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War hero Sir Tasker Watkins dies War hero Sir Tasker Watkins dies
(about 2 hours later)
Sir Tasker Watkins, one of Britain's greatest war heroes, recipient of the Victoria Cross and an eminent retired judge, has died at the age of 88.Sir Tasker Watkins, one of Britain's greatest war heroes, recipient of the Victoria Cross and an eminent retired judge, has died at the age of 88.
He was a former Welsh Rugby Union president and the national team will wear black armbands in their opening World Cup game in Nantes. He was Welsh Rugby Union president for 11 years, and the national team will wear black armbands in tribute for their opening World Cup game in Nantes.
He was 25 when he won the Victoria Cross in 1944 for his bravery with the Welch Regiment in northern France. Sir Tasker was 25 in 1944 when he won Wales's first Victoria Cross of World War II in northern France.
He died in the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, in the early hours.He died in the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, in the early hours.
Sir Tasker had been in hospital for the past few weeks after a fall at his home in the Llandaff area of the city.Sir Tasker had been in hospital for the past few weeks after a fall at his home in the Llandaff area of the city.
He was born in Nelson, near Pontypridd, on 18 November, 1918, a week after the end of World War I. New WRU president Dennis Gethin described Sir Tasker as "arguably the greatest living Welshman".
The son of a miner, he won a scholarship to Pontypridd County School. He was almost 21 when World War II broke out and he joined the Welch Regiment. This is a sad day for Welsh rugby because Sir Tasker was a great follower of the game and a great Welshman WRU chief executive Roger Lewis
Mr Gethin, who was WRU secretary when Sir Tasker was president, said: "He was small in stature, but in every sense a colossus and Wales is a poorer place without him".
He said Sir Tasker was "without a doubt the greatest president the union ever had and the rugby world certainly mourn his passing."
"He was a man of integrity, loyalty and never forgot that he was from Nelson and to have known him and to have been a friend of his was one of the privileges of my life."
Sir Tasker was awarded the Victoria Cross at the age of 25Sir Tasker was awarded the Victoria Cross at the age of 25
Soon after D-Day in 1944, while still a lieutenant, Sir Tasker became the first Welshman in WW II to be awarded the VC, the UK's highest award for gallantry, for his leadership in an assault on a German machine-gun post in Normandy. Asked why he believed Sir Tasker was the union's greatest president, Mr Gethin said: "Wales was having a rollercoaster of a time - as it always does in Welsh rugby - in the 11 years he was president, but he was the constant shining light.
With his death, there are only 12 living holders of the VC left worldwide. "People throughout the world, even when Wales were doing badly, always respected Welsh rugby because of Sir Tasker Watkins."
But Sir Tasker never talked publicly about his honour and he refused to let the regimental museum in Cardiff display a specially-commissioned painting of the incident, saying it "over-glamorised" his actions. WRU chief executive Roger Lewis said: "This is a sad day for Welsh rugby because Sir Tasker was a great follower of the game and a great Welshman.
Aberfan disaster "He was very supportive when I started with the union and I have grown to admire him and welcome his advice. He was widely known and respected at all levels of the game but he was especially passionate about his own club Glamorgan Wanderers, where he was president.
After leaving the Army as a major, he began studying to be a barrister and was called to the Bar in 1948. We all waited with anticipation for his after-match talks and I'm sure there will never be another person quite like him Wales captain Gareth Thomas
He rapidly made an impression in the courts, becoming a QC in 1965. Wales captain Gareth Thomas said: "Sir Tasker was a man who had great respect from all the players, not just for his achievements as a person and as a war hero but for the way he respected Welsh rugby and everything that the players stood for.
In 1966, Sir Tasker was deputy to Sir Elwyn Jones for the official tribunal into the Aberfan disaster, when a coal tip slid onto the south Wales valleys village, killing 144 people, 116 of them children. "We all waited with anticipation for his after-match talks and I'm sure there will never be another person quite like him. "
In 1971 he became a High Court judge, and was also knighted. Sir Tasker's distinguished career saw him excel in the military, in the law and in public life.
He rose to become a lord justice of appeal in 1980 and was eventually the deputy lord chief justice. At just 25 and while serving as a lieutenant, he became the first Welshman in World War II to be awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain's highest honour for gallantry, for an assault on a German machine-gun post in northern France.
The former WRU president became a freeman of Cardiff in 2006Sir Tasker took the controversial step of supporting a posthumous pardon for Derek Bentley, who was hanged in the 1950s for the murder of a police officer. Honorary vice-patron
Lifelong supporter After the war ended he took up law as a career and rose through the legal system to become deputy lord chief justice.
He was president of the University of Wales College of Medicine for 11 years from 1987 and president of the British Legion, Wales, between 1947 and 1968. He acted as deputy to the attorney-general in the tribunal into the 1966 Aberfan disaster when a coal tip slid onto the south Wales valleys village, killing 144 people, 116 of them children
Sir Tasker was a lifelong rugby supporter. Although small of stature, he played as outside-half for the Army, Cardiff and Glamorgan Wanderers, with whom he maintained a lifelong connection. He held senior posts in many walks of life and from 1993 to 2004, was president of the WRU, becoming its second longest-serving president.
Later he was to take on the game's top role in Wales After he stood down a new post of WRU honorary life vice-patron was created for Sir Tasker.
Sir Tasker took on the role of president of the WRU in 1993 at a time when the game was at a low ebb both on and off the field. He was born in Nelson, near Pontypridd, on 18 November, 1918, a week after the end of World War I.
He held the role until 2004, making him its second-longest serving president.