Joe Modro, rugby-loving Pole who fled Nazis as boy

JOE Modro, who was an assistant resident engineer in Lisburn in the late 1950s and also played rugby for North, has died in England. He was 82.

Mr Modro arrived in the United Kingdom in 1942, having escaped from Nazi-occupied Poland during the Second World War.

His arduous journey with his mother and sister took three years. They travelled through many places including Algeria, Morocco, Spain and Portugal, where they managed finally to secure places on a flight to the UK.

The family settled in southern England and Joe was educated at St Martin’s Preparatory School Northwood, Mayfield College in Sussex, and Clapham College London.

In 1952, at the age of 18, he gained entry to Imperial College London and graduated five years later with a degree in civil engineering.

He won university colours for rugby, and was a founder-member of the university’s wine-tasting society. Following his graduation he was posted to Northern Ireland by the civil engineering consultants Sir Bruce White Wolfe and Barry Partnership, and worked in Lisburn for a brief spell.

During this period he met his wife Maisie, a nurse, and they were married in 1961.

Joe was a very keen rugby player from his earliest days, and began the game at Mayfield College, where he was school captain.

After leaving school he played briefly for Blackheath, where he appeared once for the Firsts and was a regular prop for the Sec- onds. When he came to Northern Ireland he was keen to continue playing the game.

One of his claims to fame, which he regaled to his many rugby friends, was that he played on the same team as the legendary Jack Kyle, though not on the First XV, because Kyle at that stage was gradually retiring from rugby and playing for lesser-range XVs after a distinguished Irish international and club career.

On his return to England Joe had a successful professional career and became chief engineer for Balfour Beatty Civil Engineer- ing, based in its London office. He maintained his lifelong interest in the oval ball game and was a leading member of the London Irish amateur and professional clubs.

He was a more than useful prop forward with the London Irish Extra B team and participated fully in the social life of the club, which had players of many nationalities.

A former colleague Ray McLennan, who played with him in the Sixties, said: “We always appeared to play our games away from home. In those days London Irish had 10 teams to accommodate, but only three pitches at Sunbury.

“Nevertheless, a great bond of friendship developed among the players, helped no doubt by the many hours in trains and buses, and the beers consumed after the games. In this professional era we should never forget the influence made by stalwarts like Joe in our amateur club.”

Joe died on February 2, and a memorial service was held yesterday at St Anne’s Church, Banstead.

He is survived by Maisie and the wider family.