MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Evocative painting for Falklands Commander

The Commander credited with winning the Falklands land battle in 1982, Major General Julian Thompson, has come face to face with a picture that brings back evocative memories of the last day of the conflict.

It is a peaceful picture in sunshine of Wireless Ridge, where the last battle ended Argentine resistance. The picture -- painted by a British artist who lives in France, David McEwen --- is on show in the Falklands Government Office in London, where Julian Thompson promptly bought it.

He explained why to Mercopress:" It is very evocative for me. I was standing on wireless ridge with David Chaundler, CO of 2 Para, when we heard that the Argentines had surrendered and white flags were flying over Port Stanley. We looked through our binoculars and could see no white flags. So I told David: 'You go marching in and take over the town, and I will get the whole Brigade moving and we will be in there right behind you'. I marched in to Stanley off Wireless Ridge behind 2 Para.

Last day on Wireless Ridge
"To me that picture of Wireless Ridge is the last day of the war. It did not look like that then. It was one of those drifting snow, squally, greys, days. But this picture shows how beautiful the Islands can be, bright and blue, in that wonderful light. I had lost a lot of men getting to Wireless Ridge. My Brigade fought all the battles except Tumbledown. The very moment the guns fell silent was very important for me. It meant no more men would die. The picture will hang in a prominent place in my home".

Major General Thompson added: "I am delighted the way the islands are so prosperous, and the Islanders can live the way they want. I hope nobody has any idea of changing the way they live by doing any deals behind their backs". Major General Thompson was talking on the day that news came through that British Royal Marine Commandos have gone into action in Afghanistan.
"I feel very strongly for our commandos", he said. "It is going to be a tough fight but I cannot think of anyone better to fight in that terrain".

Call for Government pilgrimage subsidy.
He also advocated more support from the British Government for veterans of the Falklands conflict wishing to join the 20th anniversary pilgrimage there in November. "As a commander", he said, "I would like to see more government support for the pilgrimage. I would like to see the government subsidise it. There are many veterans who need to go back to help them overcome their problems such as post traumatic stress disorder. I think it is very relevant and very, very important that they should go back. When they go back and see what it was all about, it will help them come to terms with the problems they have.

Major General Thompson was attending the opening of an exhibition of some of the best paintings ever to depict the Falklands, amid high praise for David McEwen, whose visit to the Islands was sponsored by the Shackleton Scholarship Fund.

"Fantastic paintings" of Falkland's life
Falklands Councillor Richard Cockwell said: "When I look at his paintings, I always want to cry because they are so good. It is wonderful to see the Falklands presented in this way so people can see it is not the grim dark place we saw in 1982. It is full of light, of changing places and changing things.... a wonderful place to visit....Members of Parliament, who visited recently, came away thinking "Wow the Falklands is different place from what I thought it was".

Falklands London Representative, Sukey Cameron, called them "fantastic paintings" evoking happy memories and, she hoped, encouraging people to visit.

On show are some of the fifty paintings, in water colour and in oil, that this prolific British artist produced, depicting many aspects of Falkland's life including land and seascapes, ships and ship wrecks, portraits of Islanders, wildlife, horses and dogs. Some have already been sold.

David McEwen and his wife, Sally, came to London for the exhibition. He runs a painting school in partnership with Sally, with bed and breakfast accommodation at their home in Lodeve, Southern France.

He fell in love with the Islands and the Islanders and their way of life and declared: "If I did not live in Lodeve, the only other place in the world I would like to live and paint is the Falklands".

Councillor Cockwell described how it was on a painting holiday staying with the McEwens that he realised how David McEwen's versatile artistic talent could so faithfully depict Falklands life.

The artist plans to re-visit the Falklands and show his collection there, with his wife, later this year.

Harold Briley, (MP) London