Lot 979

Description

Australian at Berlin Olympics and rowing memorabilia, competitor's singlet bearing Australian arms and with name W.G. Cross written on inside Farmer's label, another singlet but with Union Jack for British competitor, and a woolen jersey, sleeveless with white V on left breast and as a separate item the number 1 on a large white background, and a set of Olympic rings cufflinks marked Olympia 1936; also a New South Wales Rowing Association certificate for Eight Oar Championship of New South Wales 1935-36 N.S.W. Police Rowing Club, with names of winning team members including W.G. Cross, certificate a coloured print with calligraphic details written in ink. The singlets and jersey with some moth holes and the British singlet with much foxing, otherwise very fine, the certificate good very fine. (6)

Together with Evidence of Australian Citizenship, a coloured document for William Greville Cross; large photo of rowing team to Berlin Olympics; photos and letter of thanks from the TV show, 'This is Your Life' thanking Bill Cross for participating in the tribute show to Merv Wood; letter of reference from the NSW Commissioner of Police to W.G.C.Cross on his retirement after over 38 years with the New South Wales Police Force with his final rank of Inspector 1st Class; Certificate of Discharge from New South Wales Police Department for W.G.C. Cross and signed personally by Commissioner of Police, Norman Allan.

William Greville Crossley Cross was the son of William Alfred Cross who was awarded a DCM for Gallipoli. He was born at Dunedin, New Zealand on 22 March 1908. He moved with his parents to Australia prior to 1914. He served in the New South Wales Police Force from 16 January 1930 to 21 March 1968 and was a member of the N.S.W. Police Rowing Club. One of his teammates was the legendary Olympic rower and fellow police officer, Mervyn Wood, who rose to the rank of Police Commissioner. In 1935 William Cross was also a member of the team that won the 53rd Men's Interstate eights Championship - The King's Cup. The eights rowing team selected to represent Australia at the Berlin Olympics was only selected on the basis that funds were sourced from outside the normal revenue sources of the Olympic Federation. The NSW Police Rowing Club came to the fore and raised funds via the NSW Police Federation and the police force itself by putting a levy of two shillings each on every NSW policeman's wage. Police superintendent George Ferguson, father of one of the selected rowers, Don Ferguson, was instrumental in raising the necessary funds and travelled to Berlin as the unofficial team manager.

See lot 3955 DCM group for Gallipoli to his father W.A.Cross.

With research.