John Lander (rower)
Encyclopedia
John Gerard Heath Lander (7 September 1907 – 25 December 1941) was a British
rower
who competed at the 1928 Summer Olympics
. He was killed in action during the Second World War.
Lander was born in Liverpool
. He attended Shrewsbury School
and was in the Shrewsbury crew that won the Ladies' Challenge Plate
at Henley Royal Regatta
in 1924. He then went to Trinity College, Cambridge
, where he rowed for the First Trinity Boat Club. With Edward Vaughan Bevan
, Richard Beesly
and Michael Warriner
, he won an Olympic gold medal in the coxless four
s event rowing at the 1928 Summer Olympics
in Amsterdam
. They recorded a time of 6:36.0 in the final to beat the U.S.
crew by 1 second. In 1929 Lander was expected to be included in the Cambridge
crew in the Boat Race, but Richard Beesly, fellow gold medalist and the Cambridge President, called on Tom Brocklebank as stroke instead.
Upon leaving Cambridge
, Lander took up a business appointment in Hong Kong
. He was killed in the Battle of Hong Kong
on Christmas Day 1941, the only British Olympic gold medallist to have been killed during World War II
.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
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 at the 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
. He was killed in action during the Second World War.
Lander was born in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. He attended Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
and was in the Shrewsbury crew that won the Ladies' Challenge Plate
Ladies' Challenge Plate
The Ladies' Challenge Plate is one of the events at Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. Crews of men's eight-oared boats below the standard of the Grand Challenge Cup can enter, although international standard heavyweight crews are not permitted to row in the...
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 1924. He then went to Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, where he rowed for the First Trinity Boat Club. With Edward Vaughan Bevan
Edward Vaughan Bevan
Edward Vaughan Bevan was a British doctor and rower who won a gold medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam....
, Richard Beesly
Richard Beesly
Richard Beesly was a British rower who won an Olympic gold medal at the 1928 Summer Olympics.Beesly was born at Bromsgrove, the son of Gerald Beesly and his wife Helen who was a cousin of Neville Chamberlain. He was educated at Oundle School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was a member...
and Michael Warriner
Michael Warriner
Michael Henry Warriner was a British rower who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics.Warriner was born at Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire He was educated at Harrow School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he rowed with the First Trinity Boat Club...
, he won an Olympic gold medal in the coxless four
Coxless four
A coxless four is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for four persons who propel the boat with sweep oars.The crew consists of four rowers, each having one oar. There are two rowers on the stroke side and two on the bow side...
s event rowing at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 1928 Summer Olympics featured 7 events, for men only. The competitions were held from August 2, 1928 to August 10, 1928.-Medal summary:-Participating nations:A total of 245 rowers from 19 nations competed at the Amsterdam Games:...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
. They recorded a time of 6:36.0 in the final to beat the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
crew by 1 second. In 1929 Lander was expected to be included in the Cambridge
Cambridge University Boat Club
The Cambridge University Boat Club is the rowing club of the University of Cambridge, England, located on the River Cam at Cambridge, although training primarily takes place on the River Great Ouse at Ely. The club was founded in 1828...
crew in the Boat Race, but Richard Beesly, fellow gold medalist and the Cambridge President, called on Tom Brocklebank as stroke instead.
Upon leaving Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
, Lander took up a business appointment in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. He was killed in the Battle of Hong Kong
Battle of Hong Kong
The Battle of Hong Kong took place during the Pacific campaign of World War II. It began on 8 December 1941 and ended on 25 December 1941 with Hong Kong, then a Crown colony, surrendering to the Empire of Japan.-Background:...
on Christmas Day 1941, the only British Olympic gold medallist to have been killed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.