Luke Wendon

German-born Luke Wendon hailed from a Jewish family and, with World War II looming, was sent to England in 1937 as part of the Childrens’ Refugee Movement. He eventually went to Cheltenham College, where he learned his fencing skills, and was captain of the fencing team that won the Public Schools Championship in 1943. Wendon also won the individual foil and sabre titles. After college, he went to Imperial College London and, in 1946, won the Universities Athletic Union (UAU) foil and épée titles, and also helped London win the team title. After going to Cambridge University, and winning a fencing Blue in 1947, Wendon won the UAU foil and team titles again that year.

Wendon was runner-up in the foil at the British Junior Championships in 1948, and was also runner-up in the senior national épée championship. Having been to the 1936 Berlin Olympics as a 10-year-old spectator, Wendon decided he wanted, one day, to compete in them. He got his wish when he was in the Great Britain team that finished equal fifth in the team foil event in 1948. The runner-up in the 1950 foil championship of Great Britain, Wendon eventually won his one and only national title (foil) in 1952. That year he was also in the Salle Paul team that won the National Team Championship for the fourth consecutive year, and also competed in his second Olympics

Having graduated from Cambridge, Wendon decided his degree was of little use to him and he took a job as a salesman with a Cheshire salt manufacturer. The company was eventually taken over by British Petroleum (BP) who moved him to South Wales, which became his new home. When BP wanted to move him to London, Wendon took a pay-off, and embarked on another career change, as a silver and jewellery dealer.