Roger's Story
1919 – 1976
Roger Cornforth, from Sydney, was a member of the Australian water polo team which made its Olympic debut at London 1948. Before World War II, he had been a champion junior athlete and an Australian swimming champion. During the war, he was a prisoner of the Japanese for a number of years and after his release, like all other prisoners of war, he was in a shocking emaciated state.
Back in Australia, he built himself up to be one of the power players in the water polo team and also to play two Tests for the Wallabies. In London, water polo team members discovered that being part-time players, who played for recreation, they were little match for the Europeans where in some countries water polo was almost a national sport.
Cornforth, like his captain in London, Hermie Doerner, is a member of the New South Wales Hall of Champions.
London 1948 Water Polo: Herman Doerner (Captain), Arthur Burge, Roger Cornforth, Ben Dalley, Jack Ferguson, Leon Ferguson, Colin French, Eric Johnston, Jack King, Les McKay
