Tag: Bruce Coe

The Story of the King’s Cup: 1919-2019

This year marks the centenary of the Peace Regatta (link).

I have been writing about preparations for the centenary since 2014 when I learned about Bruce Coe’s research into the Regatta (link)

Bruce’s research is in his latest book, Pulling Through, published to coincide with the celebrations at Henley in July this year (link).

It is a meticulous account of events in and around 1919 and demonstrates powerfully the role of an historian in pursuing, discovering and sharing primary resources about events that are now beyond living memory.

It is a compelling story. it is one I have just completed reading after seeing the film, Testament of Youth (link).

I do hope Bruce’s book receives a wide readership in this of all years.

Photo Credit

The AIF No. 1 Crew (Rowing Australia website)

The centenary of the 1919 Peace Regatta

The AIF No. 1 Crew – Winners of the 1919 King’s Cup at the Henley Royal Peace Regatta

The centenary of an Australian eight’s success at the 1919 Peace Regatta will be celebrated in Australia and at the Henley Royal Regatta (link).

Bruce Coe has written a book to record events in 1919 and the story of the King’s Cup (link). The book will be published in time for the 2019 Interstate Championships (link). Bruce is also involved in the making of a documentary about the Peace Regatta.

The 1919 Regatta was organised by rowing clubs in England for oarsmen in the Allied Armies. Two Australian crews competed in the event. They raced each other in the heats. The Number 1 crew won that race and went on to win the King’s Cup.

Photo Credit

The AIF No. 1 Crew (Rowing Australia website)

Researching War Time VFL Games

This is the cover of the book. The picture shaped in an oval is of the Lone Pine Cemetary and Memorial Gallipoli

Bruce Coe has an insatiable interest in Australian sport history.

Our meetings always surprise me about the depth and width of his research activity.

His latest enterprise with Bruce Kennedy is to produce an account of the Victorian Football League during two World Wars.

Brendan Nelson has written a Foreword to the book. In it he writes:

Despite being an indelible part of Australia’s fabric, only in more recent times has the history of sport in this country become a topic of serious study. … this book fills an important gap in our knowledge, enhancing our understanding of Australian sport during wartime, and thereby deepening our awareness of the social and cultural interconnections between sport and war.

Bruce Coe is one of the bastions of sport history scholarship in Australia. With Bruce Kennedy, the VFL book exemplifies this scholarship. I am delighted to have received an advanced copy of this lavishly illustrated history.

It adds to my interest in and understanding of sport history methodology and narrative.

Bibliographical note

No Umpires In This Game is published by Bruce Coe and Bruce Kennedy, 2016. It has the ISBN number 978-0-646-94515-6.