BIO

Ron Humble's football career was truncated by World War II, in which he served as a flight-lieutenant in the Royal Australian Air Force between 1941 and 1946. He was Mentioned in Despatches in the 1946 New Year's Honours list.

Born at St Peters on 23 May 1914, Ron was a talented allround sportsman at King's College and something of a goalkicking prodigy.  He kicked 97 goals in the Students' Association in 1930 and 112 in 1931.

Ron exploded on to the Junior Amateur League scene in 1932 with 18 goals for King's Old Collegians in his first match, followed by successive bags of eight, seven and eight.  Norwood became interested.  At 177 cm and weighing a little over 63 kg, he was invited to train with Norwood's Association team, which he did briefly before returning to King's Old Collegians.

Norwood finally recruited him 1940 and he was noted for services rendered that year.  Altogether he played  eight league games as  a half-back flanker or a reserve and also kicked  two goals in 12 Association games before enlisting in the RAAF in June 1941, higher duty putting paid to any aspirations he might have had to be a member of that year's premiership team. 

Ron ended his career with King's Old Collegians after the war.  He joined the staff of British Tube Mills in 1948.

P Robins September 2017

* Picture kindly supplied by Peta Harries of Pembroke School.