Photos of the Bermuda Police Rugby Teams

Bermuda Police Rugby Teams

Our Bermuda Police Rugby Team has a long and proud history and we have certainly had a significant number of players over the years who have donned Police blue shirts. There are no doubt many stories to be told, and we would like former team members and organizers to put pen to paper and provide us with their own personal memories.

To start things off we are publishing a series of rugby photos through the ages. We will try to put them in some sort of chronological order but this will require your assistance. We will also number each photo if they don’t have a title, so that wherever possible you can provide us with names, dates, details of the match or the tour etc. This can be done either through our Comments section below the main article, or by emailing us at expobermuda.com

Arthur Rose provided is with this photo of what he believes was the very first Police Rugby Team

Bermuda's first Police Rugby Team – taken in July 1954 at BAA Field

l-r Back Row - Robert Railton (Capt) (former professional for Whitehaven), Jack Ham, Bill Freeman, ?

Arthur Rose, Peter Jackson, ?, Jim McMaster, Collins (left to become Master at Arms on the Queen of Bermuda)

Front Row - Ted Burton, White, Frank Walsh, Charles Giltrap, John Joe Sheehy, The Rt. Hon Raymond Barnwall.

In his memoirs published in our Then and Now column (CLICK HERE for article). Arthur says, "I always enjoyed my sports and in addition to playing in the Police football team I also played a few times for the Police rugby team organized by Bob Railton who was a former professional Rugby League player - I think it was for Whitehaven.

The photo I supplied is our very first Police Rugby Team taken at BAA Field (it is dated July 1954). We only played rugby once in a while, and it would usually be against visiting Royal Navy Ships. The players I can remember in the photo were Back Row (l-r) Bob Railton (Captain), Jack Ham, Bill Freeman, (unknown), myself, Peter Jackson (he married a Bermudian girl and later qualified as a doctor before moving to the Bahamas where I stayed with them while I was on a squash tour), (unknown) Jim McMaster, P.C. Collins (he left the Force to become a Master at Arms on the Queen of Bermuda), and Front Row - Ted Burton (who was very fast on his feet), P.C. White, Frank Walsh, Charlie Giltrap (who left the Force to go to Kenya), John Joe Sheehy, and the Rt. Hon. Raymond Barnwall.

Photo 2 Bermuda Police Team win the Nicholl Shield 1961

Photo 3 - Another Nicholl Shield and other trophies

Photo 4 - Who is the scrum half?

Photo 5 - A Rugby Wedding

Photo 6 - Police Team in action 1962

Photos 7 and 8 - Nicholl Shield winners circa 1965

Captain of the Police Rugby Team, John Rawson, receives the Nicol Shield

following their victory at Nationals Sports Club in the 1965 Final

(l-r) John Rawson, Derek Fletcher, Robin Henagulph and Dick Johnson

Photo 9 - Police Team mid-1960's

Photo 10

Another Nicholl Shield Victory (Who are the two children?)

Photo 11

Victorious Nichol Shield Winners - 1967

Back row (l-r) Dave Garland, Tommy Gallagher, Bill Pritchard, Barrie Meyers,

Dave Lunn, John Sharp, Ian Mitchell, Bob Massey and John Bailey (injured)

Kneeling - Vic O'Neill, Dick Johnson, John Williams, Jack Rouse,

Alex Forbes (Captain) Pat McBride, and Tom Sullivan

22nd December 2016

Dave Garland kindly provided us with the names of the players and the following information about this exciting Nichol Shield Final:-

John Bailey (standing right end) was our injured Captain. Alex Forbes, Vice Captain, was Captain of the team. Teachers had a wonderful team and Police were underdogs.
Police won 14-6, Dave Lunn went over from a line out, I converted. A short while later I dropped a goal and added three penalties before the final whistle.

Alex loved his rugby. He was inspired that day and showed a side I didn't know he had. I received a tremendous hug from him at final whistle.

Photo 12

Photo 13

Photo 14

Photo 15

Nicholl Shield Winners 1981

Photo 16

Photo 17

Photo 18

The Worst Ever Police Rugby Club 2nd Team ?!

Back Row - Mike Ross, ? ? Phil Every ? Barry Higham, Billy Nixon, Gerry Lyons, and Phil Taylor

Front Row - ? ? Paul Field, Pat Hamlett, Dai Thomas (Capt., JoHn Kandziorka, ? and Norman Rennie

Following a request made in February 2025 for our former rugby players to assist in ideneifying the guys in these photos, the first reply we received was the following information from our old friend Dai Thomas about this photo which he seems eminently qualified to lable as the worst BPRFC 2nd Team ever!

"Photo 18 is more my era, and it depicts the worst BPRFC 2nd Team since records began. I should know as I was the Captain. We meant well of course and tried our best, but we were grossly unfit as opposed to the other sides, who often loaded their side with 1^st team players.

I was made Captain only because we had a big top loading washing machine, for the kit which mostly fell on the Captain to wash, in this case Chris, my poor wife, who had enough to do with two grubby kids.

I recall one game when we were getting thrashed, and I had hired Billy B to 'help out'. Dave Garland was the referee and Bill told him about himself, after another try was awarded against us, and Dave sent him off. It was bad enough without losing Bill, so I appealed to Dave's better nature and Bill trotted back on, suitably apologetic.

I recall the names of most, apologies to those I don't remember. Please note how clean the kit is. Mostly all alive although we lost Phil Every a few years ago.

Back Row

Mike Ross (Retired from Hampshire, living in the IOW) Phil Every (He passed a few years ago) Barry Higham (I and lunch with him in Portugal a few years ago) Billy Nixon (Very much alive and well, living in Portadown - I had lunch with him in Portugal a few years ago) (NI) Gerry Lyons (Still in Bda) Phil Taylor (purveyor of 'WhatsApp', mostly in bad taste (still in Bda)

Front Row

A few I don't recall - but Paul Field (still in Bda), Pat Hamlett (Great on the wing but never got the ball) Billy Butterworth, Dai Thomas (Capt.) Norman Rennie (is he ok ?)

A motley bunch for sure, all with a story to tell, loyal to the shirt for sure.

Regards to all my old mates, those where great times weren't they.

Dai ( Long retired living between UK and Portugal, newly wed at 82 yrs !!

Editors note - I recognise John Kandziorka immediatey to the right of Dai Thomas. He and I worked together for a time in Crime Prevention and he was a first class guy. Sadly, after getting engaged and while at dinner with his fiance and her family, John collapsed and died.

Congratulations to Dai and his bride, Marea, on their recent wedding. Dai must surely hold the record of bring our oldest newly married member!