Special thanks to Tom Weil (Yale lightweight rower, Class of 1970) for sharing an excerpt from Henley Records, 1919 to 1938, which was compiled by Clifford Thomas Steward and published in 1939 – Tom has this book in his collection of rowing memorabilia. The information that follows is from this excerpt.
The Henley Royal Regatta dates to 1839 and has been held annually ever since with the exception of war years 1915-1919 and 1940-1945.
While The Great War aka World War I ended at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, the Henley Stewards decided that the war’s aftermath precluded resumption of Henley competition in 1919; however, a special peace regatta could be organized and was designated the Peace Regatta, which over time became known as the 1919 Royal Henley Peace Regatta.
The 1919 Royal Henley Peace Regatta was held over four days from 2-5 July. Entries did not compete for the usual Henley trophies but instead for cups created for this special regatta. Moreover, some events were for allied armed services crews only, specifically, an allies eight-oared race known as The King’s Cup with the trophy presented to the winning crew by King George V, and an allies four-oared race known as The Leander Cup with the trophy presented to the winning crew by the Leander Club.
The crews competing in the armed services events were from Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
To view all crews participating in the 1919 Royal Henley Peace Regatta plus race results of all heats and all boatings click on the following links.
King’s Cup, Leander Cup
Fawley Cup, Elsenham Cup
Wargrave Manor Cup, Hambleden Pairs
Kingswood Sculls, University Trials, Remenham Cup, Temple Cup, Public Schools
Following is a summary of participating allied nations and their armed services crews in The King’s Cup and The Leander Cup events plus race results and all boatings for both events.
02-05/07/1919 The 1919 Royal Henley Peace Regatta River on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames, England
Allied Armed Service Crew Entries
| Australia | Canada | France | New Zealand | United Kingdom | United States |
| The King’s Cup (8+) | |||||
| Australian Army Crew 1 | Canadian Army Crew | French Army Crew | New Zealand Army Crew | Cambridge Univ Service Crew | American Army Crew |
| Australian Army Crew 2 | Oxford Univ Service Crew | ||||
| The Leander Cup (4-) | |||||
| Australian Army Crew | Canadian Army Crew | New Zealand Army Crew | 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards | American Army Crew 1 | |
| Cambridge Univ Service Crew | American Army Crew 2 | ||||
| Leander Club Service Crew | |||||
The King’s Cup
| Quarter Finals | |||
| Verdict | Verdict | Verdict | Verdict |
| Time: 7:31 3/4 length |
Time: 7:28 2 lengths |
Time: 7:40 3 lengths |
Time: 7:17 3/4 length |
| 1- Australian Army Crew 1 | 1- Oxford Univ Service Crew | 1- American Army Crew | 1- Cambridge Univ Service Crew |
| 2- Australian Army Crew 2 | 2- Canadian Army Crew | 2- French Army Crew | 2- New Zealand Army Crew |
| Semi Finals | |||
| Verdict | Verdict | ||
| Time: 7:24 1/2 length |
Time: 7:25 1 1/4 length |
||
| 1- Australian Army Crew 1 | 1- Oxford Univ Service Crew | ||
| 2- Cambridge Univ Service Crew | 2- American Army Crew | ||
| Finals | |||
| Verdict | |||
| Time: 7:07 * See Note 1 below 1 length |
|||
| 1- Australian Army Crew 1 | |||
| 2- Oxford Univ Service Crew | |||
Note 1: The winning time in Steward’s “Henley Records, 1919-1938” is reported as 7.7. Based on commentary in the 2019 King’s Cup video the winning time was 7:07 [stated just after the 5:50 mark in the video].
The Leander Cup
| Quarter Finals | |||
| Verdict | Verdict | Verdict | Verdict |
| Time: 8:27 Easily |
Time: 8:12 1 length |
Time: 8:19 Easily |
Foul |
| 1- American Army Crew 1 | 1- Leander Club Service Crew | 1- Canadian Army Crew | 1- New Zealand Army Crew |
| 2- 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards | 2- American Army Crew 2 | 2- Cambridge Univ Service Crew | 2- Australian Army Crew (DQ) |
| Semi Finals | |||
| Verdict | Verdict | ||
| Time: 8:19 Easily |
Time: 8:16 * See Note 2 below 1 1/4 length |
||
| 1- Leander Club Service Crew | 1- American Army Crew 1 | ||
| 2- Canadian Army Crew | 2- New Zealand Army Crew | ||
| Finals | |||
| Verdict | |||
| Time: 7:45 1 1/2 lengths |
|||
| 1- Leander Club Service Crew | |||
| 2- American Army Crew 1 | |||
Note 2: The winning time in Steward’s “Henley Records, 1919-1938” is reported as 8.6. Based on times in the Quarter Finals and in the other Semi Final an assumption is made that the winning time was 8:16.
