Mervyn Thomas Wood

Mervyn Thomas Wood was born in Kensington and enrolled at Sydney High in 1929 from Randwick Public School.  While at school, he rowed in the 1st VIII in 1933 and 1934. He also competed in athletics at shot put. 

After completing the Leaving Certificate in 1934, he followed his father, uncle and elder brother into the police force, joining the police cadets and becoming a probationary constable three years later. He rose through the ranks, being awarded the Queen’s Police Medal (QPM) in 1975 and eventually becoming Police Commissioner in 1977. He was appointed a Member (Fourth Class) of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in 1977, following the Queen’s silver jubilee visit.

Wood was best known as a champion rower. He competed at four Olympic Games, commencing in 1936, in the Australian VIII. But it was in sculls that he became prominent. He won gold in the single sculls at the London games in 1948, silver in the single sculls at the Helsinki games in 1952 and bronze in the double sculls at the 1956 Melbourne games. He carried the flag for the Australian Olympic team twice, the only person to have done so. 

He also won four Empire Games gold medals (competing in 1950, 1954 and 1958), two Henley Diamond Sculls (in 1948 and 1952), two Philadelphia Gold Cup Challenges (in 1948 and 1950) and 12 national championships. He received an MBE in 1957 for services to Australian sport. 

His sons followed him to High so throughout the period 1956-1965 he was a frequent visitor and speaker at school community functions on his sporting experiences. He also coached High rowing crews in the 1960s

He resigned as Police Commissioner in controversial circumstances in 1979. He spent a quiet retirement and, despite cancer and other health problems, carried the Olympic torch through the streets of Maroubra in 2000.