Paul-Milne Shield Competitions

Why the prize is called the Paul-Milne Shield - Pilot Officer Milne, Royal Australian Air Force died on a World War II air mission while serving with a U. S. Aircrew on November 26, 1942. He was a member of a multinational flight crew whose remains were discovered in New Guinea in 1989. Since his remains, and those of the United States Army Air Corps Technical Sergeant Joseph E. Paul, were individually unidentifiable, they were buried together in the same casket in grave 4754, Section 34, Arlington National Cemetery. C-47-DL “Swamp Rat” Serial Number 41-38601 6th Squadron, 374th Troop Carrier Group Shot Down by A6M2 Zeros November 26, 1942 North Coast of New Guinea

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The shield has become the prize for the 15s competition initiated in 2009 when the RAAF traveled to Fort Benning to play USAF 15s, won by the US Side, 34-18. In April 2011, USAF traveled to Brisbane, Australia and defeated the RAAF once again to retain the shield. The USAF Chief of Staff General David Goldfein accepted the challenge from the RAAF and RNZAF to play for the Paul-Milne Shield in 2020 and the competition will be revived 12 - 26 March 2020 with men's and women's 15s and Sevens. The matches will be played in Glendale, Colorado and will be featured as a curtain raiser for their MLR match.

More background here for the Paul-Milne Shield Information