MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands mark ANZAC national Day and remember Liberation of South Georgia on Tuesday 25th April 1982

Governor Alison Blake CMG during the service at the Cross of Sacrifice

Busy early day for Alison Blake CMG, Governor of the Falkland Islands and Commissioner of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands. In dawn on Tuesday April 25th, the Governor joined members of the Falklands community, including Australian and New Zealand nationals to the service held at the Cross of Sacrifice, for the ANZAC Day.

Besides being members of the British Commonwealth, there are long standing links between the Falklands and Australia and New Zealand. As a farming community the Islands have always found support and strong counseling from the Oceania countries.

Anzac Day is a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand that broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders “who served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations” and “the contribution and suffering of all those who have served”.

Observed on 25 April each year, Anzac Day was originally devised to honor the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, ANZAC, who served in the Gallipoli campaign, their first engagement in the First World War (1914–1918).

At dawn today, the Governor joined members of the #Falklands community at the #AnzacDay service held at The Cross of Sacrifice.#WeWillRememberThem pic.twitter.com/P4lRyMHHCC

— Government House (@GHFalklands) April 25, 2023

Further in the day Governor Blake, as Commissioner of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands recalled that Tuesday also marked 41 years since the Liberation of South Georgia from occupying Argentine Forces and a day to remember all those involved in “Operation Paraquet”.

Operation Paraquet was the code name for the British military successful operation to recapture South Georgia from Argentine military control n 1982 and restore British sovereignty. On 25th April Argentine occupying sources surrendered including a beached submarine, ARA Santa Fe.

The operation was a subsidiary of the main Operation Corporate, (recapture and Liberation of the Falklands from Argentina) on 14 June 1982. Officially named Operation Paraquet, alternative spelling of 'parakeet', it was known among British troops as 'Paraquat', after the industrial weed killer.

Commissioner Blake twitted that conservation of the unique environment of the beautiful South Georgia islands continues to be at the heart of government activities.