John Crouch passed away on 17 January 2026 after a short illness.
His fencing career began at City of Leicester Boys school and his first competitive success was probably winning the National School Boys Championships in 1966. From there John gave decades of dedicated service to fencing in Britain, particularly sabre and foil within veterans’ fencing. On joining the RAF one of his proudest achievements as a RAF fencer was to win Champion at Arms at the Royal Tournament in 1984, when he was presented with the trophy by the then Prince Charles. He was a member of the very strong East Midlands sabre team in the late 1970s and remained committed to the sport throughout his life.
He refereed many GB Sabre Finals and later served as the Fencing Ombudsman for British Fencing, where he was widely respected for his fairness, balance, and willingness to listen. In that role, he provided a calm and trusted link between fencers and the Board. He was a member of both the BAF, BF and British Veteran Fencing where he assisted and organised in many events including The Winton Cup.
He attended every Commonwealth Veterans Fencing event from its inception and helped developed the championships alongside Helen Smith in Australia. John chaired England Veterans Fencing and the CFF Veterans Commission, and acted as Directoire Technique at numerous major veterans’ events, including European Team Championships. He also organised British Universities Sports Association (BUSA, now BUCS) fencing for over ten years, helping to support and develop generations of student fencers.
Along with Mike Norfolk he was instrumental in setting up the 4 Nations Veterans Fencing Event (the Justin Smith trophy). Beyond event delivery, John served for more than twenty years as Team Manager and Chef de Mission for England teams and CFF events. He carried these responsibilities with quiet authority, good judgement, and a genuine care for the people involved.
He was an active member of Leeds Fencing Club for 29yrs, through all its ups and downs. When he could no longer fence, he qualified as a Maître d’Escrime, coached, maintained equipment, and later secured a grant to ensure the club was equipped to the highest standard in Yorkshire.
John never sought attention, but his influence was widely felt. Many competitions, teams, and individuals benefited from his steady presence and commitment.
He is survived by his partner, Moya, 3 sons and 8 grandchildren.
John will be remembered with affection, respect, and gratitude by all who had the privilege of working with him.
Carl Morris
President BVF
