The Richmond Football Club honoured Les Manning last Thursday, one of the few Anzac survivors who fought in the Battle of Crete in WWII.
Alongside 2,500 other young Australian men, he sailed on the Dutch Costa Rica and found himself in Crete just before the German invasion in 1941.
The ship was attacked and sunk by the Germans but Manning survived, and with the remaining members of Victoria’s 2/7th Battalion, he took part in the battle of 42nd Street in Suda Bay, standing up to Hitler.
After the Allied forces surrender in 1941, he was captured and sent to Germany where he spent three-and-a-half years as a prisoner of war until his repatriation by the Americans.
Manning, who is not only a hero of war, but also one of the most committed RFC fans in Australia, was handed a custom-made jumper with his age as his number for his 103rd birthday.
“I was really looking forward to the day, it was a great experience, especially meeting some of the players,” Les Manning told Neos Kosmos.
“Thanking all who have been involved in making this a great memory for me.”
John Rerakis from The Pancretan Association of Melbourne, who organised the event, also expressed his enthusiasm.
“Les is most likely the oldest Tigers supporter standing, a hero footballer. He used to spend his boyhood days on this field before he went to war. I’m happy to see it’s [the event] made his day.”
After the celebration, a chuffed Mr Manning sat in the stands where he once enjoyed watching ‘Captain Blood’ Jack Dyer in action and shouted:
“Richmond better win a flag because I’m running out of time. I’ve only got about 15 years left in me.”