1948 Summer Olympics torch relay
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The 1948 Summer Olympics torch relay was run from 17 July until 29 July 1948, prior to the
1948 Summer Olympics The 1948 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and also known as London 1948) were an international multi-sport event held from 29 July to 14 August 1948 in London, England, United Kingdom. Following a twelve-year hiatus ca ...
, held in London, United Kingdom. The relay was nicknamed the "relay of peace". It was only the second occasion that a torch relay was held for the Olympics; the
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was at the
1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-sp ...
. There were three types of torches designed for use on the relay: a standard
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powered torch made of aluminium, a special
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torch used on board HMS ''Whitesand Bay'', and a final torch used to enter Empire Stadium that was made of
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and powered by a magnesium candle. The route itself was initially designed to be a direct one from
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to Wembley, taking in Italy, Switzerland and France. Belgium and Luxembourg were added to the route after those countries requested it. It was expected that the Greek part of the relay would be , but was reduced to due to concerns over security. After the 12-day journey, the torch arrived at the Empire Stadium only thirty seconds later than expected.


Background

Despite hosting the
1908 Summer Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were ori ...
, the 1948 Games was the first London-based games to have a torch relay after it was introduced at the
1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (German: ''Olympische Sommerspiele 1936''), officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad (German: ''Spiele der XI. Olympiade'') and commonly known as Berlin 1936 or the Nazi Olympics, were an international multi-sp ...
in Berlin. Former British athlete David Cecil, 6th Marquess of Exeter, and the rest of the organising committee for the 1948 Games agreed to continue the tradition begun by the previous games, and run a torch relay for a second time.


Relay elements


Torch

Each of the torches contained a
solid fuel Solid fuel refers to various forms of solid material that can be burnt to release energy, providing heat and light through the process of combustion. Solid fuels can be contrasted with liquid fuels and gaseous fuels. Common examples of solid fuels ...
tablet made of hexamine and 6%
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(following torch running tests in May 1947) that fuelled the flame itself. The solid fuel increased the distance each runner could run to over flat terrain, decreasing the number of torches needed to be produced, which in turn reduced the cost of the relay. There were eight tablets loaded into each torch, with the bottom tablets pushed up by the use of a spring. The design increased the burning time of each torch up to around fifteen minutes, an increase from the four-minute torches of the 1936 Olympics. The torch itself was designed by Ralph Lavers, with the brief that it should be "inexpensive and easy to make, of pleasing appearance and a good example of British craftmanship". The torches were made from aluminium, with a long shaft holding a cup that contained the burner. "With thanks to the bearer" was written on the cup of the torch itself, along with the Olympic rings. The torches for the Greek leg of the relay were shipped to the Mediterranean aboard HMS ''Liverpool'', along with a purpose-built torch for the leg aboard a Royal Navy vessel from Corfu to Italy. A differently designed torch was used for the final leg. It was made of
stainless steel Stainless steel is an alloy of iron that is resistant to rusting and corrosion. It contains at least 11% chromium and may contain elements such as carbon, other nonmetals and metals to obtain other desired properties. Stainless steel's corros ...
and was fueled by magnesium in order to ensure that the flame showed up properly during the opening ceremony. It was also designed by Ralph Lavers, with the frame for the torch created by EMI, and the magnesium candle supplied by Wessex Aircraft Engineering. Neither the suppliers nor designer charged a fee for the final torch. Official Report (1948): p. 210


Planned torch route

;Key As planned :Source: The Official Report of the Organising Committee for the XIV Olympiad Official Report (1948): p. 212


Torch route

While the general negotiation with other countries and the specific route were handled by the Organising Committee for the Games, the detailed organisation was delegated to a subgroup led by F.W. Collins. Official Report (1948): p. 22 Due to cost implications, the extensive route conducted by the 1936 Games was ruled out. Official Report (1948): p. 209 Instead, the simplest route from Olympia to London was to be used, going by sea to Italy and then run through Switzerland and France. The route was modified only when Luxembourg and Belgium both requested that the torch travel their territories. A longer Greek route was planned, but reduced from an expected down to due to concerns over instability in the country and a lack of security. The torch lighting ceremony took place on 17 July 1948 in
Olympia The name Olympia may refer to: Arts and entertainment Film * ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games * ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
, Greece. As with the 1936 Summer Olympic relay, the torch relay was begun by focusing the sun's rays onto kindling using a parabolic reflector, which then lit the first torch. The kindling was conducted by a Girl Guide leader from Pyrgos, Elis. She was only chosen the previous evening due to the unsettled state of the country; the Athenian girl who was trained for the ceremony was unable to travel to Olympia. Official Report (1948): p. 217 In a symbolic gesture, the first runner, Corporal Dimitrelis of the Greek Army, laid down his arms and removed his military uniform before taking his torch in hand. The kindling material for the first torch was handed over as a gift from the Chairman of the Greek Olympic Committee to Collins, for Princess Elizabeth. It was then run to the Greek coast at Katakolo, where at 7 pm it boarded the Greek destroyer ''Hastings'' bound for the island of
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. It stayed overnight in the
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, and boarded HMS ''Whitesand Bay'' at 1:30 pm the following day where the flame was switched to a specially equipped
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torch in order to ensure that there was a 48-hour lifespan available for the flame, despite the crossing only being expected to take 22 hours. The ship dropped the torch off in
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at 12:30 pm on 19 July. It was run north through several Italian cities before crossing the Simplon Pass into
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on 23 July. From there it was run west until leaving the country at
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, and entering France at Saint-Julien-en-Genevois. The route then detours from the direct route to take in Luxembourg and into Belgium before re-entering France at Lille on 28 July, finally departing the country at
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. HMS ''Bicester'' carried the torch across the English Channel to
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, arriving at 8:25 pm on 28 July. It travelled through several towns in the
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until it arrived at Wembley, where it arrived only thirty seconds late after the entire journey. That delay may have only been in the final few hundred yards of the relay down Olympic Way outside of Empire Stadium as the pressure of the crowds on the torch carrier and their escorts reduced the pace to walking speed. Special celebrations were held at each border crossing, and at Pierre de Coubertin's tomb in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was agreed for a secondary Olympic Flame to be lit in Torquay during the games, and a secondary torch relay was conducted to take the flame from Wembley south to the coast to Torquay. The arrangements were the same as from Dover to Wembley but in reverse. Official Report (1948): p. 213 Outside Greece, the cities and towns visited by the Olympic flame were the following ones:


References

;Specific ;General * {{Olympic torch relays Olympic torch relays 1948 Summer Olympics