Francis de Groot Colonel Francis Edward de Groot ( 24 October 18881 April 1969 ) holds a notorious place in Australian history for his high - profile upstaging of New South Wales Premier Jack Lang at the official opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932 . Francis de Groot was born in Dublin , Ireland on 24 October 1888 . He served in the 15th Hussars on the western front in World War I , where he was awarded a ceremonial sword . Moving to Australia , he was an antique dealer and furniture manufacturer in Sydney . One of his clients was the Governor - General Sir Isaac Isaacs , for whom he made a ceremonial chair . He joined a right - wing paramilitary organisation called the New Guard , which was politically opposed to the more left - wing government and the socialist views of the Premier , Jack Lang . Many of the members of the New Guard were men who had served in World War 1 . He became famous when on Saturday 19 March 1932 , he upstaged Lang at the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge , before a crowd of 300 , 000 people . He was not a member of the official party but , on horseback and dressed in his military uniform , he was able to blend in with the escort party of NSW Lancers . Lang was about to cut the ribbon to formally open the bridge , when de Groot rode forward and drew his ceremonial sword , making to cut the ribbon and declare the bridge open " in the name of the decent and respectable people of New South Wales " . While many accounts say de Groot succeeded in slashing the ribbon , at least one eyewitness has disputed the claim and suggested it was probably broken by the hooves of his rearing horse . He said this was in protest that the Governor of New South Wales , Sir Philip Game , had not been invited to perform the ceremony . The Mayor of North Sydney , Alderman Primrose , an official participant at the opening ceremony , was also a member of the New Guard , but whether he was involved in planning de Groot ' s act is unknown . Arrest . W . J . Mackay , Chief of the CIB , pulled de Groot from his horse , arrested him , and confiscated his ceremonial sword . Initially he was taken to a small police station attached to the toll house on the Sydney Harbour Bridge . Later in the day he was sent to the Lunatic Reception House at Darlinghurst , where he was formally charged with being insane and not under proper care and control . On the same afternoon De Groot was examined by Dr . Eric Hillier , psychiatrist , who determined that de Groot was not insane . The following day De Groot was examined by Professor W . S . Dawson , Professor of Psychiatry at Sydney University , and by Dr . John McPherson . Both doctors found him to be completely sane . On Monday 21 March 1932 de Groot appeared before Mr . McDougall , Stipendiary Magistrate , for the hearing of the charge of insanity . Detective Superintendent Mackay gave evidence to the effect that de Groot ' s actions on the Bridge were those of an insane man . Subsequently Dr . Hillier gave his opinion , based on his examination of de Groot , that de Groot was sane . The magistrate subsequently ordered de Groot ' s discharge from the Reception House . Charges . De Groot was subsequently charged with three offences . The three charges brought against him were : The charges were heard on the 1st , 4th , 5 and 6 April 1932 in the Central Police Court in Liverpool Street , Sydney before Mr . John Laidlaw , Chief Stipendiary Magistrate of New South Wales . Whilst the first and third charges laid against him were dismissed , the Magistrate did find de Groot guilty of offensive behaviour in Bradfield Highway - a public place . He was fined the maximum penalty of £5 , with £4 in costs . The Magistrate found that " . . . the actions of the defendant were grossly offensive , provocative , and clearly unlawful . " Later life . After the court case he sued for wrongful arrest on the grounds that a police officer had no right to arrest an officer of the Hussars . An out - of - court settlement was reached , and de Groot ' s ceremonial sword was returned to him . De Groot managed to make a profit out of the whole charade . He later returned to Ireland where he died . Before his death , de Groot indicated he would like to see the sword returned to Australia . In 2004 , the sword was found on a farm in County Wicklow , in the possession of de Groot ' s nephew . Plans were announced to have it valued and returned to Australia , possibly as a display at the National Museum of Australia . However , the Museum was outbid by Paul Cave , the founder and chairman of Bridge Climb Sydney , the tourism company that conducts climbs across the Harbour Bridge . The horse . The horse ridden by de Groot at the opening ceremony was a 16 . 5 - hand chestnut named " Mick " . The horse belonged to a Pymble schoolgirl , Margo Reichard , and was borrowed by the leader of the New Guard , Eric Campbell , from her father Albert Reichard . After the escapade , the horse was initially taken to the Mounted Police Barracks before being returned to its owner . In about 1933 the horse had a fall whilst being ridden by Albert Reichard , and had to be destroyed .