Lyndhurst (Lyn) S Davis
Sandy Bay Rowing Club (TAS) then Albert Park Rowing Club, now Albert Park South Melbourne Rowing Club (VIC), then Adelaide Rowing Club (SA)
Lyndhurst Sydney Davis was born in 1891 in Hobart, Tasmania. His first win for the Albert Park club was in the junior pair in 1910-11. By the end of his first season at the club, he had won the Carlyon Cup in the senior eight at the Ballarat Regatta. The following season, he won many races in the senior four and eight, including the Grand Challenge Cup at the Australian Henley. During this season, he also began winning sculls races. He rowed in the Victorian crew in the Interstate Eight-Oared Championship in 1912 and 1913, winning once. In 1914, he sculled at the Interstate race and won the inaugural Winter Sculling Series, hosted by the Victorian Sculling Association.
‘Lyn’ was a 23 year old engineer when he enlisted on 18th August, 1914. He landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, 1915 and was attached to the 4th Light Horse Regiment. Transferred to the 58th Battalion, he was commissioned lieutenant in 1916, became an instructor in 1917, and was mentioned in despatches in 1918.
In 1919, he was part of the AIF rowing squad which competed for the King’s Cup at the Henley ‘Peace’ Regatta.
Lyn returned to Albert Park after the war, winning senior races in the season of 1920-21, after which he married Winifred Stebbing. In the 1930s, he moved to Adelaide where he joined the Adelaide Rowing Club. He served in the Second World War and coached the South Australian King’s Cup crew in 1950. He died in 1991, aged 99.
1912 winning Victorian Crew with Lyn in the seven seat
AIF Inter-Allied Games Crew with Lyn seated in front on the right
Some details:
1910 - Henley on Yarra, Men's Maiden Four two seat - First (racing for Sandy Bay Rowing Club)
1910 - Melbourne Regatta Men's Junior Pair, bow - First
1911 - Henley on Yarra, Men's Senior Eight for the Grand Challenge Cup, four seat - First
1911 - Ballarat Regatta, Men's Senior Eight, two seat - First
1911 - Melbourne Regatta Men's Maiden Scull - First
1911 - Melbourne Regatta Men's Junior Scull - First
1912 - Henley on Yarra, Men's Senior Eight for the Grand Challenge Cup, six seat - First
1912 - Geelong and Barwon Regatta, Men's Senior Eight, two seat - First
1912 - Seymour Regatta, Men's Senior Four, two seat - First
1912 - Melbourne Regatta, Men's Four, two seat - First
1912 - Victorian Men's Eight Championship, two seat - First
1912 - Victorian Men's Sculling Championship - Fourth
1912 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship seven seat – First
1913 - Geelong and Barwon Regatta, Men's Senior Eight, four seat - First
1913 - Albert Park Regatta, Men's Senior Four two seat - First
1913 - Upper Yarra Regatta, Men's Senior Four, two seat - First
1913 - Henley on Yarra, Men's Senior Sculls - First
1913 - Victorian Men's Eight Championship, four seat - First
1913 - Victorian Men's Four Championship, two seat - First
1913 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship three seat – Did not finish
1914 - Victorian Sculling Association Handicap Sculls - First
1914 - Victorian Men's Sculling Championship - First
1914 – Interstate Men’s Sculling Championship – Second
1919 –Inter Allied Games, three seat - Second
1950 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship coach – Fourth
Davis was also a schoolboy coach at Scotch College.
Authors: Grace Blake and Andrew Guerin
July 2021
Sources:
- http://www.apsmrc.com/resources/Documents/Honour%20Rolls/Lyn%20Davis.pdf
- The Victorian Oarsman by John Lang, Messina & Co, 1919
- Pulling Through - The story of the King's Cup by Bruce Coe, published by Andrew Guerin, 2019