MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands hero heads Royal Navy

A hero of the Falklands war, Admiral Sir Alan West, whose frigate HMS Ardent was bombed and sunk by Argentine aircraft, has been appointed to head the Royal Navy as First Sea Lord. He takes over in September from Admiral Sir Nigel Essenhigh.

Admiral West is succeeded as Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet by Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, who in 1982 served as Flag Lieutenant to the then Commander-in-Chief Fleet and overall Falklands Commander, Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse, at headquarters in Britain.

Admiral West, 54, was commander of HMS Ardent when it was attacked on May 21, 1982, as it supported the amphibious landing of 5,000 British troops at San Carlos. Twenty-two of Ardent's crew were killed. Commander West was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and led the Victory Parade through the City of London.

Recalling the action recently, Admiral West said: "Giving the order to abandon ship was one of the hardest decision I have ever had to make...because you fall in love with a ship...HMS Yarmouth put her stern onto our bow because we were sinking. I stepped off onto her". He is President of the HMS Ardent Association.

Regret for loss of comrades
He has visited the Falklands several times and also Argentina, meeting Falkland's veterans. He says:" We share a common bond of justifiable pride in the achievements of both Argentine and UK armed forces, and a deep regret for the loss of our comrades".

Marked out as an outstanding officer, Admiral West's subsequent posts included naval secretary and Chief of Defence Intelligence. He joined the Royal Navy in 1965 and spent most of his career at sea, serving in fourteen different ships, and commanding three of them. Since November 2000, he has been Commander-in-Chief Fleet, Commander-in-Chief East Atlantic, and Commander Allied Naval Forces North.

Admiral Band, who is 52, joined the Royal Navy in 1967, and commanded several ships, including the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious. He has been Deputy Commander-in-Chief Fleet since May 2001.

Harold Briley, (MP) London