Clarrie Clowe

A highly decorated World War I veteran whose VFL career was significantly delayed by his service, Clarrie Clowe entered the league as a mature-age recruit for Carlton at 27 years old. Before donning the Navy Blue, Clowe had established himself at VFA club Brunswick, but his prime athletic years were spent on the front lines at Gallipoli and the Western Front, where he rose to the rank of Second Lieutenant following the Battle of Menin Road. Standing at centre half-back, the flour miller by trade was known as a hardened, no-nonsense defender who used his physical maturity to repel opposition attacks. After two seasons at Princes Park where opportunities became sporadic, he crossed to Essendon in mid-1922 for a brief final stint at the elite level. While his game tally was modest, Clowe remains a poignant example of the generation whose sporting potential was sacrificed for the war effort.