CHAIRMAN Glen Bartlett has paid tribute to one of Melbourne’s great names: Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott.

Truscott, whose name is honoured in the club’s best and fairest award, was a dual premiership player (1939-40) with Melbourne before he tragically lost his life in a flying accident in Western Australian off the Exmouth Gulf, aged 26, in 1943.

Given it’s 75 years since Truscott’s passing, Bartlett said it was appropriate to acknowledge ‘Bluey’ in the lead-up to Melbourne’s second preliminary final against West Coast Eagles at Optus Stadium on Saturday.

Bartlett visited the site where Truscott is buried at Karrakatta in Perth.

“We visited Keith ‘Bluey’ Truscott’s gravesite at Karrakatta Cemetery, with Graham Reynolds, who is a North Melbourne supporter, but grew up with the likes of Brian Dixon and Ron Barassi,” he told Melbourne Media.

“He always loved the history of Melbourne footy club and he made contact with us a few weeks ago, about ‘Bluey’, as it was his 75^th anniversary since his death.

“’Bluey’ was a gun fighter pilot for the RAAF in the Second World War and he was killed in an exercise off Exmouth, but his body was recovered and he was buried in Perth.”

Bartlett said it was important to keep Truscott’s spirit alive, while he said visiting the site was a moving experience.

“Graham thought it would be great if we could do something on our visit here [to Perth] to acknowledge that,” he said.

“He brought someone he met recently, Ian MacPherson, who is a passionate Melbourne supporter. His father, Sir Keith MacPherson, was the No.1 ticketholder in the late 1960s and was chairman of the Herald Sun at the time. He then got transferred to Perth and was chairman of Western Australian newspapers. So, he was there with us, as well.

“It was very moving and it’s in a fantastic location, in the cemetery of the war service part, along with other service men and women. It was very moving and we left some flowers there and a Melbourne scarf.”