Jack Beresford - An Olympian at War

Jack Beresford An Olympian At War 
Jack Beresford OB (1914-1917) 

Written by John Beresford
John Beresford OB (1959-1964)

This is, says John, the story that his Father never wrote. It is also a story with a delicious (if vicious) irony; the German bullet that wounded 19-year-old 2nd Lieutenant Beresford in 1918 led to him abandoning rugby and taking up rowing. Eighteen years later, the German favourites to win the Olympic Double Sculls paid the price of Jack's change of sport as, in the final's last 100 metres, Dick Southwood and Jack Beresford rowed them to a standstill to win Olympic Gold.

"The transcript in the book of his 119 letters to his parents from the Trenches in 1918 give a fascinating insight into WW1 and helped shape his illustrious rowing career. This in 1936 led to his 5th consecutive Olympic medal (3 Gold, 2 Silver) in 5 consecutive Games. This made him the first person to achieve this until Sir Steve Redgrave won his 5th Gold medal in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney".