This year marks the 100 year anniversary of the start of World War One. It is important that we never forget the great sacrifices made by those who fought in the Great War, in giving up their lives for our freedom today.
Ernie Benbow League 13 CEO saiud “Rugby League has always been known for the bravery shown by its players, but most supporters will not know that 3 Rugby League players were awarded the Victoria Cross for their great acts of bravery in the Great War. It is important that we never forget them
League 13, the Super League players’ association, in delivering one of its constitutional values to vow to honour former players for their courage and sacrifice commissioned caps to commemorate and celebrate the lives of those players who were awarded the Victoria Cross for valour in the Great War. However, in remembering those people involved in this great game who sacrificed everything they had to better the lives of others, it would be wrong not to recognise someone who was only recently lost to us in Steve Prescott.
VC winners and former professionals Jack Harrison VC (Hull FC), Thomas Bryan VC (Castleford) and Thomas Steele VC (Broughton Rangers) join Steve Prescott as the first four inductees into League 13’s Hall of Honour.
I can now confirm the arrangements now in hand for our series of events for our Hall of Honour.
The first presentation of a commemorative cap for Steve Prescott MBE took place at half time on Thursday last at the Saints v Warrington game with the cap presented to Saints for inclusion in their heritage section at Langtree. We will also presented a certificate of induction to Steve’s wife Linzi and family.
The second presentation is on Sunday at the Castleford v Wakefield game when the cap honouring Thomas Bryan VC will be presented to Steve Gill CEO of Cas. A certificate of induction will be presented to retired Major Graeme Heron on behalf of the Northumberland Fusiliers; there is a Fusiliers event for L13 also planned.
The cap honouring Inductee 1 Jack Harrison VC MC will be presented to Hull at their game v Leeds on 12 September. 
League 13’s full collection of caps honouring all 4 brave men are being housed at Headingley in the Carnegie Café and will be on display from 1pm on Thursday 11 September at a joint event with Leeds at which they have a heritage open day. We are most grateful to Gary Hetherington at Leeds, to Phil Caplan and the Leeds Rugby Foundation Heritage Committee, and to the Leeds club for such a wonderful gesture in offering the iconic Headingley Stadium as the location for our Hall of Honour commemorative caps.
We hope to present the cap for Thomas Steele VC to Tom’s former regiment as his only professional club Broughton Rangers (subsequently Belle Vue Rangers) are no longer in existence. Those arrangements are yet to be finalised.
We are hoping to conclude arrangements with a suitable host for a display of the 4 inductee certificates. We have other plans which we will unveil at a suitable time for extending our Hall of Honour.
State of Mind think that this project is a superb way to honour the great players of our sport and their bravery