Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Alexander Greig and Charlotte H. SWIFT, 1 Thomas Street, Moonee Ponds, Victoria

A gloom was cast over Essendon last week, when the sad news came through that Sergeant Alick T. Swift had been killed in action at the Dardanelles on the 20th August last. Sergeant Swift was a member of a highly-respected family who have been residing in Thomas street, Moonee Ponds, for many years. His father is a well known member of the local bowling club. "Lardy," as he was familiarly known, was connected with many sporting and social clubs in this city, amongst them being the Moonee Ponds cricket club, Essendon baseball club, the "Golliwog" Club and the "Beaver" Club, the last two being solely social institutions. Of the cricket club he was an ex-secretary, ex-treasurer and ex-captain, and had been an active member of the committee for a very long time and right up to his departure on active service. He had won the "B" team batting average on several occasions, was a good change bowler and a brilliant fieldsman.

Alick had also been a prominent player in the Essendon baseball club ever since its inception, and had been on the executive for the past eight or nine years, and was captain up to the time he answered his country's call. He was a most regular attendant at matches, and scarcely ever absent from his team. Apart from his abilities as a player, his fine sportsmanlike and unselfish qualities on the field were always admired by clubmates and opponents alike, and this accounted for the immense popularity which he enjoyed. His good-natured and jovial manner brought him into the good graces of all, and as a result he was never defeated in any club election in which he allowed himself to be nominated. Sergeant Swift was just in the prime of his life, being only 31 years of age. He was educated in Essendon, and was a member of the Essendon State School Old Boys' Association. He went to the front as a member of the 14th Battalion A.I.F. He has two brothers helping their country, viz.  Lieutenant C. Swift, who was wounded about the time of the first landing in Gallipoli, and Private A. Swift, who left for the front recently. Sergeant Swift was four months in the trenches, and those who knew him on the field of sport know that on the battle-field he "played the game" and proved him self a man to the end.  In business. "Alec" was engaged from his boyhood with Messrs. J. Spicer and Sons, of Lonsdale street, and his unfortunate ending had a very saddening effect on his employers and the staff, by whom he was always held in the highest esteem. He was regarded as one of the permanent "fixtures" of the warehouse. Mr. and Mrs. Swift and family are comforted in the knowledge that their son gave his life in the noblest of causes, and we join with a host of friends in extending to them our sincere sympathy.