Harold Holt Rippon (23 February 1874 – 16 January 1917) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne and South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).Holmesby & Main (2014), p.751.
Family The son of Samuel Rippon (1845-1897),Deaths: Rippon, The Argus, (Monday, 13 December 1897), p.1. and Lucretia Eliza Rippon (1848-1899), née Butterworth,Marriages: Rippon—Butterworth, The Argus, (Friday, 25 August 1871), p.4.Deaths: Rippon, The Age, (Tuesday, 26 September 1899), p.1. Harold Holt Rippon was born at Abbotsford, Victoria on 23 February 1874.Births: Rippon, The Argus, (Tuesday, 10 March 1874), p.1.
His brothers, Les and Norm, also played for Melbourne in the VFL.
Football Melbourne (VFL) Rippon played in four senior games for Melbourne in 1898—including the match against St Kilda, at the Junction Oval, on 3 September 1898, where he appeared with both his brothers, Les and NormAFL Statistics: 1898 Games: Round 16: Melbourne Player Details.—and in one game, the match against St Kilda, at the Junction Oval on 5 May 1900, where he played as a replacement for his brother, Les.
South Melbourne (VFL) In 1903 he was cleared from Melbourne to South Melbourne.Football: Permits to Players, The Argus, (Thursday, 23 April 1903), p.9. He played in 5 senior games in 1903The South Melbourne Team, (Melbourne) Punch, Thursday, 4 June 1903), p.16.—in four of which his brother, Norm, also played.
Cricket He played Sub-District Cricket for the Caulfield Cricket Club.Sub-District Association, The Argus, (Monday, 25 October 1909), p.5.
Military service He was a private in the 2nd Pioneer Battalion during World War I.
Death He died on 16 January 1917 from the wounds he sustained on 14 January 1917, while fighting in the Western Front.Australian Casualties: List No.271, Died of Wounds: Victoria, The Argus, (Friday, 9 February 1917), p.5.Died on Service: Rippon, The Argus, (Saturday, 3 February 1917), p.11.(News Item), The Myrtleford Mail and Whorouly Witness, (Thursday, 8 February 1917), p.1.
Burial He is buried at Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L'Abbe.Private Harold Holt Rippon (2158), Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
See also List of Victorian Football League players who died on active service
Notes
References Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim (2014), The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.), Melbourne, Victoria: Bas Publishing. First World War Embarkation Roll: Private Harold Holt Rippon (2158), Collection of the Australian War Memorial. First World War Nominal Roll: Private Harold Holt Rippon (2158), Collection of the Australian War Memorial. First World War Service Record: Private Harold Holt Rippon (2158), National Archives of Australia. Roll of Honour Circular: Private Harold Holt Rippon (2158), Collection of the Australian War Memorial. Roll of Honour: Private Harold Holt Rippon (2158), Australian War Memorial.
External links
Harold Rippon at Demonwiki.