The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Army range falls silent in tribute to Falklands heroes
Atranquil corner of windswept Angus military ranges hosted a poignant 40th anniversary Falklands war commemoration of the local Royal Marines who never came home.
The 13 Oaks Falklands Garden sits in the Barry Buddon training ranges between Monifieth and Carnoustie.
The memorial honours the men of Arbroath-based 45 Commando who fell in conflict and includes the names of 13 Condor Royal Marines who died in the Falklands.
The ranges remain a live military facility but the dunes were silent in tribute yesterday afternoon.
Loved ones of two Taysiders who made the ultimate sacrifice were part of the remembrance event organised by Carnoustie Legion.
Chairman Davie Paton, who is vice-chairman of Legion Scotland, said it was an important occasion.
“Although the memorial is dedicated to the Royal Marines who gave their lives in the liberation of the Falklands, for me it is there to remember all 255 British service personnel and the three Falkland islanders who died in the conflict,” he said.
Group Captain Paton – who welcomed serving personnel from 45 Commando at Condor – added: “As far as I know, it’s the only Falkland Islands-specific memorial in the country so it makes it a very special place of remembrance.”
The relatives of Falklands heroes included Dundee SAS Corporal Robert Allan Burns’ sisters, Marion Duff and Barbara Duthie.
Cpl Burns served with the Royal Signals before transferring to the 264 Signals Squadron of 22 SAS Regiment. He was killed when a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter crashed on May 19 1982.
Also among the guests was Susan Dunham, from Carnoustie, whose husband Corporal Laurence George Watts, known as Lofty, was a member of 42 Commando. He died on Mount Harriet in East Falkland on June 12 1982.
Mr Paton described the Falklands conflict as “an impossible victory”.
He said: “As well as being a triumph of sheer hard soldiering on the ground, it was also a triumph of planning and logistics to make sure the naval task force and landing parties had what they needed.”
Carnoustie Legion chaplain the Rev Annette Gordon led the commemoration and wreaths were laid by Angus Deputy Lieutenant Sandy McKendrick, Mr Paton and the sisters of Cpl Burns.
Barrie Smith, Billy Horrell and Jacob Downie formed the Carnoustie Legion standard party.
James Salmond was piper for the event and Philippa de Villiers, of the Scottish Conservatoire, played cornet for the Last Post and Reveille.