Billy Orchard

Billy Orchard
Personal information
Full name	William Henry Orchard
Date of birth	9 August 1888
Place of birth	Geelong, Victoria
Date of death	22 July 1965(1965-07-22) (aged 76)
Place of death	Geelong, Victoria
Original team(s)	Geelong Grammar
Debut	Round 16, 1906, Geelong vs. Carlton, at Corio Oval
Height	180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight	76 kg (168 lb)
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1906, 1908–1915	Geelong	112 (67)
Coaching career
Years	Club	Games (W–L–D)
1914	Geelong	18 (11–6–1)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1915.
Career highlights
AIF Pioneer Exhibition Game, London, 28 October 1916
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

William Henry Orchard MC (9 August 1888 – 22 July 1965) was an Australian rules football player for the Geelong Football Club between 1906 and 1915. He served in the First AIF. He was awarded a Military Cross.

Family

The son of Edwin Orchard (1863-1927) and Ruth Orchard (1866-1938), née Mallett, he was born on 9 August 1888. He married Henrietta Jessie Galbraith (1895-1966) on 21 July 1915; they had three children, William, Douglas, and June.

Football

Geelong (VFL)

He was Geelong's captained for two seasons: 1914 and 1915. He was also playing coach in 1914.

The Third Australian Divisional Team: 28 October 1916. Billy Orchard is the second player from the left, in the back row.

Third Divisional team (AIF)

He played for the (winning) Third Australian Divisional team in the famous "Pioneer Exhibition Game" of Australian Rules football, held in London, in October 1916. A news film was taken at the match.

Field Umpire

He was a field umpire in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1920s.

Cricket

Orchard was an outstanding cricketer taking 264 wickets at 12.6 between 1903–1936 in the Geelong Cricket Association.

Military career

In 1918 at Ypres he was awarded the Military Cross for "the efficient manner in which he (Captain Orchard) carried out his task of reorganisation and his cheerfulness under depressing circumstances that earned for him the Military Cross."

See also

• 1916 Pioneer Exhibition Game

References

• Studio portrait: Captain William Henry Orchard, M.C., collection of the Australian War Memorial.
• Pioneer Exhibition Game Australian Football: in aid of British and French Red Cross Societies: 3rd Australian Division v. Australian Training Units at Queen's Club, West Kensington, on Saturday, October 28th, 1916, at 3pm, Wightman & Co., (London), 1919.
• First World War Embarkation Roll: Lieutenant William Henry Orchard, collection of the Australian War Memorial.
• First World War Nominal Roll: Captain William Henry Orchard (MC), collection of the Australian War Memorial.
• Honours and Awards (Military Cross): Captain William Henry Orchard, collection of the Australian War Memorial.
• First World War Service Record: Captain William Henry Orchard (MC), National Archives of Australia.
• Richardson, N. (2016), The Game of Their Lives, Pan Macmillan Australia: Sydney. ISBN 978-1-7435-3666-7

External links

• Billy Orchard's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Boyles Football Photos: Billy Orchard.
• Player Biography: Billy Orchard, AustralianFootball.com".