Plymouth’s Falklands 40 commemorations step up a gear

3rd May 2022

The 40^th anniversary of the Falklands conflict and the role the city of Plymouth played in it will be highlighted in a series of events this month.

In ‘Beyond the Battlefront’ at 7pm on Wednesday 4 May, University of Plymouth historians, Dr Harry Bennett and Dr Louis Halewood will present papers exploring the key political contexts that were crucial to the outcome of the 1982 campaign in the South Atlantic. The free event will take place on Zoom. Find out more from the University of Plymouth. 

The Box’s ‘Local History Bonanza Day’, running from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 7 May, will also explore the conflict in more detail with free talks that look at reconnaissance and landing craft operations as well as the final operations that brought the campaign to an end.

A display of photos and memorabilia collected by the Royal Marines Historical Society and the South Atlantic Medal Association will be on display in the Cottonian Research Room (also on Sunday 8 May). Veterans will be on hand to talk about the material and chat to visitors. A powerful new film featuring interviews, archival material and footage, some of which was shot on location in the Falklands in 1982, will be running on the giant film screens in the Media Lab gallery.

The film will continue to run over the coming weeks, as will refreshed displays in The Box’s Port of Plymouth and Active Archives galleries. In Port of Plymouth visitors can see information and a reproduction of Plymouth photographer Pete Holdgate’s famous ‘yomper’ image, which shows a Royal Marine marching across the Falklands terrain with the Union flag attached to his radio mast.

From Saturday 7 May, a new case display in the Active Archives gallery will reflect the story of the ‘Red and Green Life Machine’, aka the Falklands Field Hospital, which treated both British and Argentinian service personnel in 1982. The case will feature loan items from a Falklands veteran including medical equipment, a life jacket, photographs and a history of the hospital. Find out more on The Box's website.

‘Local History Bonanza Day’ kicks off the 2022 Plymouth History Festival, which also includes a ‘Mount Wise and Falklands 40’ guided walk starting at 11am on Saturday 14 May. Local heritage group, ‘Walks with History’ will lead people around this historic part of Devonport sharing information about its town walls, naval command centre and more. Further details about the walk, which costs £5 and must be booked in advance, can be found at plymouthhistoryfestival.com.

Plymouth’s commemorative activities will continue into June with a Royal Marines Band Concert (15 June) and Service of Commemoration (19 June) at St Andrews Minster Church, and a dedicated Falklands 40 Veterans Parade at this year’s Armed Forces Day (25 June). The parade will start at the Royal Citadel at 2pm and finish on the Hoe promenade with a salute and speeches. Anyone who would like to be involved can find out more by emailing c.jones795@btinternet.com.

Veterans of the Falklands War will also be given the Freedom of the City of Plymouth in recognition of their contribution. More details about this key event in the city’s summer calendar can be found at www.plymoutharmedforcesday.co.uk.