MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands’ hero and 1982 governor Sir Rex Hunt honoured by Foreign Secretary
Hague praised Sir Rex’s courage, leadership and fortitude to resist an unprovoked and illegal aggression The British Government’s, “pride and thanks,” was expressed at Sir Rex Hunt’s memorial service in London last Tuesday. Sir Rex Hunt was Governor of the Falkland Islands when the Argentine military invasion on 2 April 1982. After the conflict Sir Rex who the Argentines expelled from the Islands returned to this job at Government House in Stanley.
Falklands’ former Governor Alan Huckle at the service held in St Clement Danes, the Central Church of the Royal Air Force, read a message sent by the Foreign Secretary William Hague who said he was sorry he was unable to attend.
“I did not wish to let this occasion pass without recording the British Government’s pride and thanks for Sir Rex’s contribution – and especially for his role in those fateful days of April 1982.”
He added that it was probably true that Sir Rex’s unremitting advocacy of the Falkland Islanders’ perspective often vexed those officials seeking an accommodation with Argentina, in the months and years before the invasion of the Islands.
“But it is rarely wise to seek to be popular: it is far better to be right”.
Foreign Secretary Hague said Sir Rex’s concerns about Argentina’s intentions proved, “all too well founded. His injunctions that the wishes of the Falkland Islands people must always be forefront in any consideration of the Islands’ future now form the corner-stone of Britain’s policy on the Falkland Islands.”
Mr Hague said “his friends and family can take great comfort that, as the events of over 30 years ago recede into an increasingly distant past, Sir Rex and his reputation rest firmly on the right side of history.”
He added: “Crises expose character and test mettle. We could not have wished for a better man at the helm when the disaster struck. But Sir Rex’s courage, leadership and fortitude not only gave hope to the Islanders and rallied the people of the UK to resist this unprovoked and illegal aggression.
They were also the mark of the man: it is not lightly that the Prime Minister described Sir Rex last year as a ‘British hero’.”
Rex Hunt’s affection for the Falklands was clear for all to see, said Mr Hague “as was the affection that the Falklands held for him. Rex was instrumental in helping to champion the many positive changes in the Falklands that followed the conflict.
“He was proud to lead the Islands in this new adventure. As we look today at the prosperous, democratic, secure and confident Falkland Islands, we have much to be grateful to Sir Rex for: indeed, I am reminded of the epitaph of Sir Christopher Wren: If you seek his monument, look around.” (PN)
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Read all comments.“... illegal aggression”?????????
Jun 13th, 2013 - 11:42 am 0“Illegal aggression” was the January 3, 1833, asshole.
@1 Reasserting our sovereignty in 1833 was not illegal, placing a penal colony on an island more than 1000 miles away from your borders, when said island was already claimed by Britain was illegal though.
Jun 13th, 2013 - 11:58 am 0The islands were never part of your territory as at the time you did not even have sovereignty of Patagonia or tierra del fuego, as it wasn't till between 1890 and 1910 when you gained sovereignty of those areas by illegally slaughtering the native Indians.
The 1982 war was basically Argentina repeating what it did in 1833 but on a much bigger scale, by attempting to assert sovereignty by military force on the islands population. But again, like in 1833, Britain successfully reasserted it sovereignty!
You simply can not claim land that belongs to others as yours just because you want it, just like you can not claim your neighbors house as yours!
@1 ILLEGAL AGGRESSION!!! Attitudes and actions for which the scumhole of argieland is infamous. Argieland was “born” in a situation of illegality and aggression. It is not “legal” to rebel. And, as for “aggression”, let's ask the ghosts of the Onas, the Yamana, the Tehuelches, the Guaycurúes, the Wichis, the Guaranies, the Toba, the Diaguita, the Comechingones, the Charrua, the Yaros, the Bohanes, the Chanas and the Querandi. The wars against the National Party of Uruguay and against Paraguay. And the “Conquest of the Desert”. Deliberate and admitted aggression against the indigenous people. There was even aggression against France and Britain in the mid-19th century and against Britain during World War 2. And the aggression against Britain and the intended aggression against Chile in 1982. As can be seen, always aggression against people perceived to be weaker or otherwise occupied.
Jun 13th, 2013 - 01:15 pm 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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