Joe Pearce: Courage, Dedication and the ANZAC Spirit of Mateship

Swan Districts will be hosting the Joe Pearce ANZAC Day Memorial match this 2025 WAFL Season.

The history of the WAFL has always been closely linked to the spirit and legend of the ANZACs. One Swan Districts player, Mr. Joe Pearce personifies that spirit and the great service and sacrifice that many of our competition’s past players, umpires and officials made to defend our great nation.

Joe Pearce made his league debut for Swan Districts Football Club in 1939 and a year later he heeded his country’s call to arms and joined the 2^nd/4^th machine Gun battalion, D Company.

Lance Sergeant Joe Pearce was wounded in action in 1942 and then later that year was captured by the Japanese during the fall of Singapore. Joe and the surviving members of his platoon then spent their remaining days in Japanese Prisoner Of War Camps, including the infamous Changi Prison.

Upon his release from captivity at the war’s end, Joe returned home and, like many, suffered the effects of malnutrition and other ailments. Determined to resurrect his football career, Joe regained his health enough to be able to return to league football in 1946. By the time he retired in 1951, Joe had played 91 league games for Swan Districts.

Joe Pearce represented everything our club stands for – courage, dedication and the Anzac spirit of mateship.

We lost Joe in 2012 at 95 years of age.

In the 140 year history of the WAFL competition, 94 former players lost their lives in combat serving this great nation.

Swan Districts Football Club remembers the sacrifices of former players:

In the Second World War 

• Private Clive Helmrich,
• Stoker Peter John Leonard Herbert Burns
• Corporal Ronald Burchell
• Sergeant Joseph Kneebone

It is important that we reflect not only on the feats of those that gave so generously of themselves for their country, but we also value the freedom that we now enjoy.

We not only salute our fallen that have laid down their lives so that we may live freely in this great land, but also to our fellow countrymen who as we speak are serving to protect and ensure that Australia remains free.

Join us this weekend to pay tribute to our fallen and fellow countrymen. Get tickets to the Joe Pearce ANZAC Memorial game here.