In recent years, The Hockey Museum’s Hockey’s Military Stories (HMS) research project has become one of our more extensive activities. It came about because of feats of valour shown by hockey people, yet it goes much further than just wartime exploits and it also extends beyond Britain to include the actions of hockey people throughout the world.

Helping to create this breadth is John Sanders, a great friend of the museum in Australia. Not only does he do an incredible job on Australian hockey statistics but he too has a great interest in hockey in the forces ‘Down Under’!

Left: Major-General Robert Harold Nimmo who served in the Australian Army in WW1 and WW2. Right: The Australia team that played New Zealand in Brisbane in August 1927. Nimmo, who played half back, is in the back row, furthest right.

This weekend is ANZAC Day, a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served”. We are pleased to share a presentation of John’s ongoing research into Australian and New Zealand forces hockey as The Hockey Museum’s appreciation of their great contribution and sacrifice.

Left: Jean Adeline Kerr (Harrison) served in the Women’s Royal Australian Naval Service during WW2. Right: Jean, from Western Australia, was first selected in the 1947 All Australia Blue Ribbon team. Jean (back row, fourth left) played in the forward line.

For more information on the individuals featured above as well as the profiles and stories of other servicemen and women, download John Sanders’s presentation by clicking the PDF icon.

You can follow John’s Australian hockey research project through his Facebook page, click here.