Abstract
The name of Captain Francis Edward (Frank) De Groot is well remembered for an iconic incident in Australian history. On 19 March 1932, dressed in army uniform and mounted on horseback, De Groot attached himself to the governor-general's entourage proceeding to the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. In spectacular circumstances and with his horse rearing, De Groot slashed the opening ribbon with his World War I cavalry sword, thus pre-empting Premier J. T. Lang. As he did so, De Groot declared the bridge open 'in the name of the decent and respectable citizens of New South Wales'. Filmed by Cinesound News, the incident and its unusual consequences--De Groot was briefly incarcerated in the Darlinghurst reception centre, where his sanity was assessed--became invested with folkloric significance. Captain De Groot has not been forgotten. To the present day most tourism websites relating to the Sydney Harbour Bridge mention the incident. If anything, the image of the 'man on the horse' is overexposed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Journal | Journal of the Royal Australian Historical Society |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 |
Keywords
- De Groot, Francis, 1888-1969
- Australian history
- Sydney Harbour Bridge
- intelligence service
