Castle Leslie owner Sir John Leslie has passed away

Sir John 'Uncle Jack' Leslie, owner of Castle Leslie and one of Ireland's oldest surviving World War II veterans, has passed away. Sir John passed away peacefully at home aged 99, according to a statement on the Castle Leslie Twitter account.

With sadness the Leslie Family announce the death of Captain Sir John Leslie Bt who died peacefully at home today. pic.twitter.com/MKWaDnoc1O

— Castle Leslie Estate (@Castle_Leslie) April 18, 2016

Just last year, the veteran was awarded the Legion d'Honneur in the French Ambassador's residence on Ailesbury Road in Dublin. Uncle Jack enlisted in the Second Battalion of the Irish Guards in August 1937, at the age of 21 and was part of the British Expeditionary Corp that landed in France three years later. He spent five years as a prisoner of war following a battle at Boulogne Sur Mer, and it was even believed that he had been killed. He returned to Castle Leslie in 1994 and became well known for his love of rave music, even celebrating his 85th birthday in the world's largest nightclub, Privilege in Ibiza. People are encouraged to share photos and stories of Uncle Jack on the Sir John Leslie Appreciation Facebook page, set up by employees of the Castle Leslie Estate.