BIO

Joseph Arnold Blacket was born at Koolunga in South Australia on 28 August 1894. His parents were Reverend John and Martha Jane (nee Fidler) Blacket. He studied at Adelaide High School before attending Adelaide University prior to enlisting in the army in May 1915.

Blacket joined the Norwood Football Club in 1914 when he played several games for the B team ( Reserves)

In 1915 he played two league games for Norwood. His final game was against Sturt at the Parade just two days before enlisted in the army. 

On 17 May 1915 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and embarked on 23 June 1915 for Egypt with the 27th Battalion together his brother, John Wesley Blacket. Both brothers served at Gallipoli until the evacuation, after which the battalion was sent to  the western front in France. During this time, Joseph rose from corporal to first lieutenant 

Apart from time spent in English hospitals and furlough, Joseph Blacket remained on the western front until he was killed in action in France on 10 June 1918. 

Joseph's brother John was killed in action on 4 July 1916. Two other Blacket brothers, Maurice Newton and Samuel Bertram enlisted in 1916 and both survived the war.

W Heading, April 2017