Larry L'Estrange MBE (12 November 1934 – 29 March 2007[1]) was a British paratrooper and rugby player.

Larry L'Estrange
MBE
Born
Laurence Percy Farrer L'Estrange

12 November 1934
Lytham St Annes, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Died29 March 2007(2007-03-29) (aged 72)
Condom, Gers, France
Alma materTrinity College Dublin
OccupationProfessional rugby player
Spouses
  • Marian L'Estrange
  • Beulah L'Estrange
ChildrenFiona Anne Kathleen
RelativesLawrence L'Estrange (father)

The son of a British diplomat, L'Estrange was born in Lytham St Annes in 1934 and was educated at Blackrock College, Dublin; the University of Chicago; and the Sorbonne in Paris. He undertook National Service, being deployed as part of the Parachute Regiment in Suez during the 1956 crisis. He was commissioned, reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel before returning to Ireland to study modern history and political science at Trinity College Dublin.

After his military career, L'Estrange played for London Irish, where he was awarded the 1963–64 Backs' Honours tie. He also made appearances for Sussex and the Territorial Army. He was capped once for Ireland in 1962, against England at Twickenham,[2] where he was one of nine debutants.[3] L'Estrange dislocated his finger during the match and was said to have had a 'ghastly' game.[4]

His father, Lawrence L'Estrange, was the Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Honduras from 1969 to 1972.[5]

In 1972, he was awarded the Member of the British Empire in the 1972 Birthday Honours.[6]

In 1984, he made the news when he was mistakenly barred from entering Greece because he had a Turkish North Cyprus visa in his passport. After protesting to the Greek Embassy in London, he was given a full apology plus a return plane ticket and 2 weeks holiday in Greece for free.[1] L'Estrange was a partner at Tustain and L'Estrange, Stockbrokers in the City of London and later became an insurance broker, working at Thorman Hunt & Co, in Bow, London. The company now sells wholesale alcoholic beverages.[7]

L'Estrange died on 29 March 2007 after being hospitalized for a broken hip in Condom, Gers, France, aged 72.[8]

References

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  1. ^ a b "London Irish Old Boys". The Sudbury Center. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Laurence l'Estrange Ireland". ESPN. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  3. ^ Jackson, Peter (8 February 2021). "Peter Jackson: Peter O'Mahony's elbow did little for Tomas Francis' looks but real damage to title hopes". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Three sink as nine go in at deep end in Twickenham". Irish Independent. 29 January 2006. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  5. ^ "Foreign and Commonwealth Office". The London Gazette. 27 June 1969. p. 6698. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  6. ^ "THE LONDON GAZETTE, 23 MAY 1972, No. 45678" (PDF).
  7. ^ "THORMAN HUNT & CO LIMITED - Overview (free company information from Companies House)". beta.companieshouse.gov.uk. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  8. ^ "Espace de Recueillement de Monsieur Lawrence L'ESTRANGE". www.libramemoria.com (in French). Retrieved 1 December 2022.