Armistice Day service at Sandy Park

Exeter Chiefs players past and present, together with leading club officials, members of the Armed Forces and supporters formed the congregation for a special 'Armistice Day' service held at Sandy Park.

Conducted by club chaplain Simon Atkinson, the 45-minute Service of Remembrance paid tribute to those former club players - and other servicemen and women around the world - who had paid the ultimate sacrifice in conflicts around the world.

For years, Exeter Rugby Club have proudly displayed within the County Suite a memorial plaque of the names of those former players who paid the ultimate sacrifice during the Second World War. However, last year local historian and club supporter Roy Hough unearthed a further 12 men associated with the rugby club who themselves never returned from the battlefields of the First World War.

The names of all those former players were read out by Club President Bob Staddon, whilst chairman and chief executive Tony Rowe OBE, head coach Rob Baxter and first-team squad member Gareth Steenson marked their respects with various readings.

Also during the service, Mr Rowe laid a commemorative wreath on behalf of the club, as did representatives from the Royal Marine Commandos Base at Lympstone and the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth.

Bugler William Ginn of the Royal Marines Band sounded both the 'Last Post' and 'Reveille' before the service was wrapped up with a moment of reflection and the national anthem

The names of the former players lost in battle during World War I and II

WORLD WAR ONE

G.H BICKLEY
H.J CARRINGTON
J.H COOK
G.H CULVERWELL
W.J EDMONDS
W.S GOFF
S.E HUCKLEBRIDGE
E. JONES
M.H.D PARSONS
C.E. TUDOR-JONES
J.L VEITCH
A.H WEBBER

WORLD WAR TWO

W. CANN
H. COOMBE
P. DAVIS
N.J GALBRAITH
A.C GOLTLING
F.J JOB
P.H LAWLESS
W.M McGRATH
C.M OSMAN
G.T PALMER
A.J RADDON
H. REW
M.S SMITH