Lest We Forget: Easts Rugby’s Anzac Day Tribute

The Clarrie Wallach Award, Anzac Day Weekend, Round 4 vs Randwick

Image: Clarence Wallach (3rd f L, top row), Bryan Hughes (R, top row), Harold George (3rd f L, bottom row)

Each year on Anzac Day weekend, Easts Rugby proudly awards a 1st Grade player the Clarrie Wallach Medal to honour the memory of those from our club who served, and in many cases, made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. It’s a simple but deeply meaningful tradition; one that connects today’s players with a powerful legacy of courage, leadership, and community spirit.

This tradition is particularly inspired by the story of Clarrie Wallach, one of Easts' finest. Clarrie’s legacy is etched into our club’s DNA and into the broader story of Australian rugby and military history.

Born in Bondi in 1889, Clarrie was a standout player for Easts and represented Australia in five tests between 1913 and 1914. In 1915, like many of his teammates, he answered the call to serve in the First World War. He fought bravely at Gallipoli and later on the Western Front, where he quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a captain. He was awarded the Military Cross for his exceptional leadership during the Battle of Pozières, where he took command of his company under heavy fire and held the line.

Clarrie was gravely wounded during a German offensive in 1918. After enduring multiple surgeries, including the amputation of both legs, he passed away in hospital in Étretat, France. He was just 28. His funeral was attended by countless British and Australian officers, a testament to the respect he had earned on and off the field.

Clarrie’s story, along with those of fellow Easts players Harold George and Fred Thompson, who also fell at Gallipoli, reminds us that rugby isn’t just about what happens on the field. It’s about character, mateship, courage, and community. These are the same values that underpin Anzac Day, and the same values we strive to instill in every Easts player, 125 years on.

That’s why we continue this tradition each Anzac Day: to remember them, to honour them, and to teach future generations what it truly means to wear the jersey. This year, Easts Rugby will also be proudly represented at the Dawn Service at Bondi, standing in silence as the sun rises, shoulder to shoulder with our community, in tribute to those who gave everything.

We will remember them.

Anzac Day Round 4

Easts vs Randwick

Saturday 26th April

1st Grade 3.05pm

Coogee Oval