THE ACHILLES CLUB 2009 PRESIDENT Sir Thomas Macpherson of Biallid CBE MC TD DL (Oxford) VICE-PRESIDENTS H. Robert H. Stinson MBE (Cambridge ) Donald C.E. Gorrie OBE ( Oxford) Timothy M. Taylor (Oxford) CHAIRMAN Dr Dewi W. Roberts DL (Cambridge) COMMITTEE Mark S. Steed (Cambridge) US Matches and Schools Relays Tom Dowie (Oxford) Achilles Dinner Alan James (Cambridge) Varsity Match Dr Robert Harle Webmaster & Hon. Treasurer, CUAC Dr. Simon Clarke Hon. Treasurer, OUAC Matthew Buck (Cambridge) Kit – [email protected] Vicki Goodwin (Oxford) – Achilles Ball Air Commodore John G. De'Ath MBE (Oxford) John Crosse (Oxford) Geoff Hill (Cambridge) — Alumni Max Polyakov (Oxford) – Alumni Alan Chetwynd Past President OUAC Jon Cook Past President CUAC Dan Johnson President OUAC Lucy Spray President CUAC Gina Hood Hon. Sec. OUAC Laura Duke Hon. Sec. CUAC Clara Blättler Women’s Captain OUAC Kate Laidlow Women’s Captain CUAC Sam Dobin Men’s Captain CUAC Alex Skouby Men’s Captain OUAC Team Managers Dr. Andrew Hodge (Cambridge), 07958 923157 [email protected] Ailsa Wallace (Oxford) [email protected] Louise Steel (Cambridge & Oxford) Sally Hughes (Oxford) Humphrey Waddington (Cambridge) Martine Bomb (Oxford) Mike Collins (Cambridge) Achilles Trustees H.R.H. Stinson ; Sir Thomas Macpherson ; Dr. C.J.R. Thorne; J.G. De’Ath; DW Roberts; Bridget Wheeler (Cambridge); PDT Willcox. Clerk to the Trust: Dr. Christopher Thorne (Cambridge), St Catharine’s College, Cambridge 01954-210566 [email protected] American Achilles Foundation Thomas N. Blodgett (Cambridge) [email protected] David B. Williams (Cambridge) Hon. Treasurer & Membership Secretary Peter Crawshaw (Oxford), 18 Ringley Park Av., Reigate, Surrey RH2 7EU. Phone 01737-761626 [email protected] Hon. Secretary Paul Talbot Willcox (Cambridge) c/o Eggar Forrester, 1st Floor, Scotia House, 33 Finsbury Sq London EC2A 1PL [email protected] 07768 735634 1 IN MEMORIAM SJ Bryant (Lincoln College, Oxford, 1949-53) on January 30th 2008 Sidney John Bryant was one of the leading Oxbridge middle dis- tance runners of the early 1950’s, and continued to follow the athlet- ics scene throughout his life. His widow was thrilled to see the pic- ture last year’s Report see the picture of him (centre), Ron Day (right) and Keith Marsden all crossing the line together in the Varsity 880y of 1952: Sidney's copy still hangs where it always has, over his desk. He was adjudged 2nd in that race, having deadheated for victory with Alan Scott in 1950. In 1951 he was 5th in the 3 miles. In the Transatlantic Series he was 3rd at 800m against Princeton & Cornell in 1950, and 3rd at 1500m against Harvard & Yale in 1951. In 1953 he placed 3rd in the Varsity 3 miles, and failed to secure selection for the US Tour. He competed in the Varsity Cross Coun- try matches of 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1952. Sir Richard Posnett (St John’s College, Cambridge, 1938-40) on May 11 2009 Dick Posnett won the 120y hurdles in the Oxford v Cambridge Wartime Sports of 1940. His career as a diplomat, the memoirs of which can be found in his autobiography 'The Scent of Eucalyptus', was distinguished if at times controversial. He maintained his involvement in athletics in occasional coaching David Henderson encountered Dick Posnett in and administration roles. Uganda: one of his more charitable memories is: “He fancied himself as an athletics starter, and got himself the job for a pre-independence Uganda national championships. Superficially he looked the part and had had a red blazer tailor made and bought a red cap. He’d pose, slightly crouched, pistol over his head, to earn a classic put down: as Posnett once again held the athletes just about for ever, an exasperated Ugandan AA official walked past: ‘You’re giv- ing them cramp, Dick’.” RHB Edwards (Trinity College, Cambridge, 1946-49) on 17th May 2009 Robert Edwards was President of CUAC in 1949, having served as Hon Sec the year before. A versatile and talented all rounder, he won the Shot Put in the Varsity Sports of 1948, and placed second in the Long Jump. In 1949 positions were re- versed and he won the Long Jump while placing second in the Shot. That year he and Roger Bannister captained the Oxford and Cambridge team in the USA which defeated Harvard & Yale, Robert winning the Long Jump and contributing a leg of the winning 4 x 110y relay (the Shot was won by Yale's soon-to- be world record holder Jim Fuchs). Among the fond memories of the tour which he contributed for the 1995 series Centenary was a Senior Prom at which, in a nice reversal of today's ways, the team happily swigged water from a gin bottle. Dr RJK Brown, (Trinity Hall, Cambridge 1937-40) in August 2008 Roderick Brown competed in the High Jump at the Varsity Sports of 1939. The younger brother of Ralph (1934 AAA Champion at 440y hurdles), Godfrey (1936 Olympic 4x400m Gold Medallist and 400m Silver Medallist) and their sister Audrey (1936 Olympic 4 x 100 Silver Medallist), he became a noted paediatrician. 