MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Thatcher Attends Gosport Commemoration
Baroness Margaret Thatcher meeting the Royal Marine bandsmen Gosport on the western side of Portsmouth harbour has again led other British towns with the first public commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the 1982 war.
The ceremonies began with a march from the Town Hall to Falklands Gardens, which overlooks Portsmouth Harbour. The procession was led by a Royal Marine band and included civic dignitaries and contingents from the Army, Navy, and Royal British Legion. At Falklands Gardens they joined some two hundred and fifty veterans of the war who had already formed up. Last, but not least, they were joined by Margaret Thatcher, to cheers from the watching crowd. A short commemoration service then took place, conducted by the Reverend T. Goodyear, chaplin to the mayor. There was an address by Derek Kimber, Deputy-Mayor of Gosport, and a Falklands veteran himself. The hymns "Eternal Father Strong To Save" and "He Who Would Valiant Be" were sung. The Last Post was then sounded, followed by one minute silence, and then Reveille. Margaret Thatcher accompanied by the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Mary Fagan, then laid flowers at the memorial. The Lord Lieutenant herself then laid the next, followed by relatives of the fallen, until there was flower for every life lost. Finally, the National Anthem was sung, and the names of all the 255 fallen were read out. The military contingents then marched back up the High Street â€" this time, with the veteran themselves in pride of place. The streets were lined with cheering people. The civic dignitaries, together with Margaret Thatcher, had assembled outside the Town Hall and, led by Mayor Keith Gill and Surgeon Commodore Sykes, Commander of the Institute of Naval Medicine at Gosport, they all took the salute as the veterans and other contingents marched past. VIPs then attended a short reception in the Town Hall, while veterans marched on to St George's Fields where refreshments and drinks were enjoyed by all. Margaret Thatcher, however, instead of going into the civic reception straight away, walked around the cheering people, shaking hands and talking with many of them. She also met the Royal Marine band, which had formed up again alongside the Town Hall. Then after a short while at the civic reception, she was driven over to St. George's Fields to meet the veterans. There she was again cheered and scores of them got the chance to talk to her, and take photographs. Although frail with advancing age, her mind was undimmed, and her courtesy and humility were there for all to see. Her stamina was incredible. The event was organised by Derek Cole and others from the Falklands Veterans Foundation, which is based in Gosport, and Gosport Borough Council. The weather was brilliant â€" like the event itself. By P.J.Pepper - Gosport
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