Well, it has been a busy Spring. And now we are in Summer and this is the first chance I have had a minute to write something in this blog. The preparations for the Memorial Service for Sir Rex Hunt took up a lot of that time. A small sub-committee was set up to make the detailed arrangements once the event had been approved by the Executive Committee. Members were Alan Huckle, Peter Johnson, Paul Martinez, Tammy Thurman (Rex Hunt's grand-daughter), Martin Hooker (Regimental Secretary to the RAF Regiment) and Sukey Cameron (FIG ) with me as Secretary to the sub-committee. We met a couple of times in London at the FIG office in Westminster but most of the work was done by emails around the group.

Notice was given of the agreed date, 2.30pm Tuesday 11th June 2013, the day before the FIG Annual Reception in London. The RAF Church at St Clement Danes in the Strand was booked and it was agreed that the Chaplain, Rev'd David Osborn would lead the service and the Chaplain in Chief to the RAF, The Venerable (Air Vice-Marshall) R J Pentland would give the address. A trumpeter from the RAF Band was requested to sound two fanfares during the service. The Order of Service was agreed and was produced by Martin Hooker who also arranged for the admission cards to be printed.

For security reasons those wishing to attend had to have an admission card and over the next few weeks applications began to flow in, some by post but the majority by email

The day of the service arrived, the weather was dry and almost 200 people gathered at the church. The service opened with a fanfare played by the trumpeter from the Band of the Royal Air Force as the clergy procession entered the church. The choir then sang the anthem 'I was glad' by Sir Hubert Parry before the bidding payer by the Reverend David Osborn. The first hymn was 'Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord!' during which Sir Rex's medals and awards were taken up to the altar by his son, Tony.

I was privileged to read the lesson from Chapter 15 of St John's Gospel verses 9 to 17 and the poem 'High Flight' by John Gillespie Magee was read by Tammy Thurman, grand-daughter to Sir Rex. The choir then sang 'The Lord's my Shepherd (Psalm 23) before the tribute was given by Mr. David Tatham, CMG, a former Governor of the Falkland Islands and a Vice-President of the Falkland Islands Association.

Mr Alan Huckle, a former Governor of the Falkland Islands and Chairman of the Falkland Islands Association, read a letter from the The Rt Hon William Hague MP,  Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

Next came the hymn 'He who would valiant be' which was followed by a tribute by Mr John Weightman, cousin to Sir Rex, on behalf of the family.

The sermon was given by The Venerable R J Pentland, Chaplain-in-Chief & Archdeacon for the Royal Air Force  and this was followed by prayers led by the Reverend David Osborn.

After the Commendation the choir sang 'God be in my head' by Walford-Davies and then, following another fanfare, the congregation sang 'Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven'  The Chaplain in Chief then gave the Blessing and as the clergy processed out the familiar voice of Louis Armstrong rang out singing 'On Blueberry Hill' a great favourite with Sir Rex.

In addition to Lady Hunt and members of her family the congregation included men and women who had fought in the 1982 conflict also former diplomats who had known the Hunt's in Uganda and other overseas postings together with a number of former Governors of the Falkland Islands. Several Members of Parliament from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords attended. Representatives came from the RAF, RAF Charities, SAMA82 and the Falkland Families Association together with other friends and members of the FIA, Falkland Islanders and Falkland students studying in the UK.

 

Brigadier General Julian Thompson CBE, OBE with Lady Hunt after the service

Tony Hunt to the right of the group

After the service many went on to a reception in The Betjeman Room at The Charing Cross Hotel where a condolences book, which had been started in the Falkland Islands, was available for those present to add their comments. The signed letter from the Foreign Secretary, which had been read out at the service, was handed to Lady Hunt together with the Condolences Book.



It was generally agreed that the event was a success. Part of this account may be found on the FIA website at (click here) where there are links to David Tatham's tribute and the letter from the Foreign Secretary.

Although lots has been happening on the political front regarding the forthcoming Referendum in the Falkland Islands it has been well covered by other members of the social website community on Facebook and Twitter.

However a couple of things came to my notice today which are worth a mention.

