Cecil McVilly
Encyclopedia
Cecil Leventhorpe McVilly (3 August 1889 – 4 November 1964) was an Australia
n rower
who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics
.
McVilly was born on in Hobart
, the son of Joseph Henry McVilly, a newspaper editor, and his wife Marion Jane Thompson, née Smith. He was educated at Queen's College, Hobart. He was a sculler
and won the Australian sculling championship in 1910 and 1911. In 1912, he participated in the single sculls
rowing for Australasia at the 1912 Summer Olympics
, but he was disqualified for interference in his first heat. He won the Diamond Challenge Sculls
beating E Pink at Henley Royal Regatta
in 1913. He was Australian sculling champion again in 1914.
McVilly served with the Derwent Infantry for four years, becoming a sergeant. In World War I
he was commissioned as second lieutenant into the Australian Imperial Force
on 9 December 1915 and was posted to 'B' Company, 40th Battalion. He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 May 1916 and in July went to England for training. He went to France on 23 November 1916 and was promoted to captain in December. At the beginning of 1917, he was training raiding parties at the Ecole Professionale, Armentières
. He led 'B' Company, 40th Battalion at the Battle of Messines
on the 6 and 7 June and was awarded the Military Cross
for leadership under intensive enemy bombardment. He was badly wounded during the Third Battle of Ypres, at Broodseinde on 4 October.
McVilly was picked for special service in Mesopotamia and on 29 January 1918 set out for Basra
in the Persian Gulf. He joined Dunsterforce on 28 March, and took part in the defence of Baku on the Caspian Sea
in August. He was mentioned in dispatches
on 21 February for special service in Mesopotamia. He returned to Australia from England in March 1919.
McVilly became a captain on the reserve of officers of the Australian Military Forces. From 1919 he worked for the Repatriation Commission in Tasmania until in 1929 he was appointed inspector of charities in Victoria. He became chairman of the Victorian Hospitals and Charities Commission in 1948. After retirement, he moved to Cowes
, Phillip Island, where he died at the age of 75.
McVilly married Kathleen Agnes Williams in Hobart on 28 August 1915. They had twin daughters.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rower
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 5 May and 27 July 1912. Twenty-eight nations and 2,407 competitors, including 48 women, competed in 102 events in 14 sports...
.
McVilly was born on in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, the son of Joseph Henry McVilly, a newspaper editor, and his wife Marion Jane Thompson, née Smith. He was educated at Queen's College, Hobart. He was a sculler
Sculling
Sculling generally refers to a method of using oars to propel watercraft in which the oar or oars touch the water on both the port and starboard sides of the craft, or over the stern...
and won the Australian sculling championship in 1910 and 1911. In 1912, he participated in the single sculls
Rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics - Men's single sculls
The men's single sculls was a rowing event held as part of the Rowing at the 1912 Summer Olympics programme. It was the fourth appearance of the event.-Heats:...
rowing for Australasia at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Australasia at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Australasia was the name of a combined team at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden, consisting of 26 athletes from Australia and New Zealand...
, but he was disqualified for interference in his first heat. He won the Diamond Challenge Sculls
Diamond Challenge Sculls
The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England...
beating E Pink at Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
in 1913. He was Australian sculling champion again in 1914.
McVilly served with the Derwent Infantry for four years, becoming a sergeant. In World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
he was commissioned as second lieutenant into the Australian Imperial Force
Australian Imperial Force
The Australian Imperial Force was the name given to all-volunteer Australian Army forces dispatched to fight overseas during World War I and World War II.* First Australian Imperial Force * Second Australian Imperial Force...
on 9 December 1915 and was posted to 'B' Company, 40th Battalion. He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 May 1916 and in July went to England for training. He went to France on 23 November 1916 and was promoted to captain in December. At the beginning of 1917, he was training raiding parties at the Ecole Professionale, Armentières
Armentières
Armentières is a commune in the Nord department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in northern France. It is part of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole, and lies on the Belgian border, northwest of the city of Lille, on the right bank of the river Lys....
. He led 'B' Company, 40th Battalion at the Battle of Messines
Battle of Messines
The Battle of Messines was a battle of the Western front of the First World War. It began on 7 June 1917 when the British Second Army under the command of General Herbert Plumer launched an offensive near the village of Mesen in West Flanders, Belgium...
on the 6 and 7 June and was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for leadership under intensive enemy bombardment. He was badly wounded during the Third Battle of Ypres, at Broodseinde on 4 October.
McVilly was picked for special service in Mesopotamia and on 29 January 1918 set out for Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
in the Persian Gulf. He joined Dunsterforce on 28 March, and took part in the defence of Baku on the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
in August. He was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
on 21 February for special service in Mesopotamia. He returned to Australia from England in March 1919.
McVilly became a captain on the reserve of officers of the Australian Military Forces. From 1919 he worked for the Repatriation Commission in Tasmania until in 1929 he was appointed inspector of charities in Victoria. He became chairman of the Victorian Hospitals and Charities Commission in 1948. After retirement, he moved to Cowes
Cowes, Victoria
Cowes is the main township on Phillip Island in the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. It is less than 2 hours drive from Melbourne and can also be reached by ferry from Stony Point on the Mornington Peninsula. Cowes is located on the northern side of Phillip Island and faces towards French...
, Phillip Island, where he died at the age of 75.
McVilly married Kathleen Agnes Williams in Hobart on 28 August 1915. They had twin daughters.