Remembrance service marks 40th anniversary of Falklands War
MEMORIAL EVENT REMEMBERS COMRADES KILLED OR INJURED IN CONFLICT
As we raise the Armed Forces Day flag today, it is important to remember we are doing this to say thank you to the men and women of our Armed Forces for their sacrifices on behalf of our nation and national interests. Alex Baxter
VETERANS of The Falklands War saluted comrades killed or injured in the war 40 years ago.
A Remembrance Service was held at the Cleethorpes Memorial Gate where flags were raised.
Among the veterans were Shaun Lee, who served on HMS Sheffield, and Danny Fleming, who took part in the Battle for Tumbledown Mountain with The Scots Guards.
The ceremony was led by the Rev Andrew Tappin and representatives of the Armed Forces Major Events Team, including Armed Forces Champion, Alex Baxter.
Local MPs Martin Vickers and Lia Nici attended the ceremony along with the Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor Steve Beasant.
Shaun said: “It is important we remember all those who served. There were 255 military and civilian casualties in the war, along with 649 Argentinians, who we also remembered.”
He laid a wreath in memory of all casualties of the conflict.
Danny told how the Argentine Government at the time took the South Atlantic islands by force in 1982 and had not anticipated the military might of the British Armed Forces, which he described as among “the finest fighting forces in the world.”
“Ask the Falkland islanders and they were wholeheartedly in favour of remaining British,” he said.
Earlier Alex Baxter led a flag raising event to herald the countdown to Armed Forces weekend.
It will start on Friday with the first Cleethorpes Carnival Parade in over five years.
It will start in Grant Street car park, Cleethorpes, at 6pm when around 40 floats will parade to Alexandra Road and towards the Boating Lake car park.
That will be followed with live entertainment.
On Saturday there will be a military parade followed by displays by RAF aircraft, including The Red Arrows and Typhoons.
The Armed Forces Champion said it is important to respect the bravery and sacrifices of those who serve the nation.
He said: “As we raise the Armed Forces Day flag today, it is important to remember we are doing this to say thank you to the men and women of our Armed Forces for their sacrifices on behalf of our nation and national interests.”
He added: “Protecting our nation’s interests around the world everyday, would not be possible without the families of the men and women who are our Armed Forces. But neither would it be possible without the confidence of the public and friends who support and think about them everyday.”