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Alex Nash

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Alex Nash
Personal information
Full name James Alexander Nash
Date of birth (1923-01-10)10 January 1923
Place of birth Carlton, Victoria
Date of death 28 March 1944(1944-03-28) (aged 21)
Place of death Solomon Sea, off Bougainville Island, New Guinea
Original team(s) Hawthorn Colts
Position(s) Half back
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1942 Hawthorn 1 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1942.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

James Alexander Nash DFM (10 January 1923 – 28 March 1944) was an Australian rules footballer who played for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Family

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The son of Stanley Nash, and Myra Lucille Nash, née McIntosh, James Alexander Nash was born at Carlton, Victoria on 10 January 1923.[1]

Football

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His only VFL game, which was against Collingwood, was while he was on leave from Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) duties.

Military service

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A notable pilot, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal for his efforts during the Second World War; the award was presented to his mother by William McKell, the Governor-General of Australia, at Government House, Melbourne, on 20 October 1947.[2][3][4][5]

Death

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He was killed in action off Bougainville, on 28 March 1944, when the bomber he was flying crashed into the sea in poor conditions and failing light while making a steep turn on his return to base after a strafing raid.[6][7]

His body was never recovered. He is commemorated at the Rabaul War Cemetery.[8]

See also

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Footnotes

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  1. ^ Service Record.
  2. ^ "No. 36401". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 February 1944. p. 1010.
  3. ^ Radio Man Saved Five Lives, The Newcastle Sun, (Saturday, 4 March 1944), p.4.
  4. ^ Honours and Awards (Recommendation): Flight Sergeant James Alexander Nash (410368), Collection of the Australian War Memorial.
  5. ^ Mr. McKell Presents War Honours, The Argus, (Tuesday, 21 October 1947), p.6.
  6. ^ RAAF documents.
  7. ^ In Memoriam: On Service: Wade, The West Australian, (Thursday, 28 March 1946), p.1.
  8. ^ Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

References

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