PATRICK PRIESTLY – ARMY – 1979*

Patrick entered the College in September 1968 and left in December 1973. He was in Hazelveare House. Patrick was a very good runner who excelled at distances between 100-400 metres, winning all of these races in his age group. He also played at Centre for the almost unbeaten U16 Rugby VII team. Coach Tony Woolstone wrote in The Sower 1973 about the final of the Oxfordshire RFU Annual Sevens, their biggest tournament so far, with an entry of 103 schools. LWC had battled their way to the final against St Clear School from South Wales, who were winning, when: “ and then, with ten seconds remaining, marvellously, inevitably, Pat Priestley, with two men hanging on to him, staggered over for a try”. LWC won 6-4. Tony went on to write of him “The team’s inspiration. Scorer of countless tries, he epitomized everything that is best in school rugby, and remained modest to the end.”

Patrick was killed in an accident when based in Germany with the British Army.

* Included on the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire