King's 1946 crew celebrated in row past at Henley Royal Regatta

Saturday 2nd June saw a former King’s College London alumnus take pride of place on the semi-finals day of the world-renowned Henley Royal Regatta.

Watch the row past with Dr Francis de Marneffe, honouring the 1946 KCLBC crew (2:20 onwards). Source: Henley Royal Regatta Youtube Channel

92 year old Dr Francis de Marneffe was a medical student at training at King’s and the Westminster Hospital in 1946 when he formed part a King’s College London Boat Club (KCLBC) crew that won the Wyfold Challenge Cup in the first post-war Henley Regatta. The victory was the first trophy at the illustrious regatta for either of the Guy's Hospital, King's College or St Thomas' Hospital boat clubs, despite the presence of these crews stretching as far back as the second regatta in 1840.

On Saturday, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary the Regatta honoured this achievement by inviting - a still very athletic - Dr de Marneffe to re-row the Henley race course. Dr de Marneffe had been training weekly for the last year in preparation for the row-past, which was performed in an eight and contained crew members from King’s rowing community past and present.

The story of Francis’ victory is all the more remarkable considering it came barely a year after the end of World War Two, and only months after leaving the RAF where he had served as a pilot.

Born in Belgium to a Belgian father and English mother, Francis grew up in Brussels, learning to row at a young age. He was only 16, when in May 1940 Germany invaded Belgium.

As the likelihood of Brussels being captured grew, Francis answered the Belgian government’s call for all males aged 16-35 to leave home and assemble in France for mobilisation.

On the 10th May he set out alone on his bicycle across Belgium and Northern France – unsure of his final destination. Ultimately as the German advance continued through Northern Europe, and the Belgian government sought refuge in Britain, Francis would find his way to Bordeaux, crossing the Channel on the last allied boat from that port, before finally ending his marathon journey at the door of his aunt’s home in Oxfordshire, nearly two months after leaving Brussels.

Separated from his family for the remainder of the war, Francis would complete his schooling in Bloxham in 1941 before being accepted to read medicine at King’s. In 1943 he would suspend his studies in order to join the RAF where he would see out the end of the war as a commissioned officer and flying instructor.

Returning to King’s following his military service, Francis completed his medical training in 1950. It was during this post-war period that he displayed serious athletic credentials rowing at Henley Regatta on three occasions (1946,1947,1948).

In 1946, the Wyfolds was an academic and club coxless fours event, and the KCLBC crew was made up of four highly competitive King’s oarsmen – de Marneffe, John R. Johnson (medicine), Thomas H. Christie (medicine) and Peter S. Pusey (engineering).

Dr Francis de Marneffe, with KCLBC members past and present. Source: Henley Royal Regatta/James Finlay

On Saturday, Dr de Marneffe was the sole member of his crew to be present in the row-past eight, however he was cheered on from the river bank by Thomas Christie. Qualifying as an anaesthetist, Dr Christie went on to Olympic, Commonwealth and further Henley honours well beyond 1946.

Also rowing in the eight were a number notable former Guy’s Hospital Boat Club oarsmen. Paul S. Bennett (dentistry), Michael Gleeson (medicine and dentistry - current Emeritus Professor of Otolaryngology and Skull Base Surgery, Guy's, King's & St Thomas' hospitals), Simon Jefferies (dentistry) and Robert Pinckey (dentistry) have all had considerable success in both their professional fields as doctors and dentists to date, and rowing - notching up Olympics, World Rowing Championships, World Rowing Championships and even long-distance world records on the water between themselves.

These were joined by several current students, recipients of the David Cooper Rowing Scholarship – the annual award made to individuals who enhance the activities of KCLBC, or represent it at a high level of competition.

King’s Sport would like to congratulate Dr de Marneffe, and all crew members on the row-past.

Dr de Marneffe’s war-time experiences are covered in full in his memoir 'Last Boat from Bordeaux' which can be purchased online.