on 22 August 1931; he did play that day,[2] and that's why some records show it as his debut, and others show it as his second game.

Oakleigh

In 1934 he was cleared, by Fitzroy, to the VFA club Oakleigh, on the understanding that Oakleigh would release him back to Fitzroy if ever he was required there.

Fitzroy requested his return in 1937, just after the second VFA round of the season;[3] yet, notwithstanding Fitzroy's request, Heintz did not play for Fitzroy again and, although missing seven VFA matches, he resumed playing for Oakleigh in round 9 (12 June) of the 1937 season.[4]

In all, he played 57 games for Oakleigh, over five seasons (1934 to 1938), scoring 116 goals.[5]

Military service

He joined the Second AIF in June 1940. He died in active service.

Heintz … was part of the 2/21 Battalion Gull Force sent to the island of Ambon in the Banda Sea to defend key airfields and deep water harbours. A huge Japanese force invaded the island in January, 1942, with heavy Australian casualties, including 229 Diggers who were executed at the Laha airfield and others taken prisoner of war. Precise details of Heintz's death are not known and he was reported as "presumed" dead, the date of death recorded as February 20, 1942. Private Frederick John Heintz has no known grave and is commemorate at the Ambon Memorial, which takes the form of a shelter …[6][7]

See also

Footnotes
  1. Rattray, Gordon, "Magpies Home", The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 18 July 1931), p.2.
  2. Wilson A., Footscray's Ninth Win, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 22 August 1931), p.1
  3. F. Heintz Cleared, The Age, (Monday 26 April 1937), p.7.
  4. Good Kicking Highlight at Yarraville, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 12 June 1937), p.3.
  5. The VFA Project: Heintz, Fred. J.
  6. Main & Allen (2002), p.263.
  7. Commonwealth War Graves Commission: Private Heintz, Frederick John, Service Number VX24926.

References
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