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Sunday March 25, 2007
The RFA Falklands Memorial - 25th Anniversary
The RFA Falklands Memorial
This year marks the 25th Anniversary of the Falklands War of 1982. On the 8th June 2007, the anniversary of the date RFA’s SIR GALAHAD and SIR TRISTRAM were attacked at Fitzroy, at 4.30 pm, a Memorial Service is to be conducted by the Reverend Reg Sweet followed by the laying of wreaths.
The Band from TS JAGUAR Sea Cadet Unit, who are affiliated to the replacement RFA SIR GALAHAD, will also be present to provide musical accompaniment and the Last Post.
Present will be members of the RFA SIR GALAHAD Association, RFA SIR TRISTRAM Association, next of kin, present and former colleagues and representatives of Marchwood Parish Council. The Rev Reg Sweet is a past RFA Padre and Chaplain to the Mission to Seaman Southampton.
Marchwood residents are welcome to come along.
The memorial was the idea of 4 people who thought it fitting that Marchwood should be the place to erect it due to its strong affiliation with the RFA Landing Ship Logistics of the Knights of the Round Table Class. Mr Dick Staniland, his brother Bob, Mr Les Sperrin (a local poet now deceased) and the Mayor of Christchurch Kevin Bishop (also deceased) formed a committee. Money was raised for the memorial by public appeal and through various service organisations. Marchwood Parish Council kindly donated a plot of land adjacent to St John’s Church and also undertook to maintain the memorial and the small garden attached to it. Dick Staniland, who is an architect, designed the memorial to be constructed of hand made bricks in a semi-circular wall. The centre piece is a list of all Royal Fleet Auxiliary personnel who were killed during the Falklands Conflict, and the ships crests of all the Landing Ship Logistics which took part. A large piece of rock was shipped from the Falkland Islands and, together with a carved outline of an LSL, is placed to the front of the memorial.
The memorial was dedicated in the presence of Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse, First Sea Lord on 4th June 1984, and unveiled by Mrs Carrie Hailwood and myself.
The people of Marchwood have to their credit looked after it extremely well. The youngsters have thankfully kept it free of graffiti and respect its significance.
As the Captain of RFA SIR GALAHAD in 1982 I am very proud of the liaison that has been formed between the RFA Service both past and present and Marchwood Parish Council. It is very fitting that those crew members of my ship should be remembered by such a fine memorial in such a beautiful setting.
