Falklands 30

[DeltaWhisky58]

First Sea Lord opens Falklands exhibition

11 May 07

The First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Jonathan Band has officially opened 'Task Force South', a special exhibition at the Royal Naval Museum to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Falklands Conflict.


L-R: Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach, who was the First Sea Lord during the time of the Falklands War, and Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, at the opening of 'Task Force South - The Royal Navy and The Falklands War'
[Picture: LA (Phot) Luis Holden]

The exhibition, located at the museum in Portsmouth's historic dockyard, focuses on the Royal Navy's vital role in the war and the deployment of over 100 ships and 18,000 personnel.

Using artefacts, models, sound and film footage, the exhibition looks at key events and tells the stories of those involved in defining moments such as the sinking of the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano, the Exocet missile strike on HMS Sheffield and the landings in San Carlos Bay.

Also attending the exhibition's opening were Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach (First Sea Lord 1979-82), the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire and the Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Adrian Johns CBE ADC.


Opening the exhibition Admiral Band said:

"It is a great honour to be playing a small part in opening the Task Force South exhibition at the Royal Naval Museum. I was touched by the short act of remembrance and it puts very firmly into focus the harsh realities that emanate from hard war fighting, and the fact that there are nearly always casualties.

L-R: Vice Admiral Adrian Johns, Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff and Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Leach, who was the First Sea Lord during the time of the Falklands War, at the opening of 'Task Force South - The Royal Navy and The Falklands War'
[Picture: LA (Phot) Luis Holden]

"The Falklands Conflict was the largest naval deployment since the Second World War and in the harshest of environments that tested not only our military resolve, but also our ability to plan and manage such a massive undertaking to a successful outcome. The challenges were immense."

Matthew Sheldon, Head of Research Collections at the Royal Naval Museum, said:

"The campaign might have been over in just 11 weeks, but it was an immensely complicated operation. It was also intensely fought; 130 naval personnel were killed, 257 were wounded, and six ships were lost. We aim to bring this home to visitors by focusing on the personal experiences of people with differing roles in the War."

Colin White, Director of the Royal Naval Museum, added:

"This war is still in many people's minds. The exhibition will naturally include key events like the sinking of the General Belgrano, and HMS Sheffield and will offer visitors the chance to contribute their own opinions, thoughts and memories."

The exhibition has attracted over £50,000 in sponsorship, including support from defence companies such as BAE Systems, Chemring, and VT Shipbuilding. It will include artefacts loaned by individuals and other collections from all over the country, including P&O and the National Maritime Museum, as well as partner museums, the Royal Marines Museum, the Fleet Air Arm Museum and the Royal Navy Submarine Museum. The exhibition is open until 29 February 2008.

Defence Internet News

[Cartero]

Hi, this is my fist time here.
I will add this link, http://www.crube.org/, a civil web site that remembers our fallen navy men, from ARA Gral. Belgrano.

[jimmytx3]

A member of 3 para saturday morning after the night before battle for mount longdon, look at the eyes..

[DeltaWhisky58]

Heck Jimmy - that's a thousand-yard stare if I ever saw one. Totally shagged out, no doubts about that - thanks for sharing.

[DeltaWhisky58]

Thatcher unveils Falklands arch


Blacksmith Peter Clutterbuck created and installed the arch

Baroness Thatcher has met Falklands veterans and unveiled a commemorative arch in a Hampshire town to mark the 25th anniversary of the conflict.

Hundreds of residents lined the streets for the former prime minister's appearance in Fareham on Saturday.

One hundred and seventy Royal Naval personnel from aboard HMS Collingwood also marched through the town.

Baroness Thatcher was prime minister during the 1982 crisis when Argentina invaded the islands.

A total of 255 British and about 650 Argentinians lost their lives in the 74-day conflict.


Lady Thatcher shook hands and spoke with well-wishers in Fareham

Baroness Thatcher listened as Falkland veteran and former chief petty officer Derek Kimber told the crowd: "The British nation has always been slow to anger and respond but in the course of 1982 we had no other choice but to either bow down to a bullying regime or stand and fight."

She was then joined by the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Mary Fagan, to unveil the Falklands Arch. Fareham Borough Council commissioned the £25,000 piece of ironwork to commemorate those who lost their lives in the war. Blacksmith Peter Clutterbuck, from Portsmouth, created and installed the arch which contains 82 pennies to represent the year of the conflict.

BBC News Online

[DW58] Maggie's looking good for 81 - nice to see here out and about again.

[Charly84]

Hello,
new guy signing in here, so first post.
There doesn't appear to be a 'newbie sign in' thread other than the one which appears to be for those 'enlisting' and as I have done all that a long time ago no p0nt posting up there.

So here I go, unfortunatley a question straight of the bat

I have spent considerable time reading this thread and others and 'Googling' etc trying to find images of the Scorpions and Scimitars that were deployed to the Falklands, and to a lesser extent the Argrntine AMLs/LVTP's, I'm hoping to build a couple of models from the campaign if I can find some accurate data.

Can anyone point me in the direction of any images of these vehicles?

TIA
Andrew T

[[WDW]Megaraptor]

Was there any combat between British and Argentine armored vehicles in the Falklands?

[DeltaWhisky58]

Was there any combat between British and Argentine armored vehicles in the Falklands?

Not as far as I'm aware. The Argie Panhard armoured cars hardly ever left town owing of the lack of roads. To be honest, I don't think there was much Argie armour left on the islands after the initial invasion apart from the Panhards. I think most of the Marine tracked APCs were withdrawn fairly early on.

