1938 British Empire Games

The 1938 British Empire Games was the third British Empire Games, the Commonwealth Games

Commonwealth Games

The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....

 being the modern-day equivalent. Held in Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

, New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

, Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 from February 5–12, 1938, they were timed to coincide with Sydney's sesqui-centenary (150 years since the foundation of British settlement in Australia). Venues included the Sydney Cricket Ground

Sydney Cricket Ground

The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...

 (the main stadium), the Sydney Sports Ground

Sydney Sports Ground

The Sydney Sports Ground was a Stadium and Dirt track racing venue in Sydney, New South Wales. The ground was located where the car park of the Sydney Football Stadium currently sits. The ground had two main grandstands and was surrounded by a grass covered hill, giving it a capacity of more than...

, North Sydney Pool and Henson Park. An estimated 40,000 people attended the opening ceremony. A competitors' residential village was established within the grounds of the Sydney Showground

Sydney Showground (Moore Park)

The former Sydney Showground at Moore Park was the site of the Sydney Royal Easter Show in New South Wales, Australia from 1882 until 1997, when the Show was moved to the new Sydney Showground at Homebush Bay, which was built for the Sydney 2000 Olympics...

.

The star of the games was the Australian athlete Decima Norman

Decima Norman

Decima Norman, MBE was an Australian athlete, who won five gold medals at the 1938 British Empire Games....

, who won five gold medals in track and field. Margaret Dovey

Margaret Whitlam

Margaret Whitlam AO is a prominent Australian personality and the wife of former Prime Minister of Australia Gough Whitlam...

, the future wife of the former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam

Gough Whitlam

Edward Gough Whitlam, AC, QC , known as Gough Whitlam , served as the 21st Prime Minister of Australia. Whitlam led the Australian Labor Party to power at the 1972 election and retained government at the 1974 election, before being dismissed by Governor-General Sir John Kerr at the climax of the...

, finished sixth in the 200 yards breaststroke.

Due to the onset of World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, the games were not held again until 1950

1950 British Empire Games

The 1950 British Empire Games was the fourth edition of what is now called the Commonwealth Games. It was held in Auckland, New Zealand between the 4th and 11th of February 1950, after a 12-year gap from the 3rd edition of the games...

.

Participating teams

Medals by country

1	Australia	25	19	22	66
2	Kingdom of England	15	15	10	40
3	Canada	13	16	15	44
4	South Africa	10	10	6	26
5	New Zealand	5	7	13	25
6	Wales	2	1	0	3
7		1	0	0	1
8	Kingdom of Scotland	0	2	3	5
9	British Guiana	0	1	0	1
10	Southern Rhodesia	0	0	2	2
Total		71	71	71	213

Boxing

Flyweight	Johnny Joubert (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )
Bantamweight		Hendrik Knoesen (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )
Featherweight	Barney Henricus Barney Henricus Ansdale "Barney" William Henricus was a Sri Lankan boxer who competed in the 1938 British Empire Games.He was born in Colombo and died in Escondido, California, United States....  (CEY Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the... )
Lightweight			William Fulton (RHO Southern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia... )
Welterweight			Andrew Tsirindonis (RHO Southern Rhodesia Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia... )
Middleweight
Light heavyweight	Nick Wolmarans Nick Wolmarans Nicolaas "Nick" Wolmarans is a South African boxer who competed in the 1938 British Empire Games.He was born in Zastron.In 1938 he won the gold medal in the light heavyweight class after winning the final against Cecil Overell....  (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )
Heavyweight		Claude Sterley (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )

Track

Time Trial	|1:15.2	|1:15.7	|1:15.9
Sprint 1000 yd	|	|	|
10 mile Scratch	|24:44.0	|	Syd Rose (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )

Road

Time Trial

Hennie Binneman (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )

2'53:29.6

|s.t.

|s.t.

Men's events

3 m springboard	|126.36	|124.78	|117.90
10 m platform	|108.74	|102.87	|98.93

Women's events

3 m springboard	|91.18	|88.27	|81.66
10 m platform	|36.47	|36.39	|34.57

Lawn Bowls

All events were for men only.

