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bobdina
08-04-2009, 03:31 PM
Soldiers from 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards), who deploy to Afghanistan soon, travelled 8,000 miles to the Falkland Islands to honour and remember a regimental comrade killed in the 1982 conflict.

On 10 June 1982, at Packes Ridge, Captain John Hamilton MC, formerly of the Green Howards, was killed while carrying out reconnaissance of Argentine positions in Port Howard - a small west Falkland settlement.

The three soldiers from 2 YORKS took with them an inscribed plaque which they mounted on rocks close to the place where Harrogate-born Capt Hamilton died 27 years ago. This was then dedicated in a short ceremony led by an Armed Forces padre, with several Falkland Islanders also in attendance.

Major Andrew Roe, Officer Commanding C Company 2 YORKS, said: "It has been a tremendous privilege to be able to pay a part in honouring Captain John Hamilton.

"I'm very pleased with how the plaque looks and hope it will serve as a fitting tribute to John's bravery for years to come."

Military Cross



Captain John Hamilton MC

Capt Hamilton had served in Cyprus, Belize and South Armagh before deploying to the South Atlantic in 1982. He survived two helicopter crashes before leading the advance elements that captured Argentine positions in Grytviken, which resulted in the enemy surrender in South Georgia.

Ten days later, he led his troop on the successful and brilliantly executed raid on Pebble Island in the Falklands.

For his bravery behind enemy lines on West Falkland in 1982, and for his preceding actions, Capt Hamilton was awarded the Military Cross.

Small museum

Capt Hamilton is buried in a cemetery otherwise almost exclusively reserved for residents of Port Howard. His grave is one of 26 inside a cemetery, bordered by a white fence, on a remote hillside, beside a bay, about a mile from the settlement.

The residents of Port Howard hold Capt Hamilton in high esteem and inside a small museum filled with artefacts of the 1982 conflict, including weapons, pilot seats (from downed aircraft) and parachutes, is the webbing worn by Capt Hamilton when he died.


http://www.army.mod.uk/news/16262.aspx

nastyleg
08-04-2009, 03:54 PM
Cool.

bobdina
08-04-2009, 03:57 PM
I thought that was a nice tribute.