Harold Pycock

Harold Pycock was a Great Britain and England swimming and water polo international between 1920-32. Between 1922-25 he enjoyed four podium finishes at the ASA Championships. He was second in the 100 yards freestyle in 1923 and 1925 and third in 1922. He was also the 200 yards breaststroke runner-up in 1923. Pycock set both British 100 and 150 yards freestyle records, which stood for seven and four years respectively. He won four consecutive Southern Area 100 yards freestyle titles and was three-times the Army champion. He also played water polo for Middlesex for over 10 years and, in all that time, failed to score in just two matches.

Pycock served in World War I with the Grenadier Guards and when hostilities re-commenced in 1939 he was commissioned into the Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) and reached the rank of major. In 1942 he was captured by the Japanese and worked on the infamous Burmese “Railroad of Death” for 3½ years. He was awarded the MBE for his exemplary work as a leader of his fellow prisoners. After the War he worked as manager of the Hastings Swimming Baths before becoming manager of the Railway Hotel in the town. He also held various swimming administrative roles, and was president of the Middlesex County Swimming and Water Polo Association, and later the honorary secretary of the Sussex County Swimming Association. He also served on ASA Council for many years and was in charge of the 1948 Olympic water polo competition.