You may remember the story of when I met a young lady in the Wardroom of this ship on the day this photo was taken.
Well, today we are celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary!
🥂🍾
This is a thread of photos that I took during and after the Falklands War. There is no narrative or explanation and no particular order, I just felt I needed to post them.
46 years ago today, I shuffled through the gates of
@DartmouthBRNC
to start my service to Queen/King and Country.
I’m still serving, albeit as a Civil Servant now, but I haven’t fallen far from the tree.
RN by choice, FAA by ability!
Shocked and totally saddened to hear that we have lost a member of the Fleet Air Arm family in this tragic accident.
Fair winds and a following sea shipmate. 😔 🙏
If you don’t know this story, please read this thread. The helicopter crew was from my squadron and a good mate went down on the wire, getting on the deck but unable to save anyone. Heartbreaking. I had the unenviable task of picking up the bodies from the sea the following day
Today, we remember the eight extremely brave, fearless, and selfless lifeboatmen, all sons of Mousehole, who made the ultimate sacrifice on the 19th December 1981.
#Penleelifeboat
#RNLI
@penleelifeboat
@RNLI
41 years ago today, HMS Invincible returned home to Portsmouth from the Falklands. In the Wardroom champagne reception for families and friends, I met a beautiful young lady and romance blossomed. Two years later she became my wife and 41 years later she is still my best friend.
Incredible shot from September 17th 1982 of HMS Invincible returning from the
#Falklands
war. This slightly upsets the conspiracy theorists who believe she was sunk to this day. This was a truly wonderful moment to see... ❤
This sickens me so much. The souls of all those that made the ultimate sacrifice in th Falklands and those that took their own lives subsequently are being trampled on by this man
@FirstFalklands
Here we go then:
1/On the 1st of June, Flt Lt Ian Mortimer, the RAF exchange pilot on 801 Sea Harrier Squadron, was on a sortie near Stanley when the aircraft was hit by a Roