Regiment plays football and remembers absent friend

The Royal Gibraltar Regiment held its annual memorial football match in honour of Private Christian Wink at Devils Tower Camp last month.
Private Wink, 22, lost his life in a road traffic accident whilst deployed on Exercise Jebel Sahara in 2001.
His biggest passion was football, and he represented the Regiment’s football team on many occasions in the Gibraltar Services League.
However, the match he enjoyed most was the annual Officers & Seniors vs Junior Ranks match which is why it has become the traditional
“It’s very heart-warming to see the Commanding Officer supporting a memorial match. Football was something very special to Christian,” said Private Wink’s father Emilio Wink, who works for the Ministry of Defence in Gibraltar.
Mr Wink was supporting his last match as an MOD employee as he is due to retire later on in the year.
“Although I go into retirement, the Regiment knows that it will have my continued support, in whatever capacity, but more importantly to carry on supporting the traditional football match in my son’s honour,” he said.
At 11am the Regiment held a poignant minute’s silence to remember Mr Wink before the match kick-off. The victors this year were the Juniors who won 9-1.
Following the match Mr Wink presented the Man of the Match Trophy to Sergeant Lowe and the Winning Team Trophy to Corporal Rodriguez who was the Captain for the Junior team.
“Christian was an excellent soldier, on the fast track to his first promotion course. More importantly he was a wonderful person. Even now, sixteen years on his death leaves a hole in our Regiment which will never be filled,” said Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel David King.