Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

On the 19 November 1941, nigh on eighty three years ago, HMAS Sydney, a light cruiser sunk after a fierce gun battle with German raider HSK Kormoran in the Indian Ocean off the Western Australian coast. The loss of the Sydney with its full war complement of 645 remains Australia’s worst naval disaster. The Kormoran was also sunk, but 317 of its crew of 397 were rescued. Aboard the Sydney that fateful day was John Reid Hasker.
John (Jack) Hasker was born in Ballarat on November 3, 1900. Educated at Geelong Grammar School from 1915-1918 he soon showed his sporting prowess, member of the First XV111 football team, The First X1 cricket team and the athletics team. Finishing at Geelong he then went to Trinity College where he studied medicine. Whilst at University he was a leading forward and important contributor to the University Blacks in 1921 and 1922 in the Metropolitan Amateur Football League.
It was also in this time he played District cricket with the University club up until 1925 when he completed his qualifications. Hasker then joined Hawthorn East Melbourne for the 1925-26, 1927-28 seasons. In his brief District cricket career Jack played 51 games, achieving 1646 runs at an average of 30.48, including a highest score of 132, two further centuries along with three half centuries.
In between his two seasons with Hawthorn East Melbourne Hasker moved to Bendigo to take up a post at the Bendigo Hospital as a resident medical officer. Whilst only briefly in Bendigo, he left a big impression on the sporting fields, playing football with South Bendigo and cricket with the Bendigo Cricket Club.
The 1926-27 season was a very successful one for the Club as it achieved its first ever Bendigo District premiership, no doubt aided by the fine contributions by one John Hasker! Although he only played eleven games for the Club that season, he made 824 runs including 7 centuries at an average of 82.4.A handy bowler, he also took 22 wickets. Undoubtedly Hasker’s efforts aided Bendigo to overcome Harcourt in the grand final of 1927 where he made 61 runs.
After the grand final it was reported in the Bendigo Advertiser that the team were the guests of the president (Mr. H.S.V.Hocking) and vice presidents of the Association at a complimentary dinner in Favaloro’s on the Saturday night.
Mr Gibson Pritchard the captain of Harcourt in handing over the Giudice Cup to Bendigo congratulated them as well as Dr.Hasker on his fine batting performances and regretted his departure from the city.
Upon leaving Bendigo, Dr Hasker returned to Melbourne and resumed with Hawthorn East Melbourne for the 1927- 28 season before starting a career with the Royal Australian Navy spending long periods at sea.
Hasker’s service records are readily available to read online at the National Archives of Australia (NAA). These records, a number of times write of a man strongly built , who had a love of athletics, Australian Rules football as well as cricket but tendered to keep to himself and had no time for the opposite sex.
Surgeon Commander John Reid Hasker was the Senior Medical officer and one of the 645 Australian sailors who lost their lives on that fateful day in November 1941. A contemporary in the navy, Judy Patching (Olympic icon and sports commentator) recalled Jack Hasker as a popular and respected officer.
John Hasker in the view of some, was an extraordinary athlete, perhaps one of the greatest amateur athletes of his time and in his brief time in Bendigo left his mark on our sporting fields.