Meyrick Simmonds learned to fence at Downside School in Somerset, where his fencing master was a monk who coached wearing a black leather motorcycle jacket and prayed for his fencers’ success, in full monk’s habit, by the side of the piste!

On leaving school, Meyrick joined the Royal Navy where he won the Combined Services Master-at Arms trophy at his first attempt. He subsequently won several Royal Navy Championships at Epée and Foil. He was a member of the very first Royal Navy Team which came over to fence the Sarnia Sword Club, and he subsequently fenced for both the Royal Navy and the Combined Services in representative competitions and matches.

While fencing for the Royal Navy, Meyrick also trained at Salle Paul in London, with members of the GB Foil Squad. He also regularly competed in National and UK Open Competitions.

While not fencing, Meyrick has, at various times, been Honorary Secretary of a County Union and an A.F.A Section, as well as sitting on the main Amateur Fencing Association Committee until its disbanding and change into the British Fencing Association.

On coming to Guernsey with his family in 1996, Meyrick immediately joined the Sarnia Sword Club – perhaps a poacher becoming a gamekeeper as far as the Royal Navy is concerned! He also concerned himself more and more with coaching at the Club, as well as competing. He has won the Island Foil and Epée Championships on several occasions, and is currently the most successful fencer in the Club’s history in the monthly Foil League.

In recent years, Meyrick has concentrated more on coaching fencers in Guernsey, while still competing in International Veteran Competitions as well as the Island and Channel Island Championships. He currently holds a LEVEL 2 Foil Coaching Qualification.

Meyrick has been a member of the Sarnia Sword Club Committee almost continuously for the last 13 years, and is currently the Club’s Honorary Treasurer.