Rowing- The King’s Cup Centenary 2019

Since 1919, Allied Forces Rowing crews had raced for the trophy known as the King’s Cup. It was first won by the Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force Coxed 1st V111 at the Royal Henley Peace Regatta at Henley-on-Thames in July 1919 after World War 1 had ended. It was first presented to the winning Eight-Oared boat by King George V himself. After the AIF Eight won the King's Cup at the Royal Henley Peace Regatta, a petition to the King of England was raised by the stroke of the crew, Clive Disher, asking to return the cup to Australia. It was petitioned that the Cup should become a perpetual trophy to be competed for annually in the Interstate Eight-Oar Race held in the States of the Commonwealth. One such race being the Eight-Oar Championship of Australia. King George V agreed and the King’s Cup was brought back to Australia with the winning crew.

Our very own Old Boy, Charles Montague Clavelle Bere, THO 1907-1916, was a part of the second crew that raced against the winning crew at Henley-on-Thames.

C.M.C. Bere is standing on the left with the TSS Rowing crew in 1915. Charles Thorold is in the middle and Cecil Dixon, son of TSS Founder, Horace Dixon, was cox and is seated in the front.

The King’s Cup