London 1948

Olympic Games London 1948 Official Torch

Hiduminium aluminium alloy torch with long handle capped by cylindrical bowl with Olympic rings cut out. "Olympia to London, Thanks to the Bearer, XIVth Olympiad" and Olympic rings engraved on darker grey band at base of top. Flat metal disc below the bell ending in slender handle flaring out the base. 18.5 inches high.

Designer: Ralph Lavers
Manufacturer: E.M.I. Factories Ltd., High Dury Alloys Ltd.

Flame: Smokeless hexamine tablets. Combustion duration 10 minutes.

In a symbolic gesture recalling the ancient truce during the Olympic Games, the first torch bearer of the London 1948 torch relay, shed his military uniform and weapons to run in sportswear.

The original torch was not bright enough to be seen by spectators in Wembly stadium; therefore, a second torch was designed exclusively for the final torchbearer.

Start date: July 17, 1948, Olympia, Greece
End date: July 29, 1948, Wembley Stadium, London, England
First torchbearer: Konstantinos Dimitrelis
Last torchbearer: John Marks
Number of torchbearers: 1,416
Relay length: 2091 miles