wemburywaves

On this day in Wembury, 1 July
Source, Naval and Military Record and Royal Dockyards Gazette, 1 July 1931

The Naval and Military Record carried a full report on the annual Yealm regatta, a busy day of rowing, sailing and swimming that brought together local crews, service teams and familiar Yealm names. The Leveester Challenge Cup for locally owned boats or boats built on the Yealm was won by Cento, owned by Mr E A W Gifford. Nika, owned by Mr O D Hunt, took second place and Unknown, owned by Mr A Nelder, finished third. Handicaps were recorded carefully, with Cento owing Nika sixteen minutes and Unknown eighteen minutes.

Service teams were well represented. The service whalers race was won by the Royal Navy Barracks Plymouth team, with the Royal Air Force from Mount Batten second and the Royal Naval Engineering College from Devonport third. The motor boat handicap for Yealm craft, the Yelm House Motor Boat Challenge Cup, went to Tipperary driven by J Dyer for Mr J Kingcome, followed by the entry of the Hon Mrs Sebag Montefiore and then Susan owned by Commodore Leycester.

Local oarsmen and oarswomen filled the programme. J Clemow took the single sculls for punts and prams. Miss Rowe and J Leonard won the open pair oared race for small boats, with a second entry from Miss Rowe and A Nelder in the next place. W Tope won the men’s shovel race, and L Leonard won the single sculls for boats under fourteen feet. Miss K C Rowe won the women’s pair oared race with coxswain, with Miss E Rowe next home.

Swimming races closed the day. Miss Una Rowe won the local women’s event, Mrs Brock took second. F Fenton won both the under eighteen and the under fourteen youth events, a strong double. The men’s open race went to R C Richards, followed by A H Diack and Cawsley. The Royal Air Force also entered a collapsible boat race where Sez Me, crewed by Corporal Petch, finished first.

Hydroplanes provided the final spectacle, the win going to Mr K Skentelbery.
The report captures the energy of a Yealm regatta where villagers, service crews and familiar family names competed side by side.

Source, Naval and Military Record and Royal Dockyards Gazette, 1 July 1931.