Australian 1952 Olympic Games team blazer: Captain Claude Vincent Smeal, 3 Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment

Mid-green wool cloth men's blazer with patch pockets at the left breast and both hips. The opening of each pocket, and at a point 8 cm from the end of each sleeve, is decorated with a band of grosgrain silk in green with a narrow yellow stripe. The silk for the breast pocket differs in having a pair of yellow stripes. This pocket is hand embroidered in coloured silk with a large Australian coat of arms sitting between two boughs of wattle, overlaid by a white scroll bearing the word 'AUSTRALIA'. Below this are the Olympic rings and, in yellow, the words 'OLYMPIC GAMES 1952'. There are three main buttonholes, but only one gilded circular button to close the blazer - this may be a replacement, and is made by Stokes of Melbourne. A small square gilded button is applied to each cuff. There are two internal breast pockets. Lining is applied only to the sleeves (in a white rayon), shoulders and sides (in a green sateen) - the remainder is unlined.

Australian 1952 Olympic Games team blazer issued to Claude Vincent Smeal.

Born 22 September 1918 at Waverley, NSW, Claude Smeal enlisted on 20 February 1939 and served throughout the Second World War, initially in the CMF as a sapper with the Engineers. He served at Georges Heights and Queenscliff and was involved in the establishment of various radar stations, including Darwin in 1942.

He then enlisted with the AIF as a signaller and fought in New Guinea, but remained in the military after the war and enlisted for service in Korea with 3 Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR). As a lieutenant and later a captain, he served in Korea from 19 October 1951 until 3 July 1952 with 3 RAR as a platoon commander and signals officer. He returned briefly to Australia for leave after his participation in the Helsinki Olympics and then back to Japan where he was reposted to 1 RAR and served with them from late June 1954, presumably finishing his year’s tour of Korea. Upon his return to Australia he remained in the Army until his retirement on 22 September 1973.

Claude Smeal was also an enthusiastic runner who regularly participated in marathon events in Australia. The Sydney Morning Herald of 18 October 1950, for example, reported

'Claude Smeal, an Army lieutenant, has run 100 miles a week since September 24 to fit himself for the Victorian marathon championship over 26 miles, 385 yards. Smeal will be the only NSW representative in the Victorian race.'

He participated in the NSW Marathon in 1951, which he won, shortly before he embarked for Korea.

When Smeal joined 3 RAR in Korea in late October 1951, his battalion had just completed Operation Commando (its participation in the Battle of Maryang-San) and was settling down to patrolling the no man's land between the two opposing trench lines that ran along the 38th Parallel. Smeal continued training, jogging near sections of the front line and was warned by his commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Walsh, to 'keep his head down' on these occasions.

In mid-1952, his story came to the attention of the Australian press when he applied to the NSW Athletics Association for inclusion in the Australian Olympics team; with the support of both his battalion commander and two correspondents he completed a trial marathon. This was good enough - considering the conditions – for him to be considered and with the support of Frank Packer (and with the Army seeking good publicity), his selection was approved by the army minister and Smeal was added to the team. On 26 June 1952, the 3 RAR war diary noted his selection and on 2 July noted that 'Captain C V Smeal marched out en route for Helsinki' at 1700 hours.

En route to London to join the Australian team in London, Smeal was provided with a pair of running shoes by 'Japan's leading shoe craftsman' and commented that 'These are the best shoes I have ever had.' The shoes are of light canvas with ribbed crepe soles.

In the event, Claude Smeal finished 45th out of field of 68, with a time of 2 hours 52 minutes 23 seconds; the race was won by Czechoslovakian long distance runner Emil Zátopek in a time of 2 hours 23 minutes 3 seconds. The Minister for the Army, Francis, commented that 'Any runner going straight from actively fighting an enemy in a bitter campaign to compete with the world's best must be expected to appear under a handicap.'

After returning to Australia, Claude Smeal served as Range Adjutant at Maralinga, five years at the Parachute Training School at Williamstown (where he qualified as a parachutist at the age of 44) and saw further service overseas with the Pacific Islands Regiment. He retired in 1973 with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Claude Smeal maintained a lifelong interest in running and athletics attended all the reunions of the 1952 Australian Olympic team up until 1992, the year of his death at 74.