Ronald James (Ron) Barassi (1913–1941)
Melbourne and Castlemaine footballers were sorry to hear that Ron Barassi had been killed in action at Tobruk.
Barassi, who was 26, went to Melbourne from Castlemaine in 1936. He played 55 games with Melbourne, doing well as rover and pocket forward and kicking 81 goals. His last appearance was in 1940 grand final. Named as 19th man, he went on a few minutes after the start, following an injury to Ray Wartman. At that Late Ron Barassi time he was in the A.I.F., and had few opportunities for training. Otherwise he would have been in the selected 18.
Alan La Fontaine, Melbourne captain, paid a warm tribute to his former teammate. "He was a grand little fellow," he said, "full of good humor. He liked nothing better than to be ragged by his mates, and he always had a ready reply for anyone who chaffed him. We are all terribly sorry to think we shall not see him again."
As a tribute to a former comrade. Melbourne players, in the match at St. Kilda on Saturday, wore black arm bands.
Barassi leaves a widow and two [i.e. one] children. Before enlisting he was employed by the Melbourne City Council.
Original publication
Additional Resources and Scholarship
- World War II service file, B883, VX45220 (National Archives of Australia)
- death notice, Argus (Melbourne), 9 August 1941, p 4
- a memorial service is held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Sporting Globe (Melbourne), 20 August 1941, p 10
- MCG committee pledges to look after his widow and son, Age (Melbourne), 29 September 1941, p 7
Related Entries in NCB Sites
- Barassi, Ronald Dale (son)
- Barassi, Ann Connolly (mother)
- Barassi, Carlo Giuseppe (father)
- Barassi, Jemima (grandmother)
- Barassi, Giuseppe Mario (grandfather)
Citation details
'Barassi, Ronald James (Ron) (1913–1941)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/barassi-ronald-james-ron-33778/text42288, accessed 14 March 2025.
Ron Barassi, 1940
Australian War Memorial, P05107.001
Life Summary [details]
Birth
24 October,
1913
Guildford,
Victoria,
Australia
Death
30 July,
1941
(aged 27)
Tobruk,
Libya
Cause of Death
Religious Influence
Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.