Falklands 25

In March 1982, Argentine scrap metal workers landed at Leith Harbour, in South Georgia, and raised the Argentine flag. A fortnight later, Argentine troops invaded the Falklands Islands, triggering a 74-day conflict with Britain. Today is the anniversary of that invasion.

Britain took control of the windswept islands in 1834( just a century before my birth) as a crucial base for the command of the southern oceans. In 1982 there were 1800 Falkland Islanders spread out across dozens of tiny settlements and a Marine detachment numbering only 41 men, armed with only rifles and the odd machine gun.

The expeditionary force sent out to retake the islands accomplished their task with the loss of 255 British servicemen who died in the struggle.

My next door fellow Yorkshireman at the College of the Resurrection, David Cooper, where we prepared for ordination was padre with the force. He came from a Leeds council estate but came home to become a chaplain at Eton College. He came to the notice of the world when he presided and preached at the Victory service held in Port Stanley Cathedral.

Christ Church Cathedral on Ross Road, in Stanley, Falkland Islands, is the southernmost cathedral in the world, consecrated in 1892. It is known for its whalebone arch, made from the jaws of two blue whales, which was raised in 1933.The Rector of the Cathedral reports directly to the Archbishop of Canterbury. An image of the church is featured on the reverse side of all Falkland Islands pound banknotes. The current encumbent is Reverend Paul Sweeting.

The 25th anniversary of the Falklands Campaign will be commemorated across 8,000 miles and four time zones, in London, Pangbourne and the Falkland Islands from 14 to 17 June 2007.

Speaking at the launch of the commemorations on HMS Illustrious, Mr Twigg said:
“The Falklands campaign was one of the most memorable events in post-war British history. The liberation of the Islands was a huge achievement by our Forces, operating in harsh conditions 8,000 miles away from home.The commemorations will provide us with an opportunity to reflect on the events of 25 years ago. We will take time to remember those who gave their lives to defend the freedom of the Falkland Islands. As well as the principal events in London, Pangbourne and Stanley, we anticipate that local communities and veterans groups around the country will organize smaller scale events.”

The Falklands story is not just an historic one. Over the past 25 years a great many of our current generation of Service men and women have seen Service in the Falklands and have been moved by the memorials to the fallen they maintain around the Islands; the Armed Forces connection with the Falklands is therefore personal and current.

Commemorations will also look at what the Islanders themselves have achieved in the 25 years since the conflict, building a robust and thriving community worthy of the sacrifices made.

Official events begin on Liberation Day Thursday 14 June at the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel in the grounds of Pangbourne ‘nautical’ College, Berkshire. This service of Commemoration and Remembrance is held annually on behalf of the Falklands Families Association, but will have special significance in 2007 when it will be attended by senior members of the Royal family, and carried live on BBC.

Later that day (UK time) attention will turn to the Falkland Islands and the first of a series of ambitious live link ups with the Islands. A service at Christchurch Cathedral, Stanley will be followed by an Act of Commemoration at the Falklands War Memorial, and British Forces currently based on the Islands will parade through Stanley exercising the Freedom of the City that was bestowed on them by the Falkland Islands Government in 2002.

The showpiece event of these commemorations will be on Sunday 17 June. This will consist of a high impact visual event on Horse Guards Parade followed by a march past of veterans and their modern day service counterparts up The Mall to Buckingham Palace to witness a fly past of aircraft from the Falklands era as well as some of those flown by the same squadrons today. Central to the event will be the personal recollections of veterans and Islanders as they tell their stories in their own words.