Cecil Healy - Great Uncle of Council staff member honoured in France

They say you don’t choose your family and for Steve Downman Council's Beach Services Coordinator, he wouldn't want anyone else to be related to.

Mr Downman’s great, great uncle is Cecil Healey - Australia’s only Olympic Gold Medallist to have died on the battlefield.

Two weeks ago, Steve, his father Mike and other family members travelled to the north of France to participate in the unveiling of a statute and plaque dedicated to Cecil which coincides with the centenary of his death.

Steve Downman said it was an unexpected surprise to be invited to France, but a great honour for him and his family.

“It was quite surreal the whole experience. The amount of time and effort the local community dedicated to this man from 100 years ago; the large scale military presence; international media on hand was quite amazing.

“To walk in his steps, be at the spot he was killed and then at the burial site was very moving.

“He is a real hero to, two nations as both a military man and world class sportsman and to be celebrated with a life size statue in the grounds of this beautiful French village is most rewarding,” Steve said.

Before joining the army, Cecil was considered one of the world’s best swimmers and was the popular captain and a founding member of Manly Surf Club.

Cecil represented Australia at the 1906 Athens Olympics winning a bronze medal. He then travelled throughout Europe winning many races.

His most famous sporting achievement was at  the 1912 Stockholm Olympics where he gave up a shore gold medal to eventual winner Duke Kahanamoku.

He insisted the American team, who has missed their semi-final race, be allowed to swim, which virtually ensured the Duke would win, relegating Cecil to second place.

This act was considered one of the greatest displays of sportsmanship and has been honoured this year by the International Olympic Committee who have established a sportsmanship award to be given to any athlete in the future Olympic Games who displays a similar feat.

While Healy came away from the 1912 Games with silver in the 100 yard swim, he was a member of the gold medal winning team in the 4 x 200m relay.

Healy would certainly have been selected for the 1916 Olympics, but the world was at war. He enlisted in the Australian Infantry Forces in 1915 and travelled to England first then France to do his part for his country.

In June 1918, Healy arrived in Ameins as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 19th Battalion. He was tragically gunned down by machine gun fire on 29 August 1918, as he led his men across the Somme in a battle to overtake Mt St Quentin.

Cecil was only 36-years-old when he died and buried in the New British Cemetery near the village of Assivillers.

Earlier this month, Steve Downman and his family were invited to France by the Mayor and townspeople of Assevillers where they participated in a 15km march between Peronne and Assevilliers, remembering Lt Healy and other Australians who fought to liberate the area from the Germans.

The march ended at Healy’s grave site in the New British War Cemetery before a ceremony remembering his bravery was held to unveil a statute of Cecil in the Central Park in Assevillers. In attendance were high ranking military officials from both Australia and France as well as numerous officials from neighbouring towns.

A plaque has also been installed at the Somme Aquatic Centre to honour the legend.

An exhibition – Cecil Healey: When a Champion Became a Soldier – was also unveiled in the Assevilliers Town Hall, along with a concert for the centenary of the liberation of the village.

The following day the Cecil Healy Race was held, honouring the athlete. The 12km run, 35k bike ride and 400m swim was staged throughout the beautiful countryside of the Somme region with Steve and his father competing as a team to represent Cecil’s family legacy.

Most recently, Cecil has also been honoured by Council co-naming a pool after him at the Manly Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton Aquatic Centre. The John Devitt Cecil Healy 25m Indoor Pool is testament to the achievements of two of the finest swimming champions our country has seen.