MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
1982 Falklands veterans praise and thanks to Islanders
The whole Falkland Islands population have been highly praised for their fantastic support by 1982 military veterans planning their 20th anniversary pilgrimage to the Islands in November. Plans are well advanced, with fund-raising continuing.
About 220 members of the South Atlantic Medal Association (SAMA) from all three services and the Merchant Navy will be going, as well as family members of men who were killed, and newspaper and television journalists.
The secretary of SAMA, former paratrooper Denzil Connick, says: "The Islanders have raised an astonishing sum of about £30,000 towards the cost. We are very grateful to so many of them for offering a room or "Bed for a Vet" and accommodation for family members, and also transport. We have got nearly all the accommodation we need. It is extraordinary generosity from such a small community of only two and a half thousand people. It shows how much the Islanders truly appreciate the sacrifices made on their behalf in 1982.
Forging "heart-warming" friendships "It is so heart-warming. We are delighted we can strengthen our friendships forged with the Islanders then and keep alive the history in the minds of the younger Islanders who've been born since.
"It reminds me of the rapport and welcome of the Dutch people, including the children, at the annual reunion of veterans of the 1939-45 War Arnhem landings. You see the veterans swell with pride and grow in stature at battlefield reunions, though there are tears as well, remembering those who died. These pilgrimages help to purge the locked up torment inside them. From my own experience and friendship with Falkland Islanders, I know it does us a lot of good".
Denzil Connick was severely wounded in the battle for Mount Longden, losing one leg, and suffering serious injury to the other.
The most senior former veterans on the pilgrimage will be Major General Malcolm Hunt, who in 1982 commanded 40 Royal Marine Commando, and was later Commander British Forces in the Falkland Islands, and Royal Navy Surgeon Captain Rick Jolly, chairman of SAMA, whose medical teams saved every wounded combatant, both British and Argentine, brought to their emergency field hospital at Ajax Bay.
Prince Andrew joining pilgrimage Rick Jolly has been deeply involved in organising the pilgrimage and has briefed the Duke of York, a former Royal Navy helicopter pilot in the conflict, who is travelling separately to join his SAMA colleagues in the Falklands in an itinerary planned to include Argentina, Chile and Uruguay.
It is costing each veteran about £900. The charter bill will be about £235,000, with Air 2000, which is praised by SAMA for being very helpful and supportive, striving to keep the cost down, much lower than estimates from other airlines. The flight leaves Gatwick on November 6th, refuelling at Banjul in Africa and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, arriving in the early hours of November 7th, about 6 or 7 a.m, at Mount Pleasant where they are assured of an enthusiastic welcome. The return flight departs from the Falklands on November 12th arriving back in the United Kingdom on November 13th. There will be no stops at Ascension Island.
The Falklands programme includes visits to memorials and battle sites and also outlying areas and farms, including Ajax Bay, Goose Green, Estancia, Teal Inlet, San Carlos and Port San Carlos, where veterans will be renewing 1982 friendships.
The Bluff Cove memorial and Fitzroy, site of the deadly Argentine air attack on the troop landing craft Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram, will be the first stop on the way to Stanley from Mount Pleasant, especially poignant for former Welsh Guardsmen who lost so many comrades there.
Stanley, London and Pangbourne TV links A television satellite link is planned between the SAMA service at the Stanley Liberation Monument and the traditional annual Remembrance Service for all war dead at the Whitehall Cenotaph in London, where a SAMA contingent is taking part in the march past. The SAMA Stanley service will be flashed across the air waves to a big screen at Whitehall and into a BBC programme. Two BBC television teams are expected to accompany the pilgrimage, including BBC Wales to focus on the former Welsh Guards.
There will also be a separate BBC traditional "Songs of Praise" programme, featuring a Stanley Cathedral service, and also coverage of the Falklands Memorial Chapel at Pangbourne in England, filming there on November 5th.
Denzil Connick is making a final reconnaissance trip to the Falklands in September, accompanied by his wife, to finalise the programme with Islander SAMA officials headed by former Police Chief Terry Peck, who fought in the front line.
Harold Briley (MP) London
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