2 GCR Clay (New College, Oxford 1926-29) on 16th April 2009, two days after his 102nd birthday So when I come to die Gervas Clay’s best year was probably 1929, when he was 2nd Throw no fresh flowers to me; string in the Varsity Match 120y hurdles, gained a Standard Medal I have loved them in my life, Bury them not that be. at the AAA 440y hurdles, and won for Achilles against Wales at Swansea. In 1930 he placed 2nd at 120y hurdles for Achilles v But take some old dead flowers Sussex at Brighton on 21st May and 3rd at 440y hurdles and 2nd Whose fragrance has gone on, at 120y hurdles v Atalanta and the Universities Union at Birming- That they and I may cross together The unknown Rubicon. ham on 24th May. He then embarked for a career in Northern Rho- desia where he continued his interest in our sport, being elected a G.C.R.CLAY Life Member of the Northern Rhodesia AA. He remained in regular 12 July, 1932. correspondence with the Club, and was visited by Clare Martin on his 100th birthday My trip to see Gervas and wish him a Happy 100th Birthday went well - his son was very From Gervas Clay, writing in 1994 and 1998: friendly and showed me some amazing albums In 1929 I took part in another Achilles Tour in Ireland. I ran second in the in which there were cuttings, photos and pro- hurdles against Ulster: we went on from there to Dublin where we com- grammes from the fixtures of the 1920s! He also peted on a very wet and stormy day. I won the hurdles by inches but was had his VM medals - all engraved with finishing disqualified for knocking down 3 hurdles: the Irishman who was second times! Gervas happily tucked into the choco- was disqualified for knocking down 4. (On the same day another Achil- lates I'd taken! One of the funnier moments was les team was competing in South Africa, It cannot have happened often when I'd been asked to identify the Achilles tie that one club competed in two Internationals on the same day.) ‘After the in Gervas's tie drawer - I picked out the only Dublin match there was a big dinner and the chair was taken by the Head familiar-looking one (wide bands of light blue, of Police in Ireland, one O’Duffy I think. At the end of the dinner he said ‘I dark blue and gold) but Gervas was adamant would like to do something for these boys from London (sic), so I will give that it was not the Achilles one and I really didn't them freedom from Police for the City of Dublin for the night.’ Drink like to argue!!! [both were right - in Gervas' day flowed, and when the dinner was over, I and some friends went roaring the tie was plain gold] - Clare Martin and singing into the street . We were immediately held up by a Policeman who told us that we couldn’t be allowed to behave like that. We replied that we had been given freedom from him and his likes for the night. He asked who had given it to us, and when we told him he said that ‘he had no power to do so’. We sug- gested that he enter the Hotel and tell O’Duffy that himself. He faded away. As a hurdler it was my privilege to run against or rather behind Lord Burghley on many occasions. The first time I ran in the A.A.A. Championships I changed and went down to the barrier to go out and warm up at Stamford Bridge. At the bar- rier I was turned back by a policeman who said I was far too early as it was an hour before the hurdles heats. Very indignantly I turned back to return to the From Lancing College Exam Report for changing rooms, when I met Lord Burghley coming down to the barrier. I fell in Summer Term, 1926: behind him and when we got to the barrier he was smartly saluted by the police- - Latin - man who had stopped me, an greeted with ‘Good afternoon, My Lord.’ He His success is evidence that the Age of walked out on to the ground and I walked out Miracles is still with us; I wish I could behind him, thinking to myself that it was claim the credit for myself, but I cannot difficult enough to run against one as good as regard it as the result of anything but Burghley without being prevented by the Divine intervention.