Dr Aaron "Gordon" Signy F.R.C.PATH. 1905 - 1972

The tragic and sudden death of Dr. Aaron Gordon Signy at 67 has stunned all his friends in the fencing world. An eminent pathologist, Gordon recently declined the presidency of the World Association of Pathological Societies in favour of a younger man and was its vice-president elect. He was founder and Editor from its inception twenty-eight years ago of the British Journal of Clinical Pathology. By all fencers he will be better remembered as the head of the "Path. Lab." of St. Stephens, whose doors were ever open to them, their wives and sweethearts, and which at his behest provided an instant attention which would have amazed the founders of the National Health Service of which Gordon was such an advocate.

As an active fencer, Gordon was one of that lost generation whom the war years, with almost total lack of fencing, deprived of the opportunity of complete fulfilment. In his case this would have been his international épée colours, for which he might have hoped in due course having been placed in the final of the Miller-Hallett in 1939. He was third in the épée championship in 1951, and was for many years a regular finalist in the Doyne. His towel, clearly borrowed from the Hospital Mortuary, was recognisable at most foil and épée competitions.

Gordon will be chiefly remembered, however, for his contribution to the administration of the A.F.A. Captain of the London Fencing Club for a period and a great helper with presiding ladies competitions, he was an elected member of the A.F.A. Committee for some twenty years, and after the Rome Olympics became the British foil team captain, which position he retained until his death, captaining the Olympic Foil Teams to Tokyo and Mexico, as well as teams to the World Championships at Gdansk, Moscow, Montreal and Vienna, apart from untold numbers of international competitions, all largely at his own expense. It is a particularly cruel turn of fate that he was unable to captain the team to Munich, to which he was so much looking forward.

As a man, a more popular team captain could not be imagined, as he contrived to gain and keep the friendship and respect of all the British trainees. For him the generation gap just did not exist. Gordon had that happy knack of being able to mix on equal terms with those of all ages and backgrounds. At Olympic training sessions until his death, he would be found playing football, and he generally indulged in horse-play with the team when abroad. It would have been his dearest wish for the British foil team or an individual to have won a medal at the Olympic Games or world championships under his captaincy, and he much regretted that he had only become captain when the halcyon days of the foil team were over.

Gordon's shrewd no-nonsense, honest approach to all problems, his ability to see through muddled or self-interested thinking and his infectious sense of humour will long be remembered by those who had the privilege of knowing him. He retained to the end the enthusiasm of youth for fencing, leavened by a certain absent-mindedness for the care of his own property, endearing to his friends.

Gordon leaves Vivien, Ruth, Michael, Mark and Adam, the latter of whom Gordon would have dearly loved to have seen earn his Tudor Rose.

Many fencers were among over 500 people who attended the most moving and impressive Memorial Meeting for Gordon at the British Medical Association where six speakers, each representing a different facet of Gordon's activity, paid their tributes. That in respect of British fencing was eloquently made by Emrys Lloyd.

Allan Jay - The Sword Autumn 1972

 Gordon Signy was awarded the AFA silver medal posthumously in 1973.

[A green plaque was erected in Alwyne Road, Islington to mark his work in founding the speciality of haematology and playing a key role in developing the investigation and successful treatment of blood diseases. In the 1940s Dr Signy established the Journal of Clinical Pathology and in 1963 helped found the Royal College of Pathologists.]