Australian team en route to 1960 Rome Paralympics

Members of the 1960 Australian Paralympic Team pose with an entertainer at their hotel in Singapore en route to the first Paralympic Games in Rome, September 1960. At this time, it was seen as beneficial for people with paraplegia to spend time standing and even to learn to ‘walk’ using crutches and wearing calipers, so Daphne Ceeney (later Hilton) in the back row and Frank Ponta (seated, far left) are out of their wheelchairs in this photo.

Front row, left to right: Frank Ponta, Bill Mather-Brown, Chris O’Brien, unknown hotel singer, John Turich, Bruno Moretti, Roger Cockerill. Middle row (seated), left to right: Kevin Coombs, Robin Tourier, Gary Hooper, Kevin Cunningham, Ross Sutton. Back row (standing), left to right: David Cheshire (Team Manager), Fred Ring (Nurse), ‘Johnno’ Johnston (Physiotherapist), Daphne Ceeney, Kevin Betts (Remedial Gymnast).