Ewart Douglas HORSFALL

Ewart Horsfall went up to Magdalen College, Oxford from Eton in October 1911 with an outstanding reputation and five months later was in the winning Oxford boat against Cambridge. Oxford were again successful in 1913 with Horsfall as stroke but in 1914, when Horsfall rowed at number four, Cambridge enjoyed a comfortable victory. He also rowed number four in the Leander eight that won the gold medals at the 1912 Olympics when, at the age of 20, he was the youngest member of the crew. Ewart Horsfall will go down in history as one of the great strokes of English rowing. In 1913 he became the first stroke to win the Boat Race after being behind at Barnes Bridge. He won the Grand four times – three times as a stroke – and he stroked the winning crew in the Stewards’ on the only two occasions he competed. At the outbreak of war, Horsfall initially joined the Rifle Brigade but later transferred to the RAF, attaining the rank of squadron leader and achieving the distinction of being awarded the rare “double” of a Military Cross (1916) and a Distinguished Flying Cross (1918). After the war, he was invited back to Oxford to help re-establish rowing at the University, a task which enabled him to keep in training and, in 1920, make a second Olympic appearance, stroking the Leander eight that came within half a length of winning their successive Olympic title. Horsfall always maintained his interest in the sport and in 1948 he was manger of the British Olympic rowing team.