Singles	Horace Harvey (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )
Pairs			D.A. Adamson and J.R. Appleford (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )
Fours	New Zealand Alec Robertson Alec Robertson Alec Robertson is a former lawn bowls competitor for New Zealand.At the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney he was part of the men's fours team that won the gold medal; with Bill Bremner, Ernie Jury and Bill Whittaker.-References:... Ernie Jury Ernie Jury Ernie Jury is a former lawn bowls competitor for New Zealand.At the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney he was part of the men's fours team that won the gold medal; with Bill Bremner, Alec Robertson and Bill Whittaker.-References:... Bill Bremner Bill Bremner William "Bill" Bremner is a former lawn bowls competitor for New Zealand.At the 1938 Commonwealth Games in Sydney he was part of the men's fours team that won the gold medal; with Ernie Jury, Alec Robertson and Bill Whittaker.-References:... Bill Whittaker Bill Whittaker (bowls) Bill Whittaker is a former lawn bowls competitor for New Zealand.At the 1938 Commonwealth Games in Sydney he was part of the men's fours team that won the gold medal; with Bill Bremner, Ernie Jury and Alec Robertson.-References:...	South Africa F. Stevenson J. G. Donaldson Norman Walker T. H. Samson	Australia Aub Murray Charlie H. McNeill Frank Murray Tom Kinder

Rowing

All events were for men only. The double sculls competition was an invitation event and originally no medals were awarded nevertheless these medals were counted nowadays. The bronze medal is listed as won by New Zealand.

1.25 lgths

0.75 lgths

2 lgths

Single sculls	|8:24	|	|
Double sculls	|7:29.4	|	|
Coxed fours	Australia Don Fraser Gordon Freeth Gordon Freeth Sir Gordon Freeth KBE was an Australian politician.Freeth was born in Angaston, South Australia, the son of Robert Freeth and Gladys Mary Snashall... Harry Kerr Jack Fisher Stewart Elder	7:16.8	New Zealand Albert Hope Albert Hope Albert Alexander Hope is a former New Zealand rower.At the 1938 British Empire Games he won the silver medal as part of the men's coxed four.-References:... George Burns George Burns (rower) George Robert Burns is a former New Zealand rower.He won the silver medal as part of the men's coxed four at the 1938 British Empire Games.-References:... John Rigby John Rigby (rower) John Brian Rigby is a former New Zealand rower.At the 1938 British Empire Games he won the silver medal as part of the men's coxed four.-References:... Kenneth Boswell Kenneth Boswell Kenneth James Boswell was a New Zealand rower.He won the silver medal as part of the men's coxed four at the 1938 British Empire Games.-References:... Jim Clayton Jim Clayton (rower) Oliver Newton Clayton was a former New Zealand rower.At the 1938 British Empire Games he won the silver medal as part of the men's coxed four.-References:...
Canada Donald Davis James Temple James MacDonald Kenneth Jaggard Max Winkler
Eights	Kingdom of England Basil Beazley Desmond Kingsford Desmond Kingsford Desmond Glover Kingsford was a rower who competed for Great Britain at the 1936 Summer Olympics. He was killed in action during the Second World War.... John Sturrock John Sturrock John Duncan "Jan" Sturrock was an English rower who competed for Great Britain in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was born and died in Weymouth, Dorset.... John Burrough John Turnbull Peter Jackson Peter H. Jackson Peter Herbert "Jacko" Jackson was an English rower who competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics.... Rhodes Hambridge J. T. Turner Thomas Reeve	6:29	Australia Joe Gould Alfred Gregory Edward Bromley Frank le Souef Gordon Yewers Richard Paramor William Thomas Bill Dixon Doug Bowden	|+0.75 lgths	New Zealand Gus Jackson Gus Jackson Augustus "Gus" Kenneth George Jackson was a New Zealand rower.He won two bronze medals at the 1938 British Empire Games, winning one as part of the men's eight and another bronze medal alongside Bob Smith in the men's double sculls.-References:... Cyril Stiles Cyril Stiles Cyril Alec "Bob" Stiles was a New Zealand rower. He won a Silver medal at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in the coxless pairs with partner Fred Thompson. He also won a Bronze medal at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney in the eights.A Christchurch street is named after Stiles... Fred Thompson Fred Thompson (rower) Frederick "Fred" or "Rangi" Houghton Thompson was a New Zealand rower.He was born in Christchurch.Thompson won a silver medal at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in the coxless pairs event with partner Cyril Stiles... Howard Benge Howard Benge Howard Wilson Benge was a New Zealand rower.He won the bronze medal at the 1938 British Empire Games as part of the men's eight.-References:... John Charters John Charters John Godfrey Charters was a New Zealand rower.He won the bronze medal at the 1938 British Empire Games as part of the men's eight.-References:... Leslie Pithie Leslie Pithie Leslie Edward Pithie is a former New Zealand rower.At the 1938 British Empire Games he won the bronze medal as part of the men's eight.-References:... Oswald Denison Oswald Denison Oswald William Denison was a New Zealand rower.He won the bronze medal at the 1938 British Empire Games as part of the men's eight.-References:... James Gould James Gould (rower) James Reuben Gould was a New Zealand rower.He won the bronze medal at the 1938 British Empire Games as part of the men's eight.-References:... William Stodart William Stodart William Swan Stodart is a former New Zealand rower.At the 1938 British Empire Games he won the bronze medal as part of the men's eight.-References:...

