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John Fethers

Académie d'Armes du Paris, whose origin dates back as far as the reign of Charles IX and which received its first privileges from Henri III, shows how assiduously the science of armes was cultivated by the French

Maître d'Armes John Erle Fethers 4th December 1929 - 30th March 2010

John Fethers, a Melbourne left-hander began fencing at age 17 and became one of the best-known Australian fencers. He won a silver medal in foil at the British Empire Games (Commonwealth Games) in 1950 and 1954. In 1951 he won the Australian Championships in all three weapons. A feat that has only been repeated once, many years later by Greg Benko. John won the amateur foil championships of Britain in 1954 and was a finalist finishing 8th in the World Foil Championships in 1955. The 1955 World Championships was the introduction of the new weapon -electric foil, this championships was in preparation for the Melbourne Olympic Games of 1956 which was the first time electric foil fencing was held in an Olympics. In 1959 he turned professional and won the foil championships of Britain over 5 successive years, 1961-5. In 1961 he won the French Challenge Duval, an open event judged over a five-year period. John studied under Roger Crosnier and became a Maitre d'Armes of the Académie d'Armes du Paris in 1956. John was appointed National Coach of Scotland but finally returned to Australia in 1964 to coach the Australian Olympic Team before becoming National Coach of Australia in 1965.

John Fethers lunge

The photo at top was used as a postage stamp cir. 1955

Coat of arms granted to the Académie d'Armes de Paris by Louis XIV in 1656, registered en Parlement, 3rd September 1664. The usual sign over the entrance of a fencing school was an arm brandishing a sword.

Maîtres' G. Worsfield & J. Fethers

Maitre John Fethers John fencing in the 1960's John & Gary duelling @ Moomba John's DUEL with Gary Worsfield

Date Last Modified: 07 Dec 2011

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