Who was Tarakan Jack?

On the eve of Anzac Day, moments of reflection often begin with familiar names, those etched into honour boards, woven into club folklore, and passed down through generations. At Easts, one such piece of history hangs quietly on the wall: the framed jersey of the Team of the Century.

Many of the names are instantly recognisable; Gavin, Emanuel, Brial, Payne. But tucked into the front row is one that invites a second look: Tarakan Jack.

Who was Tarakan Jack?

His real name was Archibald John “Jack” Baxter, and his story is one that transcends rugby.

It is the kind of story that deserves to be read by every player who pulls on the Wallabies gold or the red, white and blue of Easts. Not for inspiration alone, but as a reminder of the resilience and sacrifice that underpin the game.

Baxter was a World War II veteran, serving with the Royal Australian Navy. On the field, he was a formidable tight-head prop, playing a key role in the Wallabies’ successful 1949 Bledisloe Cup tour of New Zealand. But it was what happened off the field that would define his legacy.

After returning from that tour, Baxter resumed his naval duties aboard HMAS Tarakan, stationed at Garden Island in Sydney Harbour. On January 25, 1950, disaster struck. An explosion ripped through the ship when petrol fumes ignited below deck. The blast killed seven sailors and injured many more.

Amid the chaos, Baxter was found gravely injured, his body broken, his skin badly burned, his life hanging by a thread. Rescuers had to cut through the ship’s hull to reach those trapped inside. Baxter remained unconscious for over a week, and as word spread through the Sydney rugby community, club players lined up to donate blood, fearing the worst.

He would later recall the moment with stark simplicity:"One minute I was doing some work below decks, the next I woke up in a hospital bed."

What followed was a long and painful recovery. Nine months in hospital. Bones shattered. Vertebrae chipped. Burns across his body. Even after his release, further surgery was required. His ankle, too badly damaged to heal, had to be broken again and reset.

Most would have accepted that their playing days were over. Baxter had other ideas.

When he declared his intention to play for Australia again, even his closest friends dismissed it as impossible. But by the start of the 1951 season, “Tarakan Jack” was back training with Easts. By June, less than 17 months after the explosion, he had returned to the Test arena, packing down against the All Blacks at the SCG.

It remains one of the most remarkable comebacks in Australian rugby history.

Baxter went on to play nine Tests, representing his country in two more Bledisloe Cup series, and turning out for multiple representative sides including New South Wales and Australian United Services. But numbers alone cannot capture his impact.

His story is one of grit, resilience, and an unwavering refusal to yield, qualities that sit at the very heart of Anzac Day.

Jack Baxter passed away in 2004, but his legacy endures. Not just in a framed jersey, or in the record books, but in what he represents.

So this Anzac Day, as we pause to honour those who have served, it is worth remembering Tarakan Jack. Not just as a player, but as a man who embodied the spirit we commemorate; courage in adversity, sacrifice for others, and the determination to rise again.

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