John James Graham Colclough (15 October 1883 – 28 April 1954) was an Australian rules footballer who played with

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a me ...

in the

Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving as one of the second-tier regional semi-professional competitions which sit underneath the fully professional Australian Football League (AFL). I ...

(VFL).

Family

The son of Richard Colclough (1839–1908), and Jean Colclough (1849–1927), née Graham, John James Graham Colclough was born at

Ascot Vale, Victoria Ascot Vale is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, north-west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Moonee Valley local government area. Ascot Vale recorded a population of 15,197 at the 202 ...

on 15 October 1883. He married twice: * He married Mary Grant (1878–1914) on 3 March 1908; they had two sons: Richard Roy Grant Colclough (1908–1985), and John Graham Colclough (1914–1916). * He married Annie Isabella McNaughton (1890–1977) in 1925; they had one daughter: Janet Isobel Colclough (1927–), later, Mrs. Dimmick.

Education

Educated at

Scotch College, Melbourne Scotch College is an independent school, independent Presbyterian Day school, day and boarding school for boys, located in Hawthorn, Victoria, Hawthorn, an inner-eastern suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Victoria, Aus ...

, he played with the school's First XVII in 1899, 1900, and 1901.

Football

Melbourne

He played 11 games for Melbourne in 1901, while he was still attending Scotch College (which, at the time, was located in East Melbourne); and, on one occasion, he missed a game because he needed to study for a Monday school examination.

Ballarat

In 1902 he was cleared from Melbourne to play with

Ballarat Football Club The Ballarat Football Netball Club is an Australian rules football and netball club. The football squad currently competes in the Ballarat Football League in the Ballarat region of Victoria, Australia. The Ballarat Football Netball Club was e ...

. He played with the club for four seasons (1902–1905).

Military career

Stating that his occupation was "

stock and station agent Stock and station agencies are businesses which provide a support service to the agricultural community. Their staff who deal with clients are known as stock and station agents.In his book Simon Ville states: "The term stock and station agent is va ...

, he enlisted in the First AIF on 11 November 1915. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) in 1917. He was awarded the Belgian ''Croix de Guerre'' in 1918. He was promoted to Second Lieutenant in April 1918.

Death

He died at

Richmond, Victoria Richmond is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Yarra local government area. Richmond recorded a population of 28,587 at the 2021 census, with a ...

on 28 April 1954.Deaths: Colclough, ''The Argus'', (Friday, 30 April 1954), p.17.
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Notes

References

*
First World War Nominal Roll: Second Lieutenant John James Colclough (5073), ''Australian War Memorial''.

First World War Service Record: Second Lieutenant John James Graham Colclough (5073), ''National Archives of Australia''.

Recommendation for the award of Distinguished Conduct Medal (29 September 1917), ''Collection of the Australian War Memorial''
note that the recommendation, mistakenly, has his service number as 5072.
''Distinguished Conduct Medal'': (awards announced on 19 November 1917): No.5073 Sergeant J. G. G. Colclough, Infantry, ''Commonwealth of Australia Gazette'', No.95, (Thursday, 27 June 1918), p.1395.

Decorations Conferred by His Majesty the King of the Belgians: ''Croix de Guerre'': 3rd. Military District: No. 5073 Sergeant John James Graham Colclough, D.C.M., 58th Battalion, ''Commonwealth of Australia Gazette'', No.185, (Wednesday, 27 November 1918), p.2262.

Australian Imperial Force: A.I.F. Lists 405—408: 3rd Military District: Colclough, No.5073 Sergeant John James Graham, D.C.M., late 58th Battalion (effective 4 November 1918), ''Commonwealth of Australia Gazette'', No.18, (Thursday, 6 February 1919), p.176.

External links

*
Graham Colclough: ''Demonwiki''.

Graham Colclough: ''australianfootball.com''.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colclough, Graham 1883 births 1954 deaths Australian rules footballers from Melbourne Melbourne Football Club players People educated at Scotch College, Melbourne Australian military personnel of World War I Recipients of the Croix de guerre (Belgium) Recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal People from Ascot Vale, Victoria Military personnel from Melbourne