Frank Leslie Lugton

(1893-1916)

Frank Leslie Lugton was a promising young cricketer with the Northcote Cricket Club, a member of the Northcote Baseball Club and a player in the halfback line for the Melbourne Football Club when war broke out. Only 21 when he enlisted in in the 24th Battalion in April 1915, he had already established himself as the club’s best player and had represented Victoria at First Class level. Frank was known as being 'of a modest and retiring disposition, and was extremely well liked by all'. The large family of Charles and Jane Ann Lugton lived at 'Hillburn' in Prospect Grove in Northcote with three of their sons serving overseas. Alongside Frank stood his brothers 27 year old Archie in the 57th Battalion and 30 year old Eddie as a gunner in the A.I.F. 10th Battery.

After serving at Gallipoli, Lugton was promoted to Lance-Corporal and sent to fight in France. It was there, on 29 July 1916 at the age of 22 that he was killed in active service at Pozieres. At the time he was one of the last Victorian State cricketers to play in Tasmania and one of the first to perish in the Great War. Black armbands were respectfully worn when Frank's sporting teams next played. In all seven Northcote Cricket Club players perished in service of their country. Tragically Frank Lugton’s brother, Archibald, another Northcote cricketer was wounded on the battlefield and subsequently died of his wounds in August 1918.

Lugton Street in Alphington was named as a local tribute to the Lugton's contribution to Northcote.

Coleman, Robert.  (1993). Seasons in the sun: the story of the Victorian Cricket Association.  North Melbourne: Hargreen.

NORTHCOTE C. C. HONOR BOARD.  (1918, December 7). Northcote Leader

A TRIBUTE TO FRANK LUGTON. (1917, April 7). The Australasian

CASUALTIES IN FRANCE. (1916, September 11). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 8.

Lemon, Andrew (1983). The Northcote Side of the River. North Melbourne: Hargreen.

Great War Index 1914-1920 : index to births, deaths and marriages in Victoria [CD-ROM]. (1997). Melbourne, Australia: Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

IN MEMORIAM. (1918, July 29). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956), p. 1