Up to 12,000 hard-working British troops have a vital job to do in Afghanistan and Iraq, so The Sun teamed up with the RAF and PSL to launch Operation St George and let them share the World Cup frenzy via specially-tailored big screen packages.
Aware of the multimedia support offered by PSL (from events such as the Beckhams' World Cup send-off party), The Sun contacted the Potters Bar-based company to see what they could offer.
"The problem we faced was that since this equipment would be going to a war zone we would not be able to send our own technicians - and so we had to make it simple to operate by non-skilled personnel," said PSL's project manager Stuart McLaren. "I had to put together a package that would enable me to be able to provide operational guidance over the phone but at the same time be bright enough to operate in daylight conditions."
His projector of choice was the mighty Sanyo XF60 6500 lumens LCD projector, described by McLaren "like a glorified desktop projector on steroids, and very easy to set-up". This was accompanied by 10ft x 7.5ft projection screens, JBL loudspeakers on stands, Soundcraft Gigrac mixer, Unicol mounts "and an idiot's guide to rigging".
The two consignments were shipped to RAF Brize Norton, destined for Iraq and Afghanistan on military cargo jets. The package was accompanied by other soccer goodies, 15,000 World Cup editions of The Sun, printed just for the forces, and England paraphernalia.
In Iraq, the first big screen went to one of the most attacked British bases in the country - the Shat al Arab Hotel in central Basra.
RAF Cpl John Hawkes, from Norfolk, said he normally watches England's games in his village pub. The 39-year-old military photographer, based at Basra Air Station, added: "It's fantastic having the huge TV screen. It makes you feel a bit more like you're at home."
And RAF spokesman Wing Commander Trevor Field said: "We're delighted towork alongside the forces' favourite paper to deliver this World Cup airlift. It will be a real morale boost to all our servicemen and women operating in difficult places."
(Chris Henry)
