THE family of a late soldier were in Norwich this week, as they travelled from North Ayrshire to watch a memorial match in his honour.
Sergeant Jamie Coleman served in the British Army’s 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (4SCOTS) before he tragically took his own life in 2022.
On Monday, August 21, a football match was held at The Nest in Norwich in his memory.
The game was played between two teams from the 4SCOTS who were competing for the inaugural 'Coleman Cup'.
Members of Sergeant Coleman’s family travelled from their homes in the Garnock Valley, to see the Sergeants of the Battalion beat the Corporals 1-0, in a hotly contested match.
The teams were led onto the pitch by a piper from the Regiment playing ‘Scotland the Brave’.
The Coleman Cup was presented to the winning Sergeant's Mess team by Jamie’s mother Fay Darroch and his sister Saskia Blacklock following the game's conclusion.
The match was one played in fine spirits, and an excellent way to pay tribute to the late soldier.
Organiser, Warrant Officer George Lees, 4SCOTS commented: “Tonight has been superb. This is exactly what Jamie would have wanted; his mates playing football, having a good laugh and having a good time.
"It was absolutely fantastic, and it was good to see Jamie’s family here as well.”
The 4SCOTS Battalion, also known as ‘The Highlanders’, is currently based at STANTA (Stanford Training Area) near Thetford, Norfolk training Ukrainian soldiers as part of Operation Interflex.
That was why The Nest, Norwich City Community Sports Foundation’s community hub, was highlighted as the best venue for the match.
And they were more than happy to host the game, and the soldiers themselves were also impressed with how the venue handled the occasions.
Commanding Officer, 4SCOTS, Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Muir said: “We are temporarily here in Norfolk delivering training to the Ukrainians and the hospitality shown by The Nest and the broader [Norwich City] Community Sports Foundation, has been absolutely excellent.
"This is a really important night for the Battalion, we couldn’t have been more welcomed or had a better night to commemorate one of our soldiers."
Jackie Thornton, head of strategy and development at The Nest, added: “It was a pleasure for The Nest to host the inaugural Coleman Cup and welcome so many serving personnel and veterans.
"The game was played in great spirits but a great opportunity for everyone to remember Sergeant Jamie Coleman. We hope to welcome them back again in the future.”
Another attendee at the match was the former head of the British Army, Lord Richard Dannatt, who is patron of Forces2Canaries, the Armed Forces supporters' group for Norwich City and also the Commanding Officer of the Battalion.
The chairman of that supporters group, Nev Townsend, told of how they were able to help in the organising of the match - something they were more than happy to do.
He said: “What a great event. We received the initial email request from the Battalion just ten days ago and then from nothing, with the help of The Nest, our members and other key people what we’ve seen tonight has been fantastic.
"It was a great football match and an honour to meet Sergeant Coleman’s family who we presented with a Norwich City shirt after the game."
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