1947 Head of the River

1st Wesley College - Bow: R E Mylius, 2: W B Crothers, 3: B Tutton, 4: B J Anderson, 5: J S Macglashan, 6: S F Muir-Smith, 7: J D S Kidd, Str: R B Selleck, Cox: J H Fielden, Cch: Alan W Mitchell
2nd Geelong College - Bow: I D Ramsay, 2: K J Chesswas, 3: J R Sweetnam, 4: R W Buntine, 5: H J Spalding, 6: R W Purnell, 7: J D Wotherspoon, Str: J W Caffrey, Cox: C J Galbraith, Cch: Albert B Bell
3rd Melbourne Grammar - Bow: G B O'Byrne, 2: G L Hardy, 3: D C Rollason, 4: M Debenham, 5: D C Debenham, 6: B E Turner, 7: H I Prince, Str: H D F Ward, Cox: Gordon Sargood, Cch: Walter E "Wally" Ricketts

Melbourne Grammar First Crew

Back row (from left): G.L. Hardy(2), M. Debenham (4), W.N. Ricketts Esq., D.C. Rollason (3) and G.B. O'Byrne (bow). Front row: B.E. Turner (6), H.D.F. Ward (stroke), G. Sargood (cox), H.I. Prince (7) and D.C. Debenham (5)
Photo courtesy of Melbourne Grammar Archives

The Age reported on the final as follows:

The crews shot away well together, with Geelong College on the north station, Wesley centre and MGS on the south. Wesley, stroking 38, gained a slight lead to the bridge from Geelong, with Melbourne a few feet further back.

With the early advantage of the big bend, Geelong was in front from Wesley and Melbourne as they straightened up for the run along Henley straight.

Selleck increased the tempo to 35, and the long racer’s “nose” was in front just before the Henley staging. The Geelong cox called on his crew for a dozen, and they were again in front. Wesley settled down and gradually passed Geelong, but 150 yards from the judge College was again with them.

Wesley quickened to 37, 100 yards from the post, and flashed past the judge to tremendous cheering to win one of the keenest races seen for many years.

Wesley won by one-third of a length, with a length between second and third in 4min 46.2sec.

Losers final:
1st Scotch College - Bow: Gerald D Mitchell, 2: Rodney L Benjamin, 3: Ian K Mountain, 4: Peter L Barrett, 5: John D Moir, 6: Roger G Abrecht, 7: Neil F Daniel, Str: William G Philip, Cox: Robert M Mounsey, Cch: Charles G Saleh
2nd Geelong Grammar - Bow: J S Jose, 2: A H Purves, 3: C R Reeves, 4: R F McKendrick, 5: A J Montague, 6: H C Stretch, 7: P Hayes, Str: G E Carroll, Cox: R Coster-Zeeman, Cch: John E L Barber
3rd Xavier College- Bow: J D Booth, 2: J A Horgan, 3: K M Silk, 4: D J Molloy, 5: N M O'Bryan, 6: P R McNamara, 7: Clive F Bailey, Str: Brian J Doyle, Cox: Hubert R Frederico, Cch: Albert J Anderson

Heat results:
E1: 1st GC, 2nd GGS, Margin: One canvas, Time: 5:14.2 (on the Barwon)
E2: 1st WC, 2nd SC, Margin: One canvas, Time: 4:37.2 (record by 4 secs)
E3: 1st MGS, 2nd XC, Margin 1/3 length, Time: 4:45.8

1947 Geelong Grammar Crew

Back row: A H Purves, R F McKendrick, C R Reeves, J S Jose, A T Montague
Front row: P Hayes, G E Carroll, H C Stretch
In front: R Coster
Photo from GGS boatshed

1st Scotch College - Bow: J H Ramsay, 2: J S Edwards, 3: J C M Bennett, 4: L B Stubbs, 5: G R McLeish, 6: R H Cole, 7: W F Breidahl, Str: R Mathieson, Cox: R H Brown, Cch: A W L Mitchell
2nd Geelong Grammar - Bow: I E Blackwell, 2: F B Grubb, 3: T P R Guthrie, 4: H M O Raymond, 5: D J Kent, 6: Garth O V Manton, 7: C R Preece, Str: J S Jose, Cox: C L Carr, Cch: A S Mitchell
3rd Xavier College - Bow: W F O'Dea, 2: F Romanin, 3: R A Fazio, 4: W M McCubbery, 5: P S Carr, 6: G J O'Keeffe, 7: P J Kennedy, Str: I S Rainford, Cox: P R Pluckett, Cch: Jack J Coghlan

Losers final
1sat Melbourne Grammar - Bow: J M Withers, 2: S B Bodinnar, 3: P Kibby, 4: P L Thompson, 5: R B Lulofs, 6: J D Scales, 7: J T C Hewison, Str: R G Day, Cox: B A Morgan, Cch: W McKean
2nd Geelong College - Bow: R I Boon, 2: S E Fraser, 3: J B Burgess, 4: G F Douglas, 5: J K Dempsey, 6: D B Lawler, 7: N G Cameron, Str: A D Hope, Cox: R H Reynolds, Cch: Donald R T Macmillan
3rd Wesley College - Bow: G Heath, 2: B C Jones, 3: C J Hunt, 4: I F H Ross, 5: A J Thompson, 6: M F A Robertson, 7: B J Short, Str: J R M Bottomer, Cox: D M Bone, Cch: W H Mason-Cox