Men's events

110 yd freestyle	|59.6	Terry Collard (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )	60.8	|61.0
440 yd freestyle	|4:54.6	|4:55.4	|4:55.5
1650 yd freestyle	|19:46.4	|19:59.2	|20:17.4
110 yd backstroke	|01:07.9	|1:09.0	|1:09.3
220 yd breaststroke	|2:51.9	Walter Spence Walter Spence Walter Percy Spence was a swimmer from British Guiana who competed for Canada in the 1928 Summer Olympics and 1932 Summer Olympics...  (BGU British Guiana British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice... )	3:00.5	|3:00.8
4×220 yd freestyle relay	Kingdom of England Frederick Dove Frederick Dove Frederick Dove was an English freestyle swimmer who competed for Great Britain in the 1936 Summer Olympics... Mostyn Ffrench-Williams Mostyn Ffrench-Williams Mostyn Yanto Ffrench-Williams was an English freestyle and backstroke swimmer who competed for Great Britain in the 1932 Summer Olympics and in the 1936 Summer Olympics.He was born in London.... Norman Wainwright Norman Wainwright Norman Wainwright was an English freestyle and backstroke swimmer who competed for Great Britain in the 1932 Summer Olympics, in the 1936 Summer Olympics, and in the 1948 Summer Olympics.... Bob Leivers Bob Leivers Robert "Bob" Thomas Hanford Leivers was an English freestyle swimmer who competed for Great Britain in the 1932 Summer Olympics and in the 1936 Summer Olympics....	9:19.0	Canada George Burleigh Gordon Devlin Robert Hooper Robert Hooper (swimmer) Robert Percy Hooper is a Canadian freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.In 1936 he was a member of the Canadian team which finished seventh in the 4 x 200 metre freestyle relay event... Bob Pirie Bob Pirie Robert Charles "Bob" Pirie was a champion Canadian swimmer from Toronto.-Background:Pirie was unanimously selected as the Lou Marsh Trophy winner for 1939, recognizing Canada's top athlete. That year, in Hawaii, he broke the 220 yards world record long held by Johnny Weissmuller and finished third...	9:20.2	Australia Robert Wilshire Noel Ryan Noel Ryan Noel Philip Ryan was an Australian freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1932 Summer Olympics and the 1930 and 1934 British Empire Games.He was born in Manly, New South Wales died in Sydney.... Robin Biddulph William Fleming	9:32.9
3×110 yd medley relay	Kingdom of England Frederick Dove Frederick Dove Frederick Dove was an English freestyle swimmer who competed for Great Britain in the 1936 Summer Olympics... John Davies Micky Taylor	3:28.2	Canada Gordon Kerr Gordon Kerr (swimmer) Gordon Maxwell Kerr was a Canadian backstroke swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.In 1936 he was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 100 metre backstroke event.... Jimmy Prentice Bob Pirie Bob Pirie Robert Charles "Bob" Pirie was a champion Canadian swimmer from Toronto.-Background:Pirie was unanimously selected as the Lou Marsh Trophy winner for 1939, recognizing Canada's top athlete. That year, in Hawaii, he broke the 220 yards world record long held by Johnny Weissmuller and finished third...	3:30.5	Australia Ernest Hobbs Percy Oliver Percy Oliver Percival "Percy" Cole Oliver was an Australian backstroke swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.Oliver was born in Nedlands, Western Australia and attended Hale School... William Fleming	3:31.8

