MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falkland Islands: British reservists re-live Royal Marine history
Royal Marine reservists at The Liberation Memorial in Stanley ONE hundred Royal Marine reservists exercising in the Falklands have paid tribute to victims of the 1982 War and attended a reception in their honour hosted by the His Excellency the Governor Alan Huckle.
Speaking to MercoPressat Government House on Friday evening, Lt. Col John Davies, a Falklands War veteran and commander of the visiting reservists, said training opportunities in the islands over the past three weeks "...have been fantastic." Only at Onion Range in the Falkland Islands, said Lt Col Davies could they, "fire to maximum capacity," during live field firing. The reservists have also undertaken a 'yomp' (the term used by British forces for marching overland) from San Carlos to Onion Range, and have been fascinated by battle-field tours of areas they had only heard tell of from news stories of the 1982 War and from their older Falklands veteran colleagues. At the Government House reception for the reservists and invited guests, Mr Huckle and Lt. Col Davies gave speeches and exchanged plaques. On a lighter note, however, former Royal Marine Gary Clement (now resident in the Islands) explained to the group the tradition of the Governer's guests signing the underside of the upstairs snooker table. A number of the Royal Marine reservists delightedly applied their signatures next to that of the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh, as well as those of the three Princes, HRH the Prince of Wales, the Duke of York and the Earl of Wessex. When it was enquired whether Princess Anne's name was also there, the Governor's wife Mrs Huckle smilingly commented that she, "...doubted the Princess Royal had climbed under the table." Lt Col John Davies served as Troop Commander with 45 Commando in the Falklands in 1982. Also amongst the group was former Royal Marine Bill Jenkins who clearly recalled the exhausting yomp from Teal Inlet all the way to the Two Sisters Mountains overlooking Stanley. By Lisa Johnston, SeAled PR Ltd. - Stanley
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