Jack Wilson was born of English parents in America and went to school in Texas before entering Shrewsbury School in 1924. He subsequently went up to Pembroke College, Cambridge and rowed in the winning Cambridge boat from 1934 to 1936. While at Cambridge, Wilson met his future Olympic partner, Ran Laurie, and from then on their lives were closely interwoven. Jack Wilson would almost certainly have been selected for the 1936 Olympics had he not already taken up a post with the Sudan Government Service. Later in 1936 Ran Laurie joined him in the Sudan. Their friendship was soon re-established and on one occasion Laurie received news that Wilson had been speared through by a crazed woman with an assegai but, after speeding to see Wilson before he died, Laurie found the victim of the attack playing tennis with his nurse! Although training opportunities were limited, Wilson and Laurie ensured that their leave in 1938 coincided with Henley week where they surprisingly won the Goblets. Ten years later, this unusual pairing from Africa scored their second win the Goblets and then went on to take the Olympic title.
Great Britain