Falklands’ conflict gunner meets Skyhawk pilot he shot down, at his home in Argentina
A Royal Navy veteran from the Falklands War has completed an extraordinary journey to meet the Argentine pilot he thought he had shot down and killed during the 1982 conflict.
Neil Wilkinson met his former enemy Mariano Velasco at his home in Argentina - and was welcomed inside with open arms.
The emotional meeting - just weeks before the 30th anniversary of the moment they clashed in battle - was filmed for a BBC Inside Out Yorkshire and Lincolnshire documentary to be screened this week.
Mr Wilkinson, from Leeds, told the program: “It's too massive to put into words. Part of it is closure really, but meeting him in the flesh I now know he is alive and we are friends.”
Mr Wilkinson was a 22-year-old anti-aircraft gunner serving on HMS Intrepid when he opened fire and hit an enemy Skyhawk fighter jet during the conflict in 1982.
The image of the stricken plane disappearing from view trailing a plume of black smoke - along with the assumption that the pilot had lost his life - haunted Mr Wilkinson for years after the conflict. He went on to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder as he struggled to adapt to life outside the Services:
“Your job is to deter them to protect your ship,” he said. “I thought about it many, many times. It's not something I gloat over. I just see the aircraft every day in my brain.
”I thought he's dead, there's no way anyone could get out of that aircraft“.
But a chance viewing of a TV documentary to mark the 25th anniversary of the conflict in 2007 raised the possibility that he had not killed the Argentine pilot after all.
Mr Wilkinson heard the story of the Argentine serviceman Mariano Velasco, describing his part in the Falklands War as a 33-year-old Flight Lieutenant. Velasco told how he took part in the attack on HMS Coventry on 25 May 1982, which resulted in the loss of 19 British servicemen.
The pilot also relived the moment his aircraft was hit during an attack two days later, forcing him to eject and trek for ten miles over the Falklands with a badly injured ankle to reach a deserted farmhouse where he eventually got help and returned to an Argentine base on West Island.
The dates tallied and Mr Velasco's description of the incident also matched Mr Wilkinson's recollections:
”I knew it was him,“ said Mr Wilkinson. ”I was the only weapon that fired that day.“
Further checks with military records also confirmed that Mr Velasco's plane was the one hit by Mr Wilkinson's anti-aircraft gun and he decided to make contact by e-mail.
The two veterans, while agreeing to disagree about the reasons and justifications for the war, went on to become good friends.
Now Mr Wilkinson has completed an emotional journey back to the Falklands, visiting the crash site of the aircraft he shot down on 27 May 1982, with the crater and wreckage still visible today.
As he approached the crash site Mr Wilkinson said: ”It's a very strange feeling to look at this. There's bits strewn all over the place and it's still here and I just don't know how really he got out of it. I know he did eject and luckily for him he did. It's just unbelievable.
“It's a brilliant feeling. Not to look and gloat over a crash site and think 'this is what I did'. The feeling inside is that he got out and he did survive it and I'm really, really pleased.”
Mr Wilkinson also went on to Argentina to the remote rural village where Mr Velasco lives with his family after retiring as a Commodore in the Argentine Air Force.
Mr Velasco embraced Mr Wilkinson with a hug and said:
“Hello Neil, welcome to my house”.
“It's an honour,” replied Mr Wilkinson.
After the emotional meeting, Mr Wilkinson said: “For all this time I've had the build-up… not knowing he was alive for 25 years then finding out he was alive then eventually got here after five long years of trying to get here and I'm so ecstatic. He welcomed me with open arms and that's all I wanted.”
Mr Velasco added: “Good soldiers should be able to forgive each other and afterwards why can't they be friends… be good friends.”
Over 900 people died during the 74-day war, including 255 British servicemen, 655 Argentines and three islanders.
The documentary produced and presented by Nicola Rees is a special Inside Out to mark the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War. This article has been supplied to the UK Ministry of Defence by BBC Lincolnshire.
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42 comments Feed
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I pity you, and I doubt if ether of the two would have any respect for any thing you say.
Perhaps you could prove this.
England do have reasonably good relations considering the vast amounts of Brittish and welsh, and scotts who immigrated to Argentina and to some extent
influenced Argentina's rail and infrastucture network, I know some great pommie mates but we leave the falklands out of the conversation no wonder.
you gave a good description of the Argentine there, but you mist out that you can also be Considered a Terrorist in the Argentine if you don't follow the government line. I pity people that have a mind set like you.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1SYV0AkxfM&feature=player_embedded#!
mmm... its strange, is only one example of the pseudo-democracy , there is only one form to think accord to the gevernment
my point is that there is no bad relationships with you and we, but the problems is the falkland government, they want to deny the dialogue, they want both societies be fought.
do you want this? I dont
Yes, it is the islanders wishes not to discuss sovereignty with Argentina.
