Falkland Islanders honour British personnel killed in 1982 conflict by naming locations after them
To honour the Britons killed during the 1982 Falklands War, locations around the islands have been named after the British servicemen and civilians who died during the conflict following Argentina's invasion.
In total, 255 servicemen and three locals died during the brutal and deadly conflict and today's inhabitants of the Falkland Islands wish to remember their sacrifice in a permanent way.
Major General Jeff Mason, chairman of the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel Trust, said: "To have special places in the islands, named after each of those who paid the ultimate price, will be an everlasting tribute to them."
Three islanders – Rosemarie King, Ken Passfield and Sally Poncet – have spent two years contacting about 70 landowners to obtain permission to name land and the families of the fallen for approval to use names.
The result is the Falkland Islands Memorial Map which features 258 previously unnamed stretches of coastline, beach or ridges, among other geographic features, plus a string of roads around the Mount Pleasant complex, now bearing the names of all who were killed.
Visitors to the Falkland Islands can now pay their respects by climbing Rundle Rocks on the western approaches to the capital Stanley in memory of Royal Marine Landing Craftsman Marine Anthony Rundle who was killed when landing craft Foxtrot Four was bombed in the closing days of the conflict.
HMS Glamorgan's Petty Officer Michael Adcock, who died when an Exocet missile struck the destroyer, has been immortalised with a namesake lagoon on Lively Island.
And Briggs Beach on the rugged northeastern shore of East Falkland is now a permanent reminder of Petty Officer David Briggs, another victim of an Exocet missile, this time on board HMS Sheffield.
The next stage of the project will be to provide photographs of the newly named sites so families, unable to visit the Falklands Islands themselves, can see the tranquil spots named after their loved ones.
All 258 families of those who were killed have received copies of the memorial map and a copy has been produced for the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel at Pangbourne College in Reading.
The Bishop for the Falkland Islands, the Right Rev Jonathan Clark, blessed the large replica chart, which has been funded by the 40th Anniversary Committee in the islands.
Those present were chapel trustees Sara Jones, whose husband Colonel 'H' Jones received a posthumous VC for his bravery, and Sukey Cameron, a Falkland Islander and former representative of the Falkland Islands government in the UK.
Major General Jeff Mason said: "We are honoured to be able to display this map in the chapel for the benefit of all the families and veterans who regularly."
The dedication ceremony was followed by the annual Service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance in the chapel, attended by about 570 people, including next of kin of those who died and veterans of the 1982 war.
The list of locations and the people they honour can be found here.
Join Our Newsletter
