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.

A recent letter from Annabelle Spencer (see earlier post) reports that she was sorry about the cancellation of the 2012 Falkland Islands Exhibition at Fairfield Halls, Croydon due to ill health.

She goes on to reminds us that the only Falkland Islands Shop outside the Islands can be found in Wells, Somerset at Falkland House, 3 Tucker Street. The shop, which was opened by Sir Rex Hunt CMG in 1987, has everything that would have been at the Croydon Exhibition. Phone Annabelle on 01749 672357 if you are going to visit. Her last comment was "ill health sounds so 'dead' to me and I am not!"

Pictured here is the late Captain Vincent CBE RN (retired) (see last post) with Robin Lee on Narrows Island, Port Howard (photo Jim McAdam)

I have just heard that Captain P.M.C. (Paddy) Vincent CBE, RN (Retired) passed away on August 23, 2012 at the age of 87. He was born in the Falkland Islands and his father died at sea as the family were travelling to the UK for home leave. After a lifetime in the Royal Navy he worked in London. A long time member of the Association he reguarly acted as Parade Marshall at the Battle Day Ceremony at the Cenotaph in London. He was also active in the UK Falkland Islands Trust as a Trustee from 1993 and served as its Chairman from 1997 to 2001. He was also one time Chairman of the Burma Star Association. A service of thanksgiving is planned for October but details are not confirmed as yet. A full obituary will appear in due course in Penguin News and in the FIA Newsletter. Unfortunately the October 2012 edition went to the printer before we heard this sad news.

I have just heard that the Falkland Islands Exhibition due to run at the Fairfield Hall, Croydon from 3rd to 8th September 2012 will not take place this year as Annabelle Spencer has been unwell and is not well enough to attend. We wish her a speedy recovery to full health.

 

Annabelle Spencer pictured here at the FIG Reception at Lincoln's Inn June 2011

51 Degrees South have published the latest in their series of videos on the people of the Falkland Islands. This episode features Samantha Brownlee, who was FIA Student of the Year in 2008. The FIA send their best wishes to Samantha and wish her well for the future. Find the video at http://vimeo.com/47459657