Women's events

110 yd freestyle	|1:10.1	|1:11.1	|1:12.1
440 yd freestyle	|5:39.7	|5:40.2	|5:42.0
110 yd backstroke	|1:19.5	|1:22.5	|1:23.2
220 yd breaststroke	|3:06.3	Carla Gerke (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )	3:12.1	|3:22.2
4×110 yd freestyle relay	Canada Noel Oxenbury Noel Oxenbury Noel Gertrude Oxenbury-Morrow is a Canadian swimmer who competed at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin in the 100 metre backstroke event, but was eliminated in the first round. Two years later she competed at the 1938 British Empire Games in Sydney and won a gold medal in the 4×110 yd freestyle... Dorothy Lyon Mary Baggaley Phyllis Dewar Phyllis Dewar Phyllis Dewar was a Canadian freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.She was born in Moose Jaw and died in Toronto....	4:48.3	Australia Dorothy Green Evelyn de Lacy Evelyn de Lacy Evelyn Rose de Lacy was an Australian freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.... Margaret Rawson Pat Norton Pat Norton Patricia "Pat" Norton later Down was an Australian backstroke swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany....	4:49.0	Kingdom of England Edna Hughes Edna Hughes Edna Tildesley Hughes was an English swimmer who competed for Great Britain in the 1932 Summer Olympics and 1936 Summer Olympics.She was born in Walsall and died in Ceredigion.... Joyce Harrowby Margery Hinton Margery Hinton Margery Hinton was an English breaststroke and freestyle swimmer who competed for Great Britain in the 1928 Summer Olympics, in the 1932 Summer Olympics, and in the 1936 Summer Olympics.... Zilpha Grant Zilpha Grant Zilpha Grant-Wheelton was an English freestyle swimmer who competed for Great Britain in the 1936 Summer Olympics.She was born in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester....	4:50.1
3×110 yd medley relay	Kingdom of England Doris Storey Doris Storey Doris Storey was an English breaststroke swimmer from Leeds who competed for Great Britain in the 1936 Summer Olympics and for England at the 1938 British Empire Games.... Lorna Frampton Lorna Frampton Lorna Frampton was an English backstroke swimmer who competed for Great Britain in the 1936 Summer Olympics.In 1936 she finished sixth in the 100 metre backstroke event.... Margery Hinton Margery Hinton Margery Hinton was an English breaststroke and freestyle swimmer who competed for Great Britain in the 1928 Summer Olympics, in the 1932 Summer Olympics, and in the 1936 Summer Olympics....	3:57.7	South Africa Carla Gerke Hazel Holmes Molly Ryde	4:07.5	Australia Evelyn de Lacy Evelyn de Lacy Evelyn Rose de Lacy was an Australian freestyle swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.... Pat Norton Pat Norton Patricia "Pat" Norton later Down was an Australian backstroke swimmer who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany.... Valerie George	4:10.0

Wrestling

All events were for men only.

Bantamweight
Featherweight
Lightweight			Alfred Harding Alfred Harding Alfred Ernest Harding was an Independent Conservative Member of Parliament in New Zealand. He won the North Auckland seat of in the and held it to , when he was defeated by the Liberal candidate, John Stallworthy...  (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )
Welterweight		Felix Stander (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )
Middleweight		Peter Sheasby (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )
Light heavyweight		Sidney Greenspan (SAF South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... )
Heavyweight

External links

• Commonwealth Games Official Site
• 1938 British Empire Games at the official Guernsey site
• 1938 British Empire Games - Australian Commonwealth Games official website