Middlesex Rugby
Falklands 25 Task Force Trophy
Match at Harlequins June 16
The Hercules Group FALKLANDS 25 TASK FORCE TROPHY RUGBY MATCH
Falklands Task Force Rugby XV v Penguin International RFC Harlequins, 16th June 2007, Kick-off 1600hrs www.falklandstaskforcerugby.com
A Falklands Veteran and two former Army players are organising a game of Rugby Union to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Falklands War. The Falklands 25 Task Force Trophy Match takes place
at Harlequins on Saturday, 16th June 2007. Kick-off 1600 hours.
This game has the full approval of the Rugby Football Union.
The main sponsor is Hercules Group plc.
The match will be a Falklands Task Force XV - a side consisting of the current most talented Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and RAF players from the units that fought in the campaign – Versus Penguin
International RFC, who will field well known names from the world of rugby.
Major General Julian Thompson CB, OBE, who commanded 3 Commando Brigade during the war, will present the Falklands Task Force Trophy to the winning team.
Tony Spreadbury is the referee and the Touch Judges will all be Falklands Veterans. Lt Cdr Phil Thornton RN (820 RNAS, HMS Invincible) and Lt Tim Bailey (HMS Sheffield) will be representing
the Navy on the touchline and and Capt Mike Bland RLC (17 Port Regt RCT) will be representing the Army. Lt Cdr Geraint Ashton Jones RN will be coordinating the officials. Geraint’s father-in-law is a
Royal Marines Falklands Veteran.
Four Falklands Veterans who all represented their service – Jim Fowers and BBC TV Presenter Ken Hames (Army), Paul Livingstone and Harry Whale (Navy) – will play cameo roles in the opening stages of the game to add to the spirit of the occasion. Ken served with 40 Cdo RM Down South.
The aims are to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the Falklands War; to remember the 255 men of the Task Force and the 3 Falkland Islanders killed in the conflict; and to raise funds for the South Atlantic Medal Association (1982) – SAMA82 - which looks after the welfare of all Falklands Veterans, in particular the 777 men who were wounded.
The South Atlantic Medal Association (1982) is based in Blackwood, Gwent. Registered Charity – 1118842. Patron – HRH Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales.
The game is part of the National Commemorations of the 25th Anniversary of the Falklands War which take place over the period 14th-17th June 2007. It is a self-financing private initiative and as well as Falklands Veterans, there will be representatives of
all three services in attendance along with dignitaries and celebrities from the worlds of politics, sport and entertainment.
Contributing to the occasion will be The Band of HM Royal Marines, The Queens Colour Squadron RAF Regiment and a Scots Guards piper.
The Reverend David Cooper, who served with 2 Para at Goose Green, will conduct a short Service of Remembrance before kick-off. Also, before the game, hundreds of local children will be coached and play in the Steve Thompson Community Cup Competition. Steve will be there along with Martin Johnson.
An informal fund raising dinner and a unique auction of rugby and Falklands War memorabilia will follow the match. Simon Weston and Andy Nicol are our guest speakers and Alex Payne is the Master of
Ceremonies.
The organisers are seeking to promote a reunion of all those players who took part in the 1982 Inter-Service Rugby Union Competition. Many of these players subsequently deployed to the Falklands and complimentary tickets have been sent to each Service Rugby Union to facilitate this.
The London Tri-Service Recruiting Bus will be on station and uniformed representatives from all the services will be there to help collect donations for SAMA82.
The organisers have adopted the ‘scatter rucking’ approach to publicity and they would be very grateful if you could assist them with this? Their aim is to attract as many spectators as possible and therefore raise more funds for SAMA82 - its just a question of spreading the word.
Tickets can be bought online and there are discounts for group bookings.
Check out www.falklandstaskforcerugby.com for more information.
FALKLANDS TASK FORCE RUGBY SQUAD Mattie Stewart Army – Coach (Princess of Wales Royal Regiment) Steve Trethewey Army (Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers) Melvin Lewis Army (Welsh Guards) Dan Parkes Navy Colin Milkens Royal Marines Rob Scothern Army (Yorkshire Regiment) Daryl Ball Army (Royal Engineers) Marsh Cormack Navy Ledua Jope Army (Adjutant General’s Corps) Matt Cornish RAF - Captain Gareth Evans Royal Marines Dave Pascoe Navy Rob Sweeney Army (Welsh Guards) Daniel Kennedy RAF Greg Barden Royal Marines Peceli Nacamavuto Army (Royal Engineers) Malakai Magnus Army ( Royal Logistic Corps) Josh Drauniniu Navy Luke Clifford Army (Parachute Regiment) Gus Mathers Army (Royal Gurkha Rifles) Gareth Slade Jones Army (Royal Artillery) Rob Lloyd Navy Dave Sibson Navy – Player Coach Andrew Parkinson Army (Royal Signals) Howard Parr RAF Regiment Jim Scott Army (Scots Guards)
FALKLANDS TASK FORCE VETERAN PLAYERS
Jim Fowers Army (12 Air Defence Regiment Royal Artillery) Ken Hames Army (Attached 40 Commando Royal Marines – now a BBC TV Presenter) Paul Livingstone Royal Marines (45 Commando Royal Marines) Harry Whale Royal Marines (3 Commando Brigade Air Squadron)
