| Olympic medal record | ||
| Men's Ice Hockey | ||
|---|---|---|
| Gold | 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen | Team |
Colonel Gordon "Don" Debenham Dailley (July 24, 1911 - May 3, 1989) is a Canadian-born ice hockey player who was notable for his achievements while representing Great Britain at international ice hockey competitions. After his hockey career, he had a successful military career in the CAnadian Army, participating in World War II and the Korean War.
Hockey career[]
Born in either Calgary or Winnipeg, Dailley attended the University of Manitoba before moving to England in 1933. By some accounts, Dailley earned his passage across the Atlantic Ocean by working on a cattle boat. Upon his arrival in England, Dailley joined the Grosvenor House Canadians (later the Wembley Canadians), playing defence. Dailley later played for the Wembley Lions, and was captain of the Wembley Monarchs from 1937 until the outbreak of World War II.
International championships[]
Dailley was a member of the team which won the gold medal in ice hockey for Great Britain at the 1936 Winter Olympics. The team consisted mostly of British-born Canadian citizens, as well as Dailley, whose only justification for playing for Britain lay in his long residency in England. Two players (including James Foster) hadn't even received the proper papers to allow them to play for Great Britain. (The Canadian Olympic Committee launched a formal protest, which was defeated.) The gold in 1936 was the only ice hockey gold for Great Britain.
Dailley continued to play for the British national team, and was named its captain upon the resignation of Carl Erhardt in 1937. He led the team to European Championships in 1937 and 1938.