Crawford Derek Mollison (22 October 1901 – 19 December 1943) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He died while serving in the Second Australian Imperial Force when an aircraft in which he was a passenger crashed at Canal Creek, near Yaamba, Queensland.

Family The son of Crawford Henry Mollison (1863–1949), the Victorian Government Pathologist,Deaths: Mollison, The Argus, (Friday, 8 April 1949), p.9; Many attend the funeral of Dr Mollison, The Argus, (Friday, 8 April 1948), p.6.Expert Who Helped To Solve Big Victorian Murders, The Barrier Miner, (Monday, 11 April 1949), p.2.Birrell, J., "Mollison, Crawford Henry (Mollie) (1863–1949)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, 1986. and his second wife, Elizabeth Corientia Mollison (1869–1920), née Browne, daughter of Thomas Alexander Browne a.k.a. Rolf Boldrewood,Weddings: Mollison—Browne, The (Melbourne) Leader, (Saturday, 29 December 1900), p.40.Deaths: Mollison, The Argus, (Saturday, 17 April 1920), p.13. Crawford Derek Mollison was born, in South Yarra, on 22 October 1901.Births: Mollison, The Argus, (Saturday 2 November 1901), p.9.By family tradition, Crawford was the first given name of the eldest son: Changed Name: For Tradition, The (Melbourne) Herald, Wednesday, 22 June 1949), p.1 – Cecily Elizabeth Mollison, who became Cecily Elizabeth Mollison, Derek's half-sister, was the daughter of his father's third wife, Grace Elizabeth Mollison, née Thomas.

He married Muriel Wallis Ludbrook on 2 July 1924;Weddings: Mollison—Ludbrook, The Australasian, (Saturday, 5 July 1924), p.48.Weddings: Mollison—Ludbrook, Table Talk, (Thursday, 17 July 1924), p.45. they had two children, Barbara (1925-),Births: Mollison, The Argus, (Tuesday, 16 June 1925), p.1.(Wedding:) Shenton-Trim—Mollison, The Argus, (Thursday, 2 December 1948), p.11. and Graeme (1929-).Births: Mollison, The Argus, (Saturday, 19 January 1929), p.13.Old Boy, In School and Out: Junior Championships, The Australasian, (Saturday, 30 November 1940), p.32.Social News and Events, The Argus, (Saturday, 12 December 1953), p.20.

His wife's brother, Campbell Malcolm Ludbrook, died (on 11 February 1922) as a result of the severe head injuries he sustained when an aeroplane in which he was a passenger crashed near Mildura;Aeroplane Crash, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Saturday, 11 February 1922), p.1. the pilot, a friend of Ludbrook's, did not have a pilot's license, and the aeroplane had been denied a certificate of airworthiness by the Department of Civil Aviation.Unlicensed Flying: Mildura Passenger Dies, (Sunday, 12 February 1922), p.4.Deaths: Ludbrook, The Argus, (Monday, 13 February 1922), p.1.

Crawford Derek Mollison died in an aircraft crash in Queensland while serving with the Second AIF on 19 December 1943.Deaths: Mollison, The Argus, (Wednesday, 22 December 1943), p.2; Deaths: Mollison, The Argus, (Thursday, 23 December 1943), p.2.

Education Educated at Melbourne Grammar School, he was an excellent schoolboy cricketer,College Sports, (Saturday, 28 December 1918), p.20. and footballer.Public Schools' Premiership, The Argus, (Friday, 22 August 1919), p.5.

Football On leaving school, he played football for Old Melburnians Football Club in the Metropolitan Amateur Football Association.Metropolitan Amateur Association, The Argus, (Monday, 20 June 1921), p.5.

A Victorian representative, he retired at a young age to pursue a business career.

Military service He enlisted in the Second AIF, and served in both the Middle East and in New Guinea.

Death On 19 December 1943, Mollison was one of 31 people on board when a C-47 Dakota aircraft of the 22nd Transport Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group crashed at Canal Creek, near Yaamba, Queensland, north of Rockhampton in Central Queensland. The plane, which was flying from Townsville to Brisbane, was carrying 20 US Armed Services personnel, two non-combatants, as well as Mollison and seven other members of the Australian Defence force.Crash of a C-47 of the 22nd Troop Carrier Squadron 374th Transport Group 30 miles north of Rockhampton at Rossmoya Rd, Canal Creek on 19 December 1943, oz@war, 26 September 2015.

It was the second-worst air disaster in Australian history;Ten Worst Aircraft Crashes in Australia, oz@war, 26 January 2015. there were no survivors.

See also List of Victorian Football League players who died on active service

Footnotes

References Sharland, W.S., "Shelton, Mollison, and O’Connell are League Players Attracting Attention", The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 21 June 1924), p.8. Southerner, "The Story of Great Public Schools: Melbourne Grammar: Sporting Record of Famous Melburnians", The Referee, (Wednesday, 21 January 1931), p.13. Australian Military Forces; Attestation Form for Persons Voluntarily Enlisted in the Militia Forces: Crawford Derek Mollison (336015), National Archives of Australia: note that, on enlistment (24 February 1939), Mollison stated that his date of birth was 22 October 1901. World War Two Service Record: Captain Crawford Derek Mollison (VX912), National Archives of Australia: note that, on enlistment (4 November 1939), Mollison stated that his date of birth was 22 November 1904. Captain Crawford Derek Mollison (VX912), Photograph in the Collection of the Australian War Memorial. Roll of Honour: Captain Crawford Derek Mollison (VX912), Australian War Memorial. Victorians in Army Casualty Lists: Australia and The Islands: Killed Accidentally, The Argus, (Friday, 14 January 1944), p.4.

External links

Demonwiki: Derek Mollison. Boyles Football Photos: Derek Mollison.