Vale - Raymond Smee

The Water Polo community is saddened for the loss of Water Polo Olympian Raymond Smee.

Ray graduated from Sydney Boys High in 1947 and began playing water polo for Bondi just after the war.

Ray was soon selected in the Bondi first grade team for the 1947/48 metropolitan competition ahead of his selection in the 1950 NSW and Australian team for the Christchurch Centenary Games.

Ray was vice-captain of the Australian Olympic water polo team at the 1952 Helsinki Games (where he was selected in the ‘Rest of the World’ team) and captain in 1956 at the Melbourne Olympic Games.

He played when there were no World Championships and the Australian team was only selected every four years. Despite this, Ray still managed to accrue over 50 international caps.

He was also captain of the New South Wales team throughout the 1950s an along with fellow Bondi team mates, Doug Laing and Keith Whitehead, was the defensive mainstay for Bondi, New South Wales and Australia throughout this era.

He also captained Bondi during their NSWAWPA record-breaking ten year first grade premiership run from 1948 to 1957.

The NSW and Australian Water Polo community extends their deepest sympathy to the extended family and close friends of Ray

Tracy Rockwell

WPA Hon. Historian