Possibly our oldest living supporter, Victor Nagle, a Rabbitohs die-hard who just celebrated his 103rd birthday was in the Bomber Command for the Royal Air Force back in World War II.
At just 24 years of age, Victor was shipped to England and was based in Europe from 1941 until war’s end.
“After five months of training, our first mission was a night raid of Berlin,” Mr Nagle said.
“We only flew raids on dark nights so the Germans wouldn’t see us.
“I was scared we wouldn’t return and that every mission would be our last.”
Casualties were high in the Bomber Command squad and you were a 40% chance of not coming home.
At an age where young lads would usually be pursuing a football career, Victor’s main priority was just staying alive.
As a youngster growing up in the 1920s and 30s, Victor followed South Sydney and was fortunate enough to see the likes of Alf “Smacker” Blair kick around, as well as the Club’s first golden era.
However, his passion for the Rabbitohs blossomed after he returned from the war, much like former Premiership-winning Captain-Coach, Jack Rayner who promised his mate who he served with; the former Rabbitohs Captain Eric Lewis, that he would play for South Sydney if they “ever got home alive.”
Unlike Rayner, it wasn’t a promise that sealed Nagle’s fate with the Club. It was a simple handmade crochet his mother made him in the red and green colours of the Rabbitohs.
This crochet still keeps Victor warm today and is his most cherished possession. That’s right, it’s over 75 years old - talk about quality!
At 103, Victor is still as sharp as a razor and continues to watch his Rabbitohs play from his bed. He says John Sutton and Adam Reynolds are a couple of his favourites.
To help keep him warm along with his hand-knitted crochet, the team at Redfern have gifted Victor a signed Rabbitohs jersey with his favourite number one on the back. While due to COVID-19 restrictions we were not able to present the jersey in-person, it’s another representation of family Victor can keep close to him during these times. SSTID.
