Les Primrose

Leslie John "Les" Primrose (14 May 1890 — 4 June 1918) was an Australian rules footballer who played with University in the Victorian Football League. He served in the Australian Flying Corps in World War I and took part in dogfights against the German Red Baron unit. He was killed in a plane crash in 1918.

Les Primrose
Personal information
Full name	Leslie John Primrose
Date of birth	14 May 1890
Place of birth	Ballarat, Victoria
Date of death	4 June 1918 (aged 28)
Place of death	Somme, France
Original team(s)	Ballarat
Playing career^1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1912–13	University	16 (0)
^1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1913.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

The son of John William Primrose (1866-1919),[1] and Catherine Ellen Primrose (1867-1937),[2] née Dent, Leslie John Primrose was born in Ballarat, Victoria on 14 May 1890.

Football

University (VFL)

Cleared from Golden Point to University on 26 April 1912,[3] he played in 16 senior matches over two seasons (1912-1913).[4]

Military service

Employed as a schoolteacher, Primrose enlisted in the First AIF on 2 August 1915.

Death

He was killed in action when his plane crashed on its return flight to its base on 4 June 1918.[5]

See also

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

Footnotes

1. Deaths: Primrose, The Ballarat Star, (Friday, 13 June 1919), p.4.
2. Deaths: Primrose, The Argus, (Thursday, 4 March 1937), p.1.
3. League Permits, The Argus, (Saturday 27 April 1912), p.17.
4. The University Team, The Leader, (Saturday, 4 May 1912), p.29.
5. Deaths (On Active Service): Primrose, The Age, (Saturday, 22 June 1918), p.5.

References

• Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.
• Main, J. & Allen, D., "Primrose, Leslie", pp. 154–156 in Main, J. & Allen, D., Fallen – The Ultimate Heroes: Footballers Who Never Returned From War, Crown Content, (Melbourne), 2002. ISBN 1-74095-010-0
• World War One Service Record: Lieutenant Leslie John Primrose, National Archives of Australia.
• World War One Embarkation Roll: Lieutenant Leslie John Primrose, collection of the Australian War Memorial.
• World War One Nominal Roll: Lieutenant Leslie John Primrose, collection of the Australian War Memorial.
• Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Files: Lieutenant Leslie John Primrose, collection of the Australian War Memorial.
• Roll of Honour: Lieutenant Leslie John Primrose, Australian War Memorial.
• The Late Lieutenant Primrose, The Hamilton Spectator, (Saturday, 31 August 1918), p.7.

External links

• Les Primrose's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Les Primrose at AustralianFootball.com
• Leslie John Primrose, at Western District Families.
• Photograph of Second Lieutenant Leslie John Primrose, No 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, Collection of the Australian War Memorial.
• Group portrait of Officers of No 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, Collection of the Australian War Memorial.
• Original grave at Breuil-le-Sec Cemetery of Lieutenant Leslie John Primrose, No 2 Squadron, photograph in the collection of the Australian War Memorial.
• Lieutenant Leslie John Primrose, Commonwealth War Graves Commission.