{{Short description|Australian rules footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}} {{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}} {{Infobox AFL biography | name = Percy Cheffers | image = | fullname = Percy Theodore Cheffers<ref>{{cite web|last1=Griffin|first1=Megan|title=Former Saint honoured in ANZAC match|url=http://www.saints.com.au/news/2012-04-23/former-saint-honoured-in-anzac-match|publisher=St Kilda Football Club|accessdate=5 January 2016|date=23 April 2012}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date|1913|06|01|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|1965|10|18|1913|06|01|df=y}} | death_place = Fitzroy, Victoria | originalteam = Melbourne's reserves | height = 178 cm | weight = 73 kg | position = | statsend = 1938 | years1 = 1936–38 | club1 = {{AFL StK}} | games_goals1 = 8 (0) | careerhighlights = }}
'''Percy Cheffers''' (1 June 1913 – 18 October 1965) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League (VFL).<ref name=encyc>{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 |last1=Holmesby|first1=Russell|last2=Main|first2=Jim |year=2014 |edition=10th |isbn=978-1-921496-32-5 |publisher=BAS Publishing |location=Seaford, Victoria |page=147}}</ref> Before joining St Kilda, Cheffers played with Melbourne's reserves side, winning a VFL seconds premiership in 1935.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Forward|title=League Seconds|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article203850660|accessdate=5 January 2016|work=The Age|date=4 October 1935}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Spectator|title=League Seconds|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article11774783|accessdate=5 January 2016|work=The Argus|date=7 October 1935}}</ref>
During World War II, Cheffers started as a private in the Royal Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (RAEME) in 1940 for the Australian Sixth Division, in the 2/2nd Field Workshops, RAEME. He rose to the rank of warrant officer class I in charge of around 18 people who repaired radios for the Australian Ninth Division. He saw action in Libya, Palestine, New Guinea and Borneo.<ref>[https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=790246&c=WW2 Nominal Rolls] Retrieved on 30 April 2016</ref><ref>[http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/178091055 Newspaper article showing VFL players who served in WWII] Retrieved on 25 April 2017</ref><ref>Movements of Percy's Unit: url="https://www.birtwistlewiki.com.au/wiki/2/2nd_Australian_Infantry_Troops_Workshop", retrieved=20 September 2022</ref>
Percy married Mary Ellen Braines in the 1930s and had four children with her. He married his second wife, Audrey, in the 1950s. He died in a house fire in Fitzroy in 1965.
Percy received a Diploma in Electrical Engineering from Swinburne Technical College in 1955<ref> url="https://commons.swinburne.edu.au/file/bc525dd1-fcda-4d09-9349-34cec8962cea/1/open_door_1955-p008i0003_25-low.pdf", retrieved="26/08/2024"</ref>
His son, John Cheffers, became a noted sports academic.
== Notes == {{reflist}}
== External links == *{{AFL Tables|ref=P/Percy_Cheffers.html}} *{{AustralianFootball|ref=percy%2Bcheffers/6089}} *[http://demonwiki.org/Percy+Cheffers Demonwiki profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheffers, Percy}} Category:1913 births Category:1965 deaths Category:Australian rules footballers from Victoria (state) Category:St Kilda Football Club players Category:Australian Army personnel of World War II Category:Australian Army soldiers Category:Deaths from fire Category:Accidental deaths in Victoria (state) Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen