Arthur Porritt, Baron Porritt

Colonel The Right Honourable The Lord Porritt GCMG GCVO CBE FRCS
Arthur Porritt in 1923
11th Governor-General of New Zealand
In office 1 December 1967 – 7 September 1972
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	Sir Bernard Fergusson
Succeeded by	Sir Denis Blundell
2nd Chairman of the British Empire and Commonwealth Games Federation
In office 1950–1966
Preceded by	Sir James Leigh-Wood
Succeeded by	Sir Alexander Ross
Personal details
Born	(1900-08-10)10 August 1900 Wanganui, Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand
Died	1 January 1994(1994-01-01) (aged 93) London, UK
Nationality	New Zealand
Profession	Surgeon
Military career
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1940–1956
Rank	Colonel
Battles/wars	Second World War *North African Campaign Battle of France Operation Overlord
Awards	Officer of the Order of the British Empire Officer of the Legion of Merit

Arthur Porritt, Baron Porritt

Personal information
Height	171 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight	64 kg (141 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Sprint
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	100 yd – 9.8 (1923) 200 m – 21.5 (1925)
Medal record Representing  New Zealand Olympic Games 1924 Paris 100 m World Student Games 1924 Warsaw 100 m 1924 Warsaw 200 m 1924 Warsaw 110 m hurdles

Second World War

Colonel Arthur Espie Porritt, Baron Porritt GCMG GCVO CBE FRCS (10 August 1900 – 1 January 1994) was a New Zealand physician, military surgeon, statesman and athlete. He won a bronze medal at the 1924 Summer Olympics in the 100 m sprint. He served as the 11th Governor-General of New Zealand between 1967 and 1972.

Porritt was born in Wanganui, New Zealand, the son of Ivy Elizabeth Porritt née McKenzie and Ernest Edward Porritt, a doctor. His mother died in 1914 during his first year at the Wanganui Collegiate School, and his father left soon after to serve in World War I. He became a keen athlete. In 1920 he began studying towards a medical degree at the University of Otago where he was a resident at Selwyn College and President of the Selwyn College Students' Association. In 1923 Porritt was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, and he studied medicine from 1924 to 1926 at Magdalen College, Oxford.

He represented New Zealand at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, winning a bronze medal in the 100 metre dash; the winner was Harold Abrahams (1899–1978). The race took place at 7 pm on 7 July 1924. Abrahams and Porritt dined together at 7 pm on 7 July every year thereafter, until Abrahams' death. The race was later immortalised in the film Chariots of Fire, but due to Porritt’s modesty his name was changed to "Tom Watson". He also won two qualifying races in the 200 m, but did not advance in the semi-final. Porritt was captain of the New Zealand team at the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam, but withdrew from the 100 m because of an injury.