Although Morris 'Mo' Shapir only played three games for North Melbourne, he will forever be remembered as one of the seven North players who lost their lives in WW2. Here, club archivist Barbara Cullen OAM remembers him. 

In 1935, Morris Shapir had the world at his feet.

The talented athlete had excelled at Melbourne High School in football, cricket, baseball and swimming.

Now, aged only 17, he'd earned a place in North Melbourne's senior team.

Nicknamed 'Mo', Shapir was born in South Melbourne to a Jewish family. His love of sport was perhaps influenced by his father Eleazer, who was later president of Melbourne High Old Boys Cricket Club.

Having been recruited to the Kangaroos from Melbourne High Old Boys in the VAFA, Mo wasted no time making a name for himself.

He played his first North senior game, still aged 17, against South Melbourne in round 14, 1935. 

He was selected in the forward pocket as a rover and was noticed immediately in newspaper reports: "Shapir to (Lloyd) Johnson was good football", "Shapir after some clever dodging … kicked his first goal".

He played the next two rounds, again in the forward pocket, where his lively play resulted in another goal. But his football career was to be cut short.

His final game in round 17 was in a loss to Carlton. The following year at pre-season training in March he tore a leg muscle and did not appear in the seniors again.

When World War Two broke out in 1939, Shapir, who was by now engaged to Norma Turnbull, enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). 

After training in Sydney and Canada he arrived in England in June 1941, attached to Britain's Royal Air Force (RAF). 

He had a close call in October 1941 when his plane’s starboard motor was hit and he bailed out, landing in an English football ground and breaking his leg.

Posted to the Middle East in May 1942, he was attached to the 108 RAF Squadron.

He was returning from a mission in Tobruk, Libya, where he was operating as a wireless operator air gunner, when the engine cut out. 

After the pilot jettisoned its bombs, the plane made a forced landing in the desert of Qattara Depression, Egypt.

The rest of the crew were rescued by a British patrol, but Shapir was trapped under the aircraft's main spar.

He told the crew he was "comfortable" and "to wait until the morning to extract him".

He died during the night aged 24. His body was removed and buried close to the plane, but later searches by grave concentration units were unable to locate him.

Shapir's fiancee Norma and the family placed loving tributes to him on the anniversary of his death for many years. His grandmother simply wrote, "My little hero".

Shapir is remembered on the Alamein Memorial, Column 265, Egypt.

He is Shinboner No.208.

Our Anzac guernsey

North Melbourne's first ever Anzac guernsey carries the names of 236 club servicemen who answered the call across conflicts.

For players to be honoured on the guernsey, they need to have played at least one senior North Melbourne game and to have had an Australian war service record or performed National Service.

If there is a Kangaroo player you think we’ve missed, please contact us.