Boatings
Australia
| 8+ | 4- | |||
| Position | Australian Army Crew No. 1 | Australian Army Crew No. 2 | Australian Army Crew | Position |
| Bow | Sgt A. R. Robb | Lt J. Howieson | Sgt A. R. Robb | Bow |
| 2 | Lt F.A. House | Sgt G. M. Penny | Maj S. A. Middleton | 2 |
| 3 | Lt T. McGill | Sgt E. J. Harrison | Lt H. Hauenstein, M.M. | 3 |
| 4 | Gunner A. V. Scott | Lt H. A. White | Lt F. A. House | Stroke |
| 5 | Lt H. Hauenstein, M.M. | Maj W. A. Audsley, D.S.O. | ||
| 6 | Maj S. A. Middleton, D.S.O. | Cpl J. K. Cogle | ||
| 7 | Gunner G. W. Mettam | Gunner J. A. Begg | ||
| Stroke | Capt H. C. Disher | Lt H. R. Newall | ||
| Cox | Sgt A. E. Smedley | Lt O. J. Wood | ||
Canada
| 8+ | 4- | ||
| Position | Canadian Army Crew | Canadian Army Crew | Position |
| Bow | SSgt W. Gillborn | Lt E. E. Norman | Bow |
| 2 | Cpl F. R. Harvey | Capt C. P. Disney | 2 |
| 3 | Maj J. C. McCuaig | Lt A. R. Whittier | 3 |
| 4 | Lt A. D. Spragge | Lt M. H. Rix | Stroke |
| 5 | Lt C. S. M Fleming | ||
| 6 | Lt G. W. Machan | ||
| 7 | Capt H. A. Dawson, M.C. | ||
| Stroke | Capt F. S. Dyke | ||
| Cox | Sgt R. A. Preston | ||
France
| 8+ | |
| Position | French Army Crew |
| Bow | 2ndLt H. Lefebvre |
| 2 | Pvt G. Piox |
| 3 | 2ndLt M. Baudechon |
| 4 | Sgt L. Cordier |
| 5 | 2ndLt T. Barrelet |
| 6 | 2ndLt A. Conbarieu |
| 7 | Pvt P. Vaganay |
| Stroke | Sgt M. Bouton |
| Cox | 2ndLt E. Flament |
New Zealand
| 8+ | 4- | ||
| Position | New Zealand Army Crew | New Zealand Army Crew | Position |
| Bow | Sgt G. H. Wilson | Sgt H. B. Prideaux | Bow |
| 2 | Sgt A. T. White | Sgt G. L. Croll | 2 |
| 3 | Sgt D. C. Hadfield | Sgt F. V. Horne | 3 |
| 4 | Sgt W. G. Coombes | Sgt J. Fry | Stroke |
| 5 | Lt C. L. Lester, M.M. | ||
| 6 | Sgt S. B. R. Rutledge | ||
| 7 | Sgt J. I. McRoberts | ||
| Stroke | Sgt C. A. Healey | ||
| Cox | Sgt A. H. Trussell | ||
United Kingdom
| 8+ | 4- | |||||
| Position | Cambridge Univ Service Crew | Oxford Univ Service Crew | 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards | Cambridge Univ Service Crew | Leander Club Crew | Position |
| Bow | Pvt H. O. C. Boret | Lt S. A. Rissik | 2ndLt V. M. R. Goodman, M.C. | Gunner Hon. J. W. H. Fremantle | Rev S. E. Swann | Bow |
| 2 | 2ndLt H. Peake | Lt N. H. MacNeil, M.C. | 2ndLt W. L. F. Tennyson d’Eyncourt | Capt G. E. T. Eyston, M.C. | Maj R. S. Shove | 2 |
| 3 | Lt A. Swann, D.S.C., R.N.V.R. | Pvt S. Earl | 2ndLt A. E. C. Tennyson d’Eyncourt | Lt J. Thompson | Capt R. E. Burgess | 3 |
| 4 | Pvt J. A. Campbell | Lt R. S. C. Lucas | Lt A. G. Salisbury-Jones, M.C. | Sapper R. Teale | Capt A. F. R. Wiggins | Stroke |
| 5 | Capt A. F. W. Dixon | Pvt A. T. M. Durand | ||||
| 6 | Lt M. V. Buxton, M.C. | Maj E. D. Horsfall, M.C. | ||||
| 7 | Maj C. E. V. Buxton, M.C. | Lt W. E. C. James | ||||
| Stroke | Capt H. H. S. Hartley | LtCol E. A. Berrisford, M.C. | ||||
| Cox | Pvt R. T. Johnstone | Capt J. F. Clapperton | ||||
United States
| 8+ | 4- | |||
| Position | American Army Crew | American Army Crew No. 1 | American Army Crew No. 2 | Position |
| Bow | Lt. C. J. Coe | Lt H. E. Cooke | Lt E. S. Dillon | Bow |
| 2 | Capt R. R. Pullen | Capt B. Wilson | Lt H. A. Brooks | 2 |
| 3 | Lt J. H. McHenry | Capt C. D. Wiman | Lt D. E. Maclay | 3 |
| 4 | Lt H. S. Middendorf | Maj P. Withington | Lt J. R. Breitinger | Stroke |
| 5 | Capt L. H. Penney | |||
| 6 | Maj H. L. Rogers | |||
| 7 | Lt J. A. Jeffries | |||
| Stroke | Capt D. Kingsland | |||
| Cox | Lt G. H. Gale | |||