Gregory, Ross (OW1931)

Ross Gregory (OW1931) is one of the dozen or so OWs to have played Test cricket for Australia. Without doubt, he is one of the finest sportspersons to attend Wesley College. Of short stature, he was not only a gifted right-hand batsman and a handy leg spinner, but also a capable footballer and tennis player.

He arrived at Wesley in 1931 from Gardenvale State School just about to turn 15 years old. Under the coaching of legendary teacher PL Williams, he played for four years in the First XI. In his last two years, 1933 and 1934, the First XI was the Champion APS team, being undefeated in all ten matches in those years. Ross scored 978 runs (average 40) and took 81 wickets (average 17). He first represented Victoria in February 1934 having commenced his final year at Wesley.

But remarkably in early 1937, at the age of 20, he played two Ashes Tests against England in Melbourne and Adelaide under the captaincy of Don Bradman. Also in those two teams was batter Keith Rigg MBE (OW1924) who played eight Tests; his last one being the 1937 Melbourne Test.

Ross batted three times scoring a combined total of 153 runs. He reached a half-century in two of those innings with his highest score of 80 recorded in his final test innings, helping Australia to retain The Ashes. In the second innings of the Adelaide Test his 50 runs was his contribution to a 135 run partnership with Bradman. This set up a sizable run chase that the English team could not achieve in their second innings.

Ross’ performance captured the attention of the cricket world. Cartoonists drew him as the ‘baby’ and one newspaper writer described him as a ‘champion in the making.’ While the focus was on his batting, his bowling should not be forgotten. In the final Shield match of 1937, Ross dismissed Bradman twice (for 54 and 35 runs).

He was considered highly unfortunate not to be selected in the 1938 Ashes tour to England. He continued to play cricket for Victoria and his local Club, St Kilda, until he joined the RAAF in August 1940. After training in Australia, he arrived in England in July 1941 and was posted to an RAF base on Scotland’s north coast to learn how to navigate the Wellington bomber. In November he was assigned to the RAF 99 Squadron and subsequently participated in four missions over Europe.

In late February 1942, he was transferred to the RAF 215 Squadron and sent with that unit to India via Cairo. The squadron’s mission was to support British troops in operations against the invading Japanese Army in Burma. On 10 June 1942, age 26, he was the observer on Wellington B514 that was destroyed by an explosion and crashed about 90 kilometres north of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Whether the explosion was caused by enemy fire or bad weather is uncertain.

The remains of the six crew members were buried by the local police. Flood waters from the Brahmaputra River subsequently covered the graves and despite searching following the end of the war, no trace of the graves could be found. His name is recorded on the Commonwealth War Grave Commission’s Singapore Memorial.

His dismissal in his sole Melbourne Test innings has been claimed as the most tragic in Test cricket as the bowler (Farnes), the catcher (Verity) and the dismissed batsman (Gregory) would all die in the war. Ross is the only Australian Test Cricketer to have lost his life on active service in WWII.

In his first-class career, consisting of 33 appearances, he scored 1,874 runs at the average of 38.24, with 17 half-centuries and a hundred against the MCC team in 1937. In addition, with his leg-spin bowling, he took 50 wickets, at an average of 35.34.

Ross’ death was a major news item and two memorial services were held. It was a huge tragedy for his parents, he was an only child, and his fiancée.

A notable feature of Ross was his personality. After his death, PL Williams wrote: above all, he was proving himself early a gentleman in all things. One sought in vain for flaws in his character. He had a natural courtesy, kindliness and friendliness towards all, and with the blessed advantage of a fine home training he had marked out for himself a line of gentlemanly conduct which he followed unswervingly.

Sam Loxton OBE (OW 1938), a member of the 1948 ‘Invincibles’ is quoted saying: Ross Gregory was a hero to us all.

Ross Gregory’s name is remembered in the sport oval and road that takes his name at the Albert Park Lake.

In this, the 80th year since his death, we remember him as an example of the OWs who served their country in a time of peril, and by not returning safely to his family, was denied the opportunity to enjoy a long life full of promise.

Perhaps the last words on him can be those attributed to cricket and RAAF legend, Keith Miller: I would love to have been like him!

Philip J Powell (OW1973); with acknowledgement to David Frith and his excellent book, The Ross Gregory Story.