About Thames

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The 1940's

Alan Burrough and 'Sparrow' Morris, 1947

Alan Burrough was very nearly killed in the Second World War, his right foot being blown off when his tank was destroyed in the Libyan desert. When he recovered, he began to scull with an artificial foot. He went out in a pair in with his brother at Putney in the spring of 1944, but, sadly, John was killed soon afterwards serving with Coastal Command.

In the Goblets in 1947, Burrough partnered Sparrow Morris, losing a desparately close race with John Pinches and Edward Sturges of London by 6 feet. Burrough and Morris were invited to represent Great Britain at the European Championships in Lucerne, where they finished fifth. They raced in the Goblets again in 1949, this time losing to another Thames pair, Tony Butcher and Tom Christie, in the final.

Alan Burrough would later become President of Thames, and an extremely generous benefactor to the club and to rowing in general.

The all-Thames final of the Goblets, 1949.