‘At 10 p.m. I rose and told the House that it had been reported that there were white flags flying over Port Stanley. The war was over. We all felt the same and the cheers showed it. Right had prevailed. And when I went to sleep very late that night I realised how great the burden was which had been lifted from my shoulders. For the nation as a whole, though the daily memories, fears and even the relief would fade, pride in our country’s achievement would not.’ Margaret Thatcher
It's the 30th anniversary of the beginning of the Falklands War, which saw 255 British military servicemen, 3 Falkland Islanders and 649 Argentinean military personnel die, today. Commemorative services have taken place, and David Cameron has called the Argentinean invasion of the Falkland Islands a 'profound wrong'. In Staffordshire, at Britain's National Memorial Arboretum, veterans, and relatives of those who died, gathered as a single candle was lit. The candle will remain lit for 74 days; the length of the conflict.
The memories and recollections of those involved in the conflict are collected in Memories of the Falklands, edited by Iain Dale, and include contributions from figures such as Sir Rex Hunt, Governor of the Falklands at the time of the invasion; political and diplomatic figures such as Margaret Thatcher (an extract from whose contribution appears above), Major-General Julian Thompson, Sir John Nott, Cecil Parkinson and David Owen; men on the front line such as Simon Weston and Denzil Connick; journalists like Max Hastings and Simon Jenkins; and many of the islanders themselves. The book provides a unique reminder of an extraordinary episode in British history.
Editor, Iain Dale, on the story behind the book:
'I decided to compile this book because the Falklands War was a formative experience for me. My namesake, Welsh Guardsman Ian Dale – also the same age as me – died in the conflict. It brought home to me the real meaning of war. The stories told in the book are sometimes chilling, often moving and always informative. The evocative pictures show how tough the war really was.'
Royalties are donated to the British Forces Foundation.