Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 56

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On a rainy November day in 2009, a bronze statue was unveiled in Cardiff. Among the umbrellas and dignitaries that were present on that day was Lady Mair Griffith-Williams. She was there to honour her father, who had once been described as the Greatest Living Welshman - and with good reason. The statue was that of Major Sir Tasker Watkins VC GBE DL. He was a war hero, a Lord Justice of Appeal and Deputy Lord Chief Justice. And if that wasn't enough, he would go on to become a household name throughout Welsh rugby when he took over the presidency of the Welsh Rugby Union. Many thousands who pass this statue on their way to watch Wales play will be unaware of the incredible life story of the man who spent a large part of his life living in Llandaff. Born in Nelson in November 1918, Tasker won a scholarship to Pontypridd Boys' Grammar School. In 1931 he moved with his parents to Dagenham and attended school in Romford. Here, he would captain the cricket and football teams and also play rugby. After the outbreak of war, he served in the ranks from October 1939 until May 1941, when he was granted an emergency commission as a second lieutenant, the Welch Regiment, which formed part of the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division. By 1944, Tasker had risen to the position of lieutenant, and in June of that year, he, along with the rest of his division, was posted to France. They arrived a few weeks after the famous D Day Landings, and saw action throughout the summer months. By mid-August, Tasker was commanding a battalion and was ordered to attack objectives near the railway at Barfour. Their first task was to cross open cornfields which were full of booby traps. As dusk fell, the company came under heavy fire. Tasker immediately led his group on an assault against a German machine gun post. Not only did they clear the machine gun post, but went on to clear a second. Tasker was suddenly faced with a German who was armed with an antitank gun. Tasker attempted to fire on the German with his Sten gun but the gun jammed. As the German took
aim at the Welshman, Tasker threw his Sten gun in the German's face, took out his pistol and shot him before the German had time to respond. By now, Tasker's group had been reduced to just 30 men and were coming under fire from a German counter-attack that was 50 men strong. Undeterred, Tasker led a bayonet charge against the Germans, which resulted in the almost complete annihilation of the German group. But the group was far from safe. In almost total darkness, Tasker led his group around the enemy's flank position upon which they had advanced. They were spotted and Tasker was challenged by a German. Tasker ordered his men to scatter and then charged the German post and wiped them out. He was then able to lead his men silently back to headquarters. Tasker rarely spoke of the incident, save for one comment he made about it years later, when he said that 'I just got so totally bloody angry.' He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions that day. His citation read: "On 16 August 1944 at Barfour, Normandy, France, Lieutenant Watkins' company came under murderous machine-gun fire while advancing through corn fields set with booby traps. The only officer left, Lieutenant Watkins led a bayonet charge with his 30 remaining men against 50 enemy infantry, practically wiping them out. Finally, at dusk, separated from the rest of the battalion, he ordered his men to scatter and after he had personally charged and silenced an enemy machine-gun post, he brought them back to safety. His superb leadership not only saved his men, but decisively influenced the course of the battle." In a 2001 Telegraph interview, Tasker said: "You must believe me when I say it was just another day in the life of a soldier. I did what needed doing to help colleagues and friends, just as others looked out for me during the fighting that summer... I didn't wake up the next day a better or braver person, just different. I'd seen more killing and death in 24 hours − indeed been part of that terrible process − than is right for anybody. From that point onwards, I have tried to take a more caring view of my fellow human beings, and that, of course, always includes your opponent, whether it be in war, sport, or just life generally." Tasker was only one of two Welsh soldiers to earn a Victoria Cross during the Second World War. As life began to return to normal following the war, Tasker was called to the bar to become a member of Middle Temple in 1948. He became a Queen's Counsel in 1965, and in 1966, served as Counsel to the Tribunal on the inquiry into the Aberfan disaster, which happened a few miles from his birthplace. He prosecuted in a number of cases involving Welsh extremists, including the Free Wales Army trial in 1969. The group had plotted to attack Caernarfon Castle and assassinate Prince Charles during his investiture. He also led the inquiry into Farleigh Mental Hospital, Somerset, making recommendations over the handling of violent patients by nurses. In 1971 he was appointed a Judge of the High Court in Family Division, and became regarded as one of the most widely respected on the circuit. In 1988, he was appointed Deputy Chief Justice of England by Lord Lane, Lord Chief Justice at the time. Tasker sat with Lord Lane on the case that removed the 'offensive and anachronistic' idea that a man living with his wife could not be convicted of her rape. He recommended a posthumous pardon for Derek Bentley of the infamous 'let him have it' murder case. Bentley history was wrongfully convicted of murdering a policeman and was hanged in 1953, aged 19. Tasker's work didn't go unnoticed. He became an honorary fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in 1992 and was made a freeman of the City of Cardiff in 2004. He had also been made a privy counsellor in 1980 and awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire in 1990. But he wasn't done yet. In 1993, Tasker took on the role of the 46th president of the Welsh Rugby Union. At that time, Welsh rugby was in turmoil and renowned for its infighting and fractious nature. As a former outside-half for Glamorgan Wanderers and Cardiff RFC, Tasker oversaw the transition of the game from its amateur status to its professional one. His presidency also ushered in the regional clubs that exist today. By the time he stepped down in 2004, he had become the second longest running president in the WRU's history. Admired by the players and management alike, the Welsh team coach Graham Henry often pinned a copy of Tasker's Victoria Cross citation in the players' changing room before Six Nations matches. Tasker was also President of Glamorgan Wanderers, and patron from 1968 until his death. He could often be found enjoying half a pint in the club's bar, Tasker fell at his home in Llandaff in August 2007 and was taken to the University Hospital Wales, Heath. He died there on 9th September 2007. He was 88. The Welsh national team wore black armbands in tribute to him for their opening game in the Rugby World Cup. His funeral was held at Llandaff Cathedral on 15th September, and he was later cremated at Thornhill Crematorium. It was in 2009 that a statue of Tasker was unveiled outside what was then known as the Millennium Stadium. Lord Judge, head of the judiciary in England and Wales, told onlookers that he had learned a great deal from Sir Tasker, paying tribute to his understanding and sensitivity. “When I first met Sir Tasker, he was already a man of gargantuan achievement,” he said. “He had a sensitivity, an understanding and a depth of insight into human beings and how they worked. It’s humbling for us all to be here beneath his statue.” Tasker's humility and humanity, is perhaps, a lesson to us all. The plaque at the base of Tasker's statue 31
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Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 56

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