First I have just watched Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's programme in the Save our Seas series on Channel 4 which focussed on South Georgia and Antarctica and the latest developments in the krill fishery - fascinating and bit worrying. I missed the original broadcast but it can be seen over the next 21 days or so (from 1/3/13) on the Channel 4 website at http://www.channel4.com/programmes/hughs-fish-fight/4od#3480114 

Second I have just received an email from the Falkland Islands Museum with this picture of the new Museum building being constructed in Stanley.

 



With the ever increasing number of visitors to the Islands, despite the efforts of our less than friendly neighbours across the water, it will be good to have a new base for the museum with more space to show off their range of exhibits. Leona Roberts, the Museum Manager wrote in her email - 

'This will form just a part of the museum complex – the main building on the site will be the old Central Store (or Store Number 1 as it was known in the 1840s) and we will also be making use of several small outbuildings, including the smithy and the original jail. The Public Works Department are still occupying some of the buildings and we are not entirely sure when their relocation will be complete and the buildings handed over, so we are not likely to be able to open the entire site in November. Although that is not ideal, it will still be a bigger space and a much better site than we have now.

We are currently still open at Britannia House and are limited in what we can do until we have waved off the last cruise ship in April –at this point we will flip the sign to “closed”, take a deep breath and start packing like crazy!

Not many people read this blog but if you do you might consider becoming a Friend of the Falkland Islands Museum and Jane Cameron National Archives (FIMA Friends). Membership starts at £20 pa for an individual or just £15 if you are content to receive communications by email. Further information from their membership secretary Dr Stephen Palmer at palmers@fintry.plus.com

This 40 page booklet has been available as a download from the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) website but hard copies are now available from the FIG London office at 14 Broadway, Westminster, London SW1H 0BH to callers. For those unable to call in copies will be supplied if requested on application by post - please enclose a stamped (to the value £1.10) and addressed A4 envelope.

The booklet examines the history of the Islands and the people who were part of that history up to the present day.

Whist I am on line I should mention that we celebrated Battle Day in London at The Cenotaph on 8th December 2012. Once again we were fortunate with the weather and the sun shone as we gathered at The Cenotaph to remember all who had given their lives in the many battles in the South Atlantic in both World Wars and the 1982 Conflict.

Rear Admiral Lambert, Naval Hydrographer, lays the wreath on behalf of the Armed Services

 

Zoran Zuvic laid a wreath for the Falkland Islands Defence Force

 

Following the ceremony members went to the Union Jack Club in Waterloo for the Annual General Meeting of the FIA. After the formal business was over the Hunter-Christie Memorial Prize for the Student of the Year was awarded to Sonia Arkhipkina by Mrs Merle Christe

Falkland Islands MLA Jan Cheek addressed the members with an update on the present situation in the Islands.

Andrew Rosindell MP, Secretary of the UK/FI All Party Parliamentary Group brought greetings from both Houses of Parliament and presented a picture of HM the Queen to the FIA to mark Her Majesty's Diamond Jubilee.

Andrew Rosindell MP with members of the FIA Executive Committee



Haven't written anything for a while but must mention the new booklet published by Falkland Islands Government - Our Islands Our History. Not available yet in hardback but the pdf is available from the FIG website, to go to the website click here.

An attractive and informative booklet it is intended as a companion to the booklet Our Islands Our Home which was published last summer 2012 and which, if you haven't seen a copy, can be downloaded from the same FIG website.

Have just received an email from Ivan Milburn who has written an book entitled "Falklands War - Get STUFT" which is described as 'a sailor's diary from the Falklands War 1982, telling the truth with tongue-in-cheek humour and charts the voyage taken by the RMS St Helena (a ship taken up from trade hence STUFT in the title). She supported HMS Brecon and HMS Ledbury in minehunting/sweeping and other ordnance clearance, including diving on the wrecks of sunken warships.

My shelf of books from the 1982 Conflict is already groaning but this may be a worthy addition - available from Amazon and other booksellers. Paperback 248 pages. My copy has been ordered.

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A Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Paddy Vincent will be held at 11am on Thursday, October 18th, at St Margaret’s Church, Lothbury, London EC2R 7HH, and afterwards at the Furniture Makers’ Hall, 12 Austin Friars, London EC2N 2HE.