Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | George James Brian Carstairs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1900-03-25)25 March 1900 Rozelle,New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 14 October 1966(1966-10-14) (aged 66) Concord,New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Allegiance |  Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Branch | Australian Army | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years of service | 1917-1918 1940-1943 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Unit | First Australian Imperial Force | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Battles / wars | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
George James Carstairs (1900–1966) was an Australianrugby league player who played in the 1920s and representedAustralia.
Born to parents George and Adeline Carstairs on 25 March 1900, George "Bluey" Carstairs went on to become a legendary figure atSt. George club. He learned the game of rugby league at Kogarah Marist Brothers, where he attended as a student. He made his first grade début inSt George's foundation year in 1921, and went on to play his whole career at the club between 1921 and 1929. He had scored the first try in St. George's first competition match on 23 April 1921, in a game that sawGlebe defeat St. George 4–3.[2][3][4][5] At years end, he was selected to play on the1921–22 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain, thus making Carstairs St. George's first international player. He is listed on theAustralian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 123.[6] He played in the 2nd and 3rd test matches on that tour. This happened to be his last representative appearance, either for Australia or his state. A loyal clubman, George Carstairs was involved in the massive controversy surrounding theEarl Park Riot, a 1928 match involvingSt George andBalmain that turned into an all in brawl with players and spectators alike.[7] Carstairs retired at the end of the 1929 season.
George Carstairs served in both world wars. He enlisted in theAIF in January 1917, claiming he was 18 years of age, whilst being only 16. He sailed out with the 1st Battalion/24 Reinforcements on 17 February 1917 to see action in France, and returned to Australia in 1919 at war's end.[8]
He also enlisted in theAustralian Army duringWorld War II in 1940, aged 40, and saw action in the Middle East before a war related injury forced his discharge in 1943.[9]
George Carstairs died from complications due to old war injuries at the Concord Repatriation Hospital on 14 October 1966, aged 66.[10][5]
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