Pierre Turquet

Educated at Westminster School and Trinity College, Cambridge, Pierre Turquet originally read history before switching to science. He went on to complete his medical training at the London Hospital. He served in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) as a major in World War II, and in the five years after the War, was the research psychiatrist at the Medical Research Council’s social medical research unit until 1952, when he began a 21-year career at London’s famous Tavistock Clinic.

At University, Turquet was an excellent fencer, being adept with all three weapons. Despite representing Britain in the team foil at the 1948 Olympics, he won his only national title, with the sabre, in 1951. He went to the following three Olympics, 1952-60, as one of the Great Britain fencing coaches. Sadly, Turquet lost his life at the age of 62 when the car he was driving was hit by a heavy lorry in Central France. His passenger, sociology lecturer Jean Wagstaff, was also killed,