No one in the Islands want's to talk to your government, maybe one day we will, but that day is not here yet, but this post is not about the Falklands, It's about two brave men, and how they respect each other.
James Peck////
is this man the only human being in the world to become an argentine citizen,,,
If so the your story is unique
But on the only hand, if he is not the only human to become argentine
Then your item is as bad as your ego, childish,
being anti, will get you nowhere
one day you indocronoughts will understand the real meaning of freedom to choose,
,
Inciteful as always, just read the articles and ignore the REM.
you are a donky!! you do not have any idea about Argeninien, Argentina, Malvinas islands Agentina and James Peck, mate!!! I think it is time to know more our culture before we get the sovereignty of our Islands again, The time is over!! time to discuss .....23 zethe
Will do Mr Kuntz :-)
do you think that in the English government, your opinions matter?
get tested and remember the movement occupy Uk
There is no dialogue, not by you but on its own will and interests of the English government. You can not influence anything. The point goes beyond you so what remains is that ordinary people like us just talking and we respect each other, when I say talk I do not say on behalf of any government but of ordinary people. that, says the article.
P.S.25 briton!, i missed you!.
has no relation your comment, but you be interested in reading this article as this, has no connection but it is to get an idea. We need people like you in my company.
www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/22/young-europeans-emigrate-argentina-jobs
I fully agree with you.
Emotional- porno at its best.
Message being…..
Let’s kill each other and become good friends afterwards……..
Like “real man” do!
Ps:
Please notice the “good taste detail” of the sunken ships silhouettes painted on the side of the plane….
Only people who served in the Armed Forced would understand the concept
Now if any of you have any valid reason for believing the contrary, you are totally welcome to take the matter up with the only court that has jurisdiction. Strange how you never want to do that, isn't it? Bit short of bottle, are you?
Now off you go and visit one of those tens of thousands of argie psychriatrists.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGYA0lzLneU&feature=related
San Lorenzo (marcha)
Febo asoma; ya sus rayos
iluminan el histórico convento;
tras los muros, sordo ruido,
oír se deja de corceles y de acero.
Son las huestes que prepara
San Martín para luchar en San Lorenzo;
el clarín estridente sonó
y la voz del gran jefe
a la carga ordenó.
Avanza el enemigo
a paso redoblado,
al viento desplegado
su rojo pabellón.
Y nuestros granaderos,
aliados de la gloria,
inscriben en la historia
su página mejor.
Cabral, soldado heroico,
cubriéndose de gloria,
cual precio a la victoria,
su vida rinde, haciéndose inmortal;
y allí, salvó su arrojo
la libertad naciente
de medio continente,
¡Honor, honor al gran Cabral!
not only hitler used this march to “march” triumphant when he got into France ... but also the English Government asked for authoritation to argies`governement to be used when King Jorge V was crowned,June1911.
Isabel II was crowned,injune 1953, while listening and singing,may be, “Argies`militar song” . There s something worse than that yet, IT IS the march San Lorenzo, the one usually during changig the guard in the Buckingham Palace.
Is isnt it .... beautiful?????
Another fantasist then>
The march was written by a German, Carl Albert Hermann Teike (February 5, 1864 – May 22, 1922) who wrote over 100 military marches and 20 concert works, this being just one of them.
Get back in the box exocet.
25 briton
you are a donky!! you do not have any idea about Argeninien,
And you are an ass, with two cheeks,
I know more about Argentina than you ever will,
And ive never been their, but all con men are the same, they all want something they never owned,
You may think James is your hero, but he is just a porn to be used by the Argies,
They are British islands, and will remain British,
And as david camaron said today,
You are just a bunch of wanabe imperialists, looking for an empire,
Even if you have to steal it,
So get on your bike, and vroom off
.
Always there is someone in a Country who will do anything to entice their fellow citizens to fight. The bottom line is always because of the human greed factor.
I personally knew young Argentine children my own age who like me were just ordinary people going about their own lives. One day a militry dictator decided to rape our Country with no thought for our feeling or that of the young Argentine boys and girls to which I became very good friends with. These young people were conscripted into the Argentine army to be sent back to our Country to tear it apart. How do you think those innocent young people felt knowing that it was not of their making but that of their Countries leader.
How many of those friend of mine perrished in that time or afterwards I will never know.
Friendship is made by like minded people regardless of race or culture and they/we care for each other and are usually the ones that have to rebuild a country after bieng devestated by war.
The polititions simply could not give a damb as to the outcome because their prime role in life is to exercise their power over the little guys like you and me.
Falkland Islanders and Argentines would very likely be good neighbours given the chance but that will never happen while we still have the likes of CFK throwing her weight around as she does. I bet behind the scenes she is a very nice person but as a politician she must be seen to wave here sword that's what they all do
no worries mate! I will always be back ........home!
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