The Oarsmen

25/04/2024

Anzac Day 2024. Remember them all. Surviving was not easy.

20/06/2023

Five years in the making, we're after some financial support to help complete the three part documentary series, The Oarsmen. We've already heaps of support from the rowing fraternity, the Australian Defence Force (ADF), rowing historians and experts but need further funds to license archival and photographic footage. All contributions can be made via Documentary Australia Foundation (CLICK ON LINK) https://documentaryaustralia.com.au/project/the-oarsmen/ Donations for Australian residents are fully tax deductible.
We hope you can all help us cross the finish line and get the series onto a screen. Thank you.

11/07/2022

Very grateful to Henley Rowing Club for their assistance filming some row overs the HRR course (multiple times!) with different national bow flags.

07/07/2022

Temple Island, Henley-on-Thames. Pencil on paper.

29/06/2022

HRR 2022. Just finished my second interview with legendary oarsman, Sir Steve Redgrave.

18/06/2022

Travelling to HRR 2022. Media Pass approved. Here’s seven hand embroidered flags (by Liz Gemmell) to film on the Henley Reach course. The King’s Cup Allied army crews in 1919 flew flags on the sneak of the boat. 48 stars for the US. No Maple leaf for Canada.

21/03/2022

Hear the Boat Sing
Howard Croker… we all know the pink collars.

Howard Croker with his wife Kaye and son Darren, in March 2019, at a rowing event at Sydney International Regatta Cenre (SIRC) in Penrith. Photo: Louis Petrin. 21 March 2022 By Göran R Buckhorn In …

16/03/2022

A new short film about master oar maker Howard Croker, crafting 50 year old flitches of Sitka (Canadian) spruce into eight sweep oars for the feature film, The Oarsmen. Art is everything. Not just for decoration. Please share.

10/03/2022

For all those interested in master craftsman oarmaking, a new short video about rowing legend Howard Croker crafting Canadian spruce oars for the film, The Oarsmen. Stayed tuned…

05/07/2021

A very rare photo of the 1919 Royal Henley Peace Regatta Steward's Enclosure... not much has changed since. The umbrellas were used to keep Princess Arthur of Connaught dry during the trophy presentation.

17/12/2020

Pleased that The Oarsmen was shortlisted for the 2020 Prime Minister’s Literary Award in the Australian History section. The breakfast ceremony was held at the National Library, Canberra. No cigar but great to be included with some of Australia’s esteemed writers.

04/12/2020

Let’s hope it lives up to the comments... Pleased The Oarsmen is still running its course.

‘This is an extraordinary book, which carefully pieces together the previously untold, extraordinary story of how a rowing eight made up of physically and psychologically scarred AIF servicemen won the King’s Cup at the 1919 Henley Regatta. Eschewing a narrative of nationalism this is a tale of the triumph of the human spirit.’ – Australian History Judges