Guy Richardson

The son of major-general Alexander Richardson, a 1924 Olympic bobsleigh silver medalist, Guy Richardson enjoyed his winter months skiing in Switzerland. However, when he emulated his father, and won an Olympic silver medal, it was not on snow or ice, but on water, as a member, and captain, of the Great Britain rowing eight in 1948.

An Old Wykehamist, Richardson attended Winchester College and was stroke to the Winchester eight at many regattas before World War II. After going to Magdalene College, Cambridge, after the War, he was stroke to the 1947 winning Boat Race crew and rowed at number four in 1948, when they won again. Richardson, was also that year’s Cambridge University Boat Club president, and also took part in the Grand Challenge Cup at Henley with the Leander eight.

Richardson lost his life on a BEA Vanguard flight from Edinburgh to London that crashed into the runway on landing at London Airport, killing all 36 passengers and crew members.