Rowland George

Rowland David George, DSO, OBE (15 January 1905 – 9 September 1997) was a British rower who won gold in the 1932 Summer Olympics. As a World War II wing commander he was the only member of the Royal Air Force Equipment Branch to be awarded the Distinguished Service Order. Until his death he was the oldest surviving British Olympic gold medallist.

Early life and Olympic success George was born at Bath, Somerset, the third son (fourth child) of John Ellis George and May Louise George. He was educated at Wycliffe College and Lincoln College, Oxford. He started rowing at Oxford, but was not yet at a standard to compete in the Boat Race. After one race a doctor ordered him never to set foot in a boat again as he was so exhausted. He entered business with E. S. & A. Robinson(later part of Dickinson Robinson Group), a firm of printers and packing manufacturers in Bristol, and in 1929 he was transferred to the London office in Colliers Wood, which gave him the opportunity to start rowing again.

In 1930 he joined Thames Rowing Club. In 1931 at Henley Royal Regatta, he was in the winning Thames coxless four in the Wyfold Challenge Cup and in the Thames eight that lost narrowly in the final of the Grand Challenge Cup. In 1932 at Henley he was in the runner-up Thames eight in the final of the Grand again and was also the winning Thames crew in the Stewards Challenge Cup. The Thames coxless four was then chosen to represent Great Britain rowing at the 1932 Summer Olympics and won the gold medal in a hard race against the German crew.

George married Hon. Sylvia Beatrice Norton, daughter of Cecil Norton, 1st Baron Rathcreedan and Marguerite Cecil Huntington, at St Mary's Henley on 22 April 1933 and had three sons and a daughter.

World War II In World War II, George joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve serving in the Equipment Branch as he was too old for flying training. promoted pilot officer on 8 January 1940 flying officer on 1 December 1940, and temporary flight lieutenant on 1 March 1942. In late 1942, as an acting squadron leader, he commanded the RAF unit responsible for supplies passing through the harbour at Bone, Algeria, as part of the Operation Torch landings. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1943 King's Birthday Honours in recognition of his efforts supporting the operation while under considerable harassment from the Luftwaffe.

In 1943 as an acting wing commander, and due to the reputation he had gained in Algeria, he was appointed to the staff planning the Allied invasion of Sicily. He was in charge of the supply system from the beaches to the airfields during the Salerno landings. He landed on the beaches with the first assault troops on 10 September 1943 and came under fire on the beaches and on the way to the supply dumps and airfields. He carried on even though he was wounded when his tented camp was hit by two bombs. He was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Order,

He was also Mentioned in Despatches on 14 January 1944, and again on 8 June 1944. Though an acting wing commander, his substantive rank was still flight lieutenant, he was promoted war substantive squadron leader on 18 June 1944. He was also awarded the US Legion of Merit (degree of Officer) in 1944.

Later life After the war George returned to work for Robinsons, becoming managing director of their subsidiaries in Colliers Wood and, later, Ipswich. He became commanding officer of the County of Suffolk Fighter Control Unit, relinquishing the post on 1 June 1951 when he transferred to the reserve. He also returned to Colliers Wood at this time. Sylvia had died in 1984, one son also predeceased him.