Barcelona Ironman in memory of James Townley

On Friday 21 September 2012, our dear friend James Townley died whilst serving in Afghanistan on his third tour.

 

James grew up near Glastonbury, Somerset where he attended Sexey's School. He then went to the University of Oxford where he received a first-class degree in Engineering and Computer Science. After graduating, he worked for PWC before joining the Army, where he was commissioned into the Corps of Royal Engineers.

 

All those that knew James will know how much he loved his sport and competition. He enjoyed a wide variety of sports including rowing, skiing, mountain biking, kite surfing and sailing. He was exceptionally good at all of them too!! He rowed for University College Boat Club (Oxford) where he also inspired a whole generation of rowers at the club.

 

James was a much loved son, brother and friend and 10 years since his passing we all still miss him terribly.

 

A group of his friends from University will be competing in the Barcelona Ironman on 2nd October in his memory. James had entered an Ironman and was due to compete himself after returning from Afghanistan - so this seems like a fitting tribute. He would, of course, have completed it in a much faster time than us!

 

Upon consultation with his family, we have decided to raise money and awareness for the charity Combat Stress. They are the UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health. For over a century, they’ve helped former servicemen and women deal with trauma-related mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They’re on a mission to raise awareness that invisible injuries can be just as hard to cope with as physical ones. So when a veteran is having a tough time, they’re there to help them tackle the past and take on the future.