Spennymoor commemorated the 40th anniversary of the start of the Falklands conflict with a parade of local veterans and cadets from Spennymoor and Chester-le-Street, followed by a moving church service.
Veterans from the Spennymoor branches of the Royal Navy and Royal Signals associations had organised the event, which took place on Saturday 2 April 2022, with the assistance of the vicar of St. Paul’s Church, Reverend Matt Tarling, who conducted the service.
Falklands War
The conflict started when Argentinian forces invaded the British dependent territories of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic on 2 April 1982 and lasted for 74 days when the Argentinian forces surrendered on 14 June. The cost of rightly returning the Falkland Islands to British control was the loss of life of 255 British military personnel and 775 wounded.
Amongst the packed congregation and representing the Royal Navy, army and the Royal Air Force was the Deputy Lord Lieutenant Commander Ian Berry M.B.E., Major Chris Lawton M.B.E. and Flight Lieutenant Graham Blount. Also in attendance and representing the Town Council was Town Mayor, Cllr Neil Foster.
Personal accounts
Falkland’s veteran Peter Reed, formerly of the Royal Engineers gave a personal account of his time in San Carlos Water and how it became known as ‘Bomb Alley’. When Reed had finished giving his personal account the videos of the Falklands Conflict inspired song “Brothers in Arms” by Dire Straits and ‘Falklands 35: The Return’, which followed the journey of a former Paratrooper returning to the Falkland Islands for the first time after 35 years were played and was very moving to watch.
The Act of Remembrance took place with another Falklands Conflict veteran Alfie Dolan, formerly of the Royal Navy, recited The Exhortation and Kristy Hockaday, formerly of the Royal Air Force, recited the Kohima Epitaph.
Donations
At the end of the service a collection took place with £250 being raised for the Falklands Veterans Foundation, which assists Veterans of the Falklands Conflict, their families and next of kin of those killed in action to return to the Falkland Islands to pay their respects to those still on patrol. It raises funds for the upkeep of Liberty Lodge so they can be accommodated in the Falkland Islands, dedicated to providing aid and advice to all Falklands Veterans and their families.
Pete Molloy of the Royal Signals Association Spennymoor branch said, “The service was very moving and was very well attended with some of those veterans in attendance being veterans of the Falklands Conflict.
“It is important that we also remember those that have given their lives for their country in recent times, so they are not forgotten.
“On behalf of the organisers, I would like to thank those who attended for coming and the Reverend Matt Tarling for allowing us to hold the commemoration service in his church and for conducting the service.”
Spennymoor's local community newspaper.