Heats
E1: 1st GGS, 2nd GC, Time: 2:48.0, Margin: 2 3/4 lengths
E2: 1st XC, 2nd WC, Time: 2:20.8, Margin: 3/4 length
E3: 1st SC, 2nd MGS, Time: 2:26.6, Margin: 1 1/2 lengths

1st Melbourne Grammar - Bow: D Weir, 2: B D Crelin, 3: R B D Rigg, 4: J H Brett, 5: E A D Jowett, 6: J S Monks, 7: F H Osborn, Str: R Weir, Cox: D N Sargood, Cch: G W S Crow
2nd Xavier College - Bow: P D Banfield, 2: M B Lefebve, 3: A T Cantwell, 4: L J San Miguel, 5: L J Crameri, 6: G A Santospirito, 7: F X Murphy, Str: G R Chapman, Cox: P J Gleeson, Cch: Jack J Mulcahy
3rd Geelong College - Bow: J D Wiggins, 2: J M Fleming, 3: D T Grant, 4: D J Morris, 5: A F McIlwain, 6: S W G Johnson, 7: J M Borthwick, Str: W G Mackay, Cox: G D Best, Cch: J S Cook

Losers final
1st Geelong Grammar - Bow: D W Smith, 2: R J Stalker, 3: B Dickinson, 4: D W Cameron, 5: D J Sloan, 6: D S Thewlis, 7: F D S Gilder, Str: D A Morwood, Cox: H S Hawkins, Cch: I C Everist
2nd Wesley College - Bow: J L Blyth, 2: P F De Hais, 3: J I Fielding, 4: D W Woodford, 5: J D Bailey, 6: W R Fox, 7: I R W Johnston, Str: P G Rankin, Cox: A A McCutcheon, Cch: I S Parkin
3rd Scotch College - Bow: I Blaikie, 2: H R Booth, 3: J T De Ravin, 4: J Broben, 5: G H Fewster, 6: J F Kent, 7: R Alston, Str: P N Welch, Cox: G O Goudie

Heats
E1: 1st XC, 2nd SC, Time: 2:21.2, Margin: canvas
E2: 1st MGS, 2nd WC, Time: 2:30.6, Margin: 2 feet
E3: 1st GC, 2nd GGS, Time: 2:53.0, Margin: 4 feet

Geelong Crews on the Barwon
1st Geelong College - Bow: W J Waugh, 2: R J Jeffreys, 3: J R Freeman, 4: J R Cox, 5: J H Sutcliffe, 6: J E Varley, 7: B F Glover, Str: N J Charley, Cox: J Temple Watts, Cch: D R Bridges
2nd Geelong Grammar (4th crew) - Bow: D J Wordsworth, 2: R Gardiner, 3: E G Mohr, 4: R J Nelson, 5: C B Dawes, J A D Piper, 7: G M Pizzey, Str: D L Nance, Cox: M K Hornabrook, Cch: Rev S E Jones
3rd Geelong Grammar (5th crew) - Bow: C F Barry, 2: P J McConaghy, 3: A A Blythe, 4: G E Turner, 5: R A L Nance, 6: A S N Ashkanazy, 7: P C Philips, Str: G N Kennison, Cox: P B Wright, Cch: L A Hardy

Melbourne crews on the Yarra
1st Melbourne Grammar - Bow: D G B Bodycomb, 2: D A Sankey, 3: J M Capp, 4: M L Archer, 5: A C Watt, 6: G Magoffin, 7: R J Holdaway, Str: K C Griffith, Cox: B S Andrews, Cch: A F Hargrave
2nd Scotch College - Bow: G P Mackenzie, 2: J G Cathcart, 3: J W G Meyer, 4: J P Hodges, 5: G T Dunwoody, 6: D W Hobbs, 7: W H Baughurst, Str: A J Mitchell, Cox: R J Wills, Cch: A T Dix
3rd Xavier College - Bow: R L Moore, 2: J F McCooey, 3: J P Lachal, 4: G S Fennell, 5: J A Gobbo, 6: M L Niall, 7: P F Moloughney, Str: E T Darcy, Cox; B J Lynch, Cch: G Elias
4th Wesley College - Bow: G G Thomas, 2: C G Gaylard, 3: J B Milnes, 4: R A Levy, 5: M K Middleditch, 6: A R Bartram, 7: B K Wilson, Str: R H Bitcon, Cox: R Beaconsfield, Cch: A S Wood

1st Melbourne Grammar School - Bow: F A Billson, 2: R J S Purbrick, 3: B S Dyson, 4: P J Scales, 5: H T Davis, 6: B D Harman, 7: H R Johnson, Str: A T Rose, Cox: R H LaM Stowell
2nd Scotch College - Bow: D Pincus, 2: G H Reynolds, 3: J M Bowden, 4: A J McLachlan, 5: P H Daniell, 6: R D Oliver, 7: R B A Noack, Str: R A Leslie, Cox: D R Provan, Cch: I Gillies
3rd Wesley College - Bow: J H Collbeck, 2: R G Leeton, 3: G C Dreverman, 4: G M Fudge, 5: K D Muirden, 6: D J Richards, 7: T L Reed, Str: I G McKeown, Cox: J W Hood, Cch: K H Grant

Melbourne Grammar School Fifth Crew