The Leader of Hampshire County Council has paid tribute to all the servicemen who lost their lives during the Falklands Conflict, those who were injured, and those who gave service in the South Atlantic military campaign.
Marking the 40 year anniversary on 14 June, of the end of the Conflict, Councillor Rob Humby said: “We pay tribute to the 255 servicemen and 3 Falkland Islanders who died, those who were injured and all the individuals who served in, and were impacted by, the Falklands Conflict, 40 years ago, in 1982. Hampshire is home to a large military and defence community, many of whom will have been directly involved in the Falklands campaign. Today we have been remembering their dedicated service and sacrifice - and saying a heartfelt: ‘Thank you’.”
Councillor Andrew Joy, the County Council’s Armed Forces Champion, said: “I was honoured to serve in support of the Falklands Conflict during my own Armed Forces career as a Specialist Adviser on Support Helicopter Operations in the Task Force HQ throughout the Campaign. I saw and heard in live reports the bravery and courage shown by those who gave active service in the 74-day conflict. It is a privilege to remember, honour and commemorate all these individuals, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives. I am proud that the County Council is committed to supporting Hampshire’s ‘family’ of Armed Forces in all we do, including serving personnel, veterans, reservists and their family dependants.”
To commemorate the 40th anniversary, a Union flag was raised outside The Great Hall in Winchester by Nick Burchell, a senior health and safety officer at the County Council, who is a Royal Navy veteran of the Falklands conflict. Nick was on active service on the destroyer HMS Coventry on 25 May, the day it was bombed and sank, leading to the loss of 19 crew members. The flag raising was then followed by a moment of silence.
Hampshire County Council is a co-founder of Forces Connect South East which works to promote equal access to services for the Armed Forces community where needed – its work is supported through the free ‘Forces Connect’ app, which links people to information and to a wide range of support in a quick and simple way.
For more details on the County Council’s strong links with the Armed Forces, visit https://www.hants.gov.uk/community/armedforces