Forces Team Take On 'Gallipoli Gallop' To Honour Rugby's Fallen

A Royal Navy officer is leading a team this month to commemorate rugby players who lost their lives in World War One, and particularly the Gallipoli Campaign.

Lieutenant Commander 'Doc' Cox is heading up the six-hour trek between two war memorials on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey, while carrying the match ball for the Army v Navy rugby clash.

The 'Gallipoli Gallop' will see the team walk 30 kilometres (almost 20 miles) from V Beach Cemetery (below) to the 7th Field Ambulance Cemetery.

During the walk, they will lay memorial wreaths at 13 cemeteries along the way in remembrance of the 1.7 million servicemen and women that died during the Gallipoli Campaign.

Lt Cdr Cox told Forces Network:

"It's phenomenal and it's quite poignant from a rugby perspective, how many rugby players gave their all for their country and it's just our way of showing some appreciation for the past, but also for the RBL for the future."

He added: "Seeing that the RBL [Royal British Legion]... [will be] the charity this year at the Army-Navy game, I thought it would be a fitting idea to raise awareness of the loss of life by former international players from the Commonwealth at Gallipoli and across the whole of World War One.

"In World War One, looking at the archives, there were 106 players from the Commonwealth that lost their lives and in Gallipoli alone, there were 17, six of which were from England."

If you're interested in donating to the team's cause, you can find out more here.

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