[A Telford]

Thanks Charly84,
very much appreciated, that bulked out the references

An additional image of the AML 90, I'm unsure of the source, possibly from a link in this thread somewhere.
Looks to have been used as a range target post war.

[ninja-lewis]

An interesting blog entry from a freelance journalist and photographer who visited the Falkland Islands in 2005. Features some of the units deployed to the Islands at the time as well as island life in general.

[jimmytx3]

here is a photo of a good friend of mine who was killed on mount longdon.
Stewart Laing fatastic bloke killed by a sniper while trying to help a wounded colleague, RIP 25years "only seems like yesterday"

[DeltaWhisky58]

Thanks Jimmy - another great image and a reminder of such a sad loss. The 25th anniversary has a totally different dimension to someone such as yourself who was there.

RIP Stewart Laing.

[javar22]

Victory parade. 1982.

[DeltaWhisky58]

Remembering the Falklands 25 years on

17 May 07

Veterans from both sides of the Falklands Conflict have been meeting in London to mark the opening of an interactive exhibition which explores the actions of those involved in the historic events of 1982.


Baroness Thatcher meets Lieutenant Colonel Ewen Southby-Tailyour, commander of the Task Force Landing Craft Squadron during the Falklands War, at the opening of The Falklands 25th Anniversary Exhibition at Imperial War Museum London
[Picture: Imperial War Museum]

The veterans gathered at the Imperial War Museum in London on Monday 15 May 2007, a day ahead of the official launch of The Falklands, an interactive exhibition which focuses on those involved in the actual conflict.

Those attending the launch included Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire, who commanded No 1 (F) Squadron Royal Air Force; Admiral Sir Alan West, Captain of the British frigate HMS Ardent; Major-General Julian Thompson, who commanded 3 Commando Brigade in the initial landings and subsequent land fighting; Commander Diego Garcia Quiroga, an Officer in an Argentinian Navy and Sergeant Bill Belcher, who was part of the two-man crew of a Scout helicopter shot down on their way to pick up the seriously wounded Commanding Officer of 2 Para, Lieutenant-Colonel ‘H’ Jones;
Also at the opening were Lieutenant Colonel Ewen Southby-Tailyour, of 3 Commando Brigade; Peter Holdgate, the Commando Forces Photographer, whose picture of a marine with a Union Flag on his pack ‘yomping’ towards Stanley became the iconic image of the war; Royal Navy Surgeon Commander Rick Jolly, who established and ran the British Field Hospital at Ajax Bay that treated both British and Argentinian casualties, for which he was uniquely decorated by both the British and Argentinian governments and Naval Nursing Sister Nicci Pugh, who worked aboard HM Hospital Ship Uganda as a member of Queen Alexandra’s Royal Naval Nursing Service.

Falkland Islander Tim Miller, who was treated onboard Uganda for injuries he received during an air attack at Dunnose Head, West Falkland also attended.


Falklands War veterans attend the opening of The Falklands 25th Anniversary Exhibition at Imperial War Museum London
[Picture: Imperial War Museum]

All those who attended the launch had the chance to compare their own personal accounts from the conflict while also looking at some of the exhibits on display. From service personnel to Falkland Islanders, the exhibition includes material on display for the first time.

It tells the story of the war through unique first-hand accounts and personal memorabilia of those involved, including some of the veterans who attended the launch.

The exhibition was officially opened to the public on Tuesday 15 May 2007 by Baroness Thatcher, who oversaw the conflict as Prime Minister. The exhibition explores the people involved in what is the most recent invasion of a British territory since the Second World War.

Exhibits include the battered joystick from Sgt Belcher's Scout helicopter along with Surgeon Commander Rick Jolly's diary and medals are included in the many artefacts from the war to be found in the museum.

Audio clips from the exhibition are available under
Related Links >>>


Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire, Admiral Sir Alan West and Major-General Julian Thompson at the launch of The Falklands 25th Anniversary Exhibition at Imperial War Museum London
[Picture: Imperial War Museum]

The clips include testimonies from Reverend David Cooper, Chaplain, 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment who, on 30 May 1982, conducted the burial service of the 18 British servicemen who died during the battle for Goose Green, Soldado (Private) Domingo Morel, who was on Mount Longdon, where he had been deployed since 17 April 1982 and Robert Fox, then a BBC Radio reporter who initially accompanied 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment during the Falklands campaign.

The exhibition is accompanied by a website, see Related Links >>> and an online interactive timeline.
Related Links

Falklands25 website
The Falklands Campaign 1982
AUDIO: Reverend David Cooper, Chaplain, 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment [.mp3 873Kb]
AUDIO: Soldado (Private) Domingo Morel[.mp3 925Kb]
AUDIO: Robert Fox, BBC Journalist [.mp3 1Mb]
Falklands 25th Anniversary Exhibition

Defence Internet News

[Cartero]

In that article (posted by DeltaWhisky58), one of the assistants is Diego Garcia Quiroga, by that time, 04/02/1982, he was "Teniente de Fragata de la Armada Argentina".
That day, as you know -at governor Rex Hunt residence- there were two wounded and only one cassualty: Capitan de Corbeta Pedro E. Giachino.
The wounded were Cabo Urbina and an officer, el Teniente Diego Garcia Quiroga, who was seriously injured trying to help his commander, Giachino.


hasta la proxima