Lionel Van Praag
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Lionel Van Praag
Lionel Maurice Van Praag, George Medal, GM (17 December 1908 – 15 May 1987) was an Australian motorcycle speedway champion, who won the inaugural Speedway World Championship in London on 10 September 1936. Van Praag's victory saw him established as Australia's first ever motorsport World Champion. 1931 UK Southern League Champion In his first full season in British speedway, Lionel was a member of the Wembley Lions (speedway), Wembley Lions team that won the last ever Speedway Southern League, Southern League and the National Trophy in 1931. 1932 UK National League Champion Lionel won the inaugural National League (1932–1964), National League title in 1932 with the Wembley Lions (speedway), Wembley Lions 1936 World Speedway Final Circumstances Lionel won the run-off for the Speedway World Championship against Eric Langton in 1936 Individual Speedway World Championship, 1936 in somewhat controversial circumstances. The Championship was decided by bonus points accumulated ...
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George Medal
The George Medal (GM), instituted on 24 September 1940 by King George VI,''British Gallantry Medals'' (Abbott and Tamplin), p. 138 is a decoration of the United Kingdom and Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for gallantry, typically by civilians, or in circumstances where military honours are not appropriate. History In 1940, at the height of the Blitz, there was a strong desire to reward many acts of civilian courage. Existing awards open to civilians were not considered suitable to meet the new situation, so the George Cross and the George Medal were instituted to recognise civilian gallantry in the face of enemy bombing, and brave deeds more generally. Announcing the new awards, the King said The warrant for the GM (along with that of the GC), dated 24 January 1941, was published in ''The London Gazette'' on 31 January 1941. Criteria The medal is granted in recognition of "acts of great bravery". The original warrant for the George Medal did not explicitly per ...
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Sydney Sports Ground
The Sydney Sports Ground No. 1 was a stadium and dirt track racing venue in Sydney, New South Wales. The ground was located where the car park of the Sydney Football Stadium (SFS) currently sits. The ground had two main grandstands and was surrounded by a grass covered hill, giving it a capacity of more than 35,000. It was demolished along with the smaller No.2 Ground in 1986 to allow the building of the SFS, which opened in 1988. During its lifespan the sports ground hosted rugby league, rugby union, soccer, motorcycle speedway, and speedway car racing. The Sports Ground was the home ground of NSWRL team, the Eastern Suburbs Roosters, the club playing 500 games at the ground from 1911 until 1986, with a 283-199-18 W-L-D record. History Sport The ground's primary use was as the home venue for Eastern Suburbs, who began playing at the ground in Round 2 of the 1911 NSWRFL season with a 22–9 win over North Sydney on 6 May in front of 5,000 fans. The Roosters played their last ...
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Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-General of Australia, governor-general of Australia is the de jure commander-in-chief of the Australian Defence Force. The Royal Australian Air Force is commanded by the Chief of Air Force (Australia), Chief of Air Force (CAF), who is subordinate to the Chief of the Defence Force (Australia), Chief of the Defence Force (CDF). The CAF is also directly responsible to the Minister for Defence (Australia), Minister for Defence, with the Department of Defence (Australia), Department of Defence administering the ADF and the Air Force. Formed in March 1921, as the Australian Air Force, through the separation of the Australian Air Corps from the Army in January 1920, which in turn amalgamated the separate aerial services of both the Army and Navy. It d ...
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World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war. Tanks in World War II, Tanks and Air warfare of World War II, aircraft played major roles, enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, first and only nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II is the List of wars by death toll, deadliest conflict in history, causing World War II casualties, the death of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides, including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation, and disease. After the Allied victory, Allied-occupied Germany, Germany, Allied-occupied Austria, Austria, Occupation of Japan, Japan, a ...
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1938 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1938 Individual Speedway World Championship was the third edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider. The Championship was won by the 28 year-old Australian Arthur 'Bluey' Wilkinson, in front of a new record crowd for speedway of 95,000. The newspapers reported that despite extra police one of the worst traffic jams of the year resulted after the meeting was over and that the air was thick with petrol fumes. Qualifying round *The top 28 riders over the 13 qualifying rounds would qualify for the Championship round. Championship round Points The top 16 riders and 1 reserve, over the 7 Championship rounds would qualify for the World final. World final *1 September 1938 * Wembley Stadium (1923), Wembley Stadium, London *Attendance: 95,000 (all-time Wembley speedway attendance record) References

{{Speedway Grand Prix seasons Individual Speedway World Championship, 1938 1938 in speedway, Individual World Championship 1938 ...
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1937 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1937 Individual Speedway World Championship was the second edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider. An attendance of 85,000 (a record for speedway in the United Kingdom at the time) saw Jack Milne win all five races to head an all USA top three on the podium. The track was criticised and was described as being too deep with cinders. Qualifying round *Top 28 riders qualify for Championship round Championship round *The top 16 riders over the 6 qualifying rounds and 7 championship rounds would qualify for the World final. Top 16 qualifiers (2 reserves) World final *2 September 1937 * Wembley Stadium, London References {{Speedway Grand Prix seasons 1937 Individual World Championship Individual Speedway World Championship Individual Speedway World Championship The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest-ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world, run under the auspice ...
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Wembley Stadium (1923)
Wembley Greyhounds, Wembley Stadium (; originally known as the Empire Stadium) was a Association football, football stadium in Wembley, London, best known for hosting important football matches. It stood on the same site now occupied by its Wembley Stadium, successor. Wembley hosted the FA Cup final annually, the first in 1923 FA Cup final, 1923, which was the stadium's inaugural event, the EFL Cup, League Cup final annually, five UEFA Champions League, European Cup finals, the 1966 FIFA World Cup final, 1966 World Cup final, and the UEFA Euro 1996 final, final of Euro 1996. Brazilian footballer Pelé once said of the stadium: "Wembley is the cathedral of football. It is the capital of football and it is the heart of football", in recognition of its status as the world's best-known football stadium. The stadium also hosted many other sports events, including the 1948 Summer Olympics, rugby league's Challenge Cup final, and the 1992 Rugby League World Cup final, 1992 and 1995 R ...
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Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victoria (state), Victoria, and the second most-populous city in Australia, after Sydney. The city's name generally refers to a metropolitan area also known as Greater Melbourne, comprising an urban agglomeration of Local Government Areas of Victoria#Municipalities of Greater Melbourne, 31 local government areas. The name is also used to specifically refer to the local government area named City of Melbourne, whose area is centred on the Melbourne central business district and some immediate surrounds. The metropolis occupies much of the northern and eastern coastlines of Port Phillip Bay and spreads into the Mornington Peninsula, part of West Gippsland, as well as the hinterlands towards the Yarra Valley, the Dandenong Ranges, and the Macedon R ...
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Perth
Perth () is the list of Australian capital cities, capital city of Western Australia. It is the list of cities in Australia by population, fourth-most-populous city in Australia, with a population of over 2.3 million within Greater Perth . The Extremes on Earth#Other places considered the most remote, world's most isolated major city by certain criteria, Perth is part of the South West Land Division of Western Australia, with most of Perth metropolitan region, Perth's metropolitan area on the Swan Coastal Plain between the Indian Ocean and the Darling Scarp. The city has expanded outward from the original British settlements on the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River, upon which its #Central business district, central business district and port of Fremantle are situated. Perth was founded by James Stirling (Royal Navy officer), Captain James Stirling in 1829 as the administrative centre of the Swan River Colony. The city is situated on the traditional lands of the Whadju ...
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Claremont Speedway
The Claremont Speedway was a racing circuit in the grounds of the Claremont Showground in the suburb of Claremont in Western Australia's capital city of Perth. The speedway held its first meeting on 14 May 1927, and its final meeting on 31 March 2000. History Barriers and fences were improved over time to prevent out of control vehicles from entering the spectator areas. During its 72-year operation the speedway hosted numerous Western Australian championships as well as national championships including the Australian Sprintcar Championship, the Australian Speedcar Championship, the Australian Super Sedan Championship, the Australian Solo Championship, and the Australian Sidecar Championship. The speedway also hosted various rounds of the World Series Sprintcars. Claremont hosted the first ever round of the inaugural World Series Sprintcars on 1 December 1987. The Speedway was in length. This made it the largest continually used speedway in an Australian state capital ...
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Adelaide
Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre; the demonym ''Adelaidean'' is used to denote the city and the residents of Adelaide. The Native title in Australia#Traditional owner, traditional owners of the Adelaide region are the Kaurna, with the name referring to the area of the city centre and surrounding Adelaide Park Lands, Park Lands, in the Kaurna language. Adelaide is situated on the Adelaide Plains north of the Fleurieu Peninsula, between the Gulf St Vincent in the west and the Mount Lofty Ranges in the east. Its metropolitan area extends from the coast to the Adelaide Hills, foothills of the Mount Lofty Ranges, and stretches from Gawler in the north to Sellicks Beach in the south. Named in ho ...
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Adelaide Showgrounds
The Adelaide Showground holds many of Adelaide's most popular events, including the Royal Adelaide Show. The Showground (also popularly known as the Wayville Showgrounds) is located in the inner-southern Adelaide suburb of Wayville, South Australia, Wayville, just south of Greenhill Road, Adelaide, Greenhill Road. They are bordered by Goodwood Road, Adelaide, Goodwood Road (east), Leader Street (south), the railway line (west) and Rose Terrace (north). The Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia (RAHS) has controlled the site since the 1920s, the land having been purchased by the South Australian government prior to the First World War. The Royal Show moved to the present site in 1925. The Showground has one of the largest under-cover exhibition spaces in the Southern Hemisphere, and hosts over 140 exhibitions and conferences each year, as well as University of Adelaide and University of South Australia examinations. The RAHS also leases the former ...
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