The Armed Forces Rugby League Ban (article)

[Futtocks]

On the eve of the RAF/Navy Cup tie, Aaron Bower has been speaking to Squadron Leader Damian Clayton.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/jan/12/combined-forces-raf-and-navy-meet-in-challenge-cup-on-landmark-anniversary 

[Stirlin]

RL was not banned in the armed forces , 'unofficial' games were played by the Royal Navy and Army , I played a game myself in 1973 at HMS Dryad in Southwick , Hampshire a few miles from Pompey , teams made up of blerks from the North and a couple of Welsh union guys.

Typical RAF , the junior service not bothering to mention this......

Sailors deployed at HMNB Devonport founded a rugby league team in 1917 and they toured the country during the remainder of the war, making three tours of rugby league's northern heartlands.

 

[Londonbornirishbred]

On 13/01/2024 at 10:12, Stirlin said:

RL was not banned in the armed forces , 'unofficial' games were played by the Royal Navy and Army , I played a game myself in 1973 at HMS Dryad in Southwick , Hampshire a few miles from Pompey , teams made up of blerks from the North and a couple of Welsh union guys.

Typical RAF , the junior service not bothering to mention this......

Sailors deployed at HMNB Devonport founded a rugby league team in 1917 and they toured the country during the remainder of the war, making three tours of rugby league's northern heartlands.

 

Given the RAF didn't exist until 1918, it's hardly surprising they failed to mention a RL side from the Navy a year or so earlier.

[Hopie]

The Navy still haven't forgiven the RAF for the lack of air support at Trafalgar...

[Dunbar]

On 12/01/2024 at 21:12, Stirlin said:

RL was not banned in the armed forces , 'unofficial' games were played by the Royal Navy and Army , I played a game myself in 1973 at HMS Dryad in Southwick , Hampshire a few miles from Pompey , teams made up of blerks from the North and a couple of Welsh union guys.

Typical RAF , the junior service not bothering to mention this......

Sailors deployed at HMNB Devonport founded a rugby league team in 1917 and they toured the country during the remainder of the war, making three tours of rugby league's northern heartlands.

 

If you search for your second paragraph, it is word for word from Wikipedia. 

I think it is only fair to point out that the very next paragraph starts "Despite the temporary wartime relaxation, rugby league remained banned in the Royal Navy until 1994."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy_Rugby_League#:~:text=Sailors deployed at HMNB Devonport,was reinstated after the war.

[JohnM]

Shared with my extensive social media contacts. So that's another three people who know about it. 

[Stirlin]

22 hours ago, Dunbar said:

If you search for your second paragraph, it is word for word from Wikipedia. 

I think it is only fair to point out that the very next paragraph starts "Despite the temporary wartime relaxation, rugby league remained banned in the Royal Navy until 1994."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Navy_Rugby_League#:~:text=Sailors deployed at HMNB Devonport,was reinstated after the war.

True but by playing you were liable for punishment for ignoring the ban classed as 'Disobediance' , no one ever was punished which just highlights how dumb the ban was in the first place

Edited January 15 by Stirlin

[Stirlin]

On 14/01/2024 at 17:58, Londonbornirishbred said:

Given the RAF didn't exist until 1918, it's hardly surprising they failed to mention a RL side from the Navy a year or so earlier.

Even if they did exist in 1917 I doubt they would have joined the RN team on their tours oop north , not enough 5* hotels for them to stay in. 

[CiderWire]

Yes, it was banned in all branches of the Armed Forces until the formidable hard work and perseverance of Damien Clayton MBE, Martin Coyd OBE and Wayne Okell MBE finally paid off.  I like to believe their well deserved honours are fair tribute to their dedication to the birth and fruition of our sport within HM Forces.

Yours Aye

CiderWire VD Scar, NAAFI Star (with bar)

Edited January 16 by CiderWire