Fifteen Young Men

by Paul Kennedy

Fifteen Young Men is the true story of a doomed adventure. Few people know an Australian soccer team drowned in 1892. Yet the boat disaster still ranks alongside the Manchester United plane crash (1958) as one of the world’s greatest sporting tragedies. Lost were 15 men and boys from one town—brothers, fathers, sons, uncles, and best mates—"youths that might have made the best colonists Australia ever had." Only one or two members of the team were the captain, who at the jetty had a strange sense of impending danger, and gave away his ticket before the voyage, and one other. For the first time in 122 years, journalist Paul Kennedy reveals why the Mornington Football Club never made it home. In doing so, he brings to life 19th-century Australia during depression and its first banking crisis, a period of trauma, resilience, friendship, love, and grief for a generation of settlers’ children.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

320 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2016

Reviews

[Saturday's Child · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the day I finished reading this book while sitting on the beach the sky was a clear blue and the water was various shades of blue and green. Despite the sun being out there was a cold southerly breeze and as I looked towards Mornington I could see just how beautiful Port Phillip Bay can be. It can also be treacherous and at times deadly, as sadly many lives have been lost on it. This book is about more than just the game of football; it is about a township and the families that lived in it. Football was the reason for these young men to come together and to take that fateful journey across the Bay.

[Graham Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sad story. But very well compiled and especially for anyone from the Mornington Peninsula with an interest in football. I'd recommend it.

[Sean Kennedy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and poignant look at a devastating marine and sporting accident where fifteen members of a football club were wiped out on their way home from a game. This is a little known slice of Australian history, which really should be almost at mythic status as Australians love both tragedies and their sports - and this takes place in the early days of what would become AFL: the national game.

[Gaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was enthralled by this story. It bore particular relevance to me as one of those unfortunate men was John Comber, my mother-in-laws' great uncle.

The story was extremely well researched by the author and he managed to bring the characters to life and give them warmth and humour.

The descriptions of life in an emerging city were fascinating. I know this area well and loved 'seeing' it in an 1800's setting.

Also thoroughly engrossing was the historical narrative of Australian Rules Football and its beginnings.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in our history, Mornington, Aussie Rules, Melbourne and life in the 1800's. Particularly commending the remembrance of these unfortunate young men and their families.

[Di · Rating 3 out of 5]

For anyone with an interest in the local history of Mornington, this is a fascinating account. Paul Kennedy recreates the local life in 1892, the streets the businesses and the rise of not one but two local VFL teams and their arch rivalry with Frankston. Many of the prominent businesses and grand homes mentioned are still in situ although now repurposed as Aged Care or Hotels.
Worth a read if you are a local or have an interest in local history.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was not aware of this piece of local history. It is a sad story that must have had a great impact in the early town of Mornington. Paul Kennedy gathers together the pieces using historical sources and creates a narrative where we come to know and love these people who lived in the late 1800's.

[Ann Carney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a big fan of Aussie rules but this is our history, sad not more people are aware of this history.

You would never get over the loss of a child .How did the Rev get over losing 3 sons very sad

[A Reader's Heaven · Rating 2 out of 5]

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

A cold, cruelly blustery night revealing - with agonising slowness - that fifteen young men of the Mornington Football Club would never make it home. As dawn broke and families began to mourn, a nation was to learn the full extent of one of the world's worst sporting disasters. The sinking of the Process in catastrophically rough seas off Victoria's Mornington Peninsula in 1892, with the loss of all on board, horrified Australia. 'Such an accident has no parallel in our land's history,' reported The Argus. Yet somehow, for more than a century, this calamitous event slipped from Australia's consciousness. In Fifteen Young Men, journalist Paul Kennedy reveals the stories behind the tragedy. In his compelling evocation of a spirited Australian town on the cusp of a new century, he captures the trauma of families and friends suffering almost unbearable loss, but also the irrepressible optimism of the times, and the mateship, love and resilience that would come to define a budding nation.

I am so sorry. I really wanted to enjoy this.

I got to 20% of the book and stopped. It was all about the people of the area. Hardly a mention of the titular young men.
I got to 50% and was bored.
I finished it, but not really willingly.
The book was only 320 pages long and wasted about 75 pages telling me the history of Mornington and the people who started it. Sure, eventually that came into play but I think this could have been told in a different way to keep the interest level.


Paul
ARH

[Fiona Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

adventurous emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad tense fast-paced
5.0

A wonderful written history of a forgotten incident which hopefully will now be remembered.

It is not only the incident but the history of the colony/state of Victoria and the birth of Aussie rules football. A wonderful window into this time period and some insight into the young men that were lost to Port Phillip Bay. For those that have hung around Mornington it's can I remember the building or landmark as you read.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing untold story of a maritime tragedy. Maybe I was more interested in reading this because I live on the Mornington Peninsula, and I find historical stories like this fascinating.
Page after page of already sometimes tragic events that you knew were going to culminate in an even bigger tragedy. An amazing insight into early Mornington and Melbourne and the craze that Australian Rules Football is.

[Kerryn Keogh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always knew the basis of the events but never took the time to learn more. This recount of the events that took place that fateful night make all so real when you have grown up in Mornington.
Visualising the main characters houses as they still stand, some of the shops and the pier make it very real.
This story is a must to read in particular for local residents.
Keep out History alive

[Paul Carpenter · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a book, wasn’t sure if I would get into it but absolutely loved it. Tragic story but also a great read about early Mornington

[Bec Bacon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about the area in which I live. The people and descriptions of scenery have stayed with me.

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting read about an event in local history, well described and documented, bought the people back to life, great read

[Ralphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haunting, tragic, sad and a bit mysterious.
😎🏉📚✅

[Aaron Sargent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul Kennedy has captured a moment when Aussie Rules & it's people started to come together. The book follows a group of young men from Mornington and their 1892 boating tragedy, a well written & a must read for anyone local to the area, it is worth noting the book isn't just about football rather a small part of great moment frozen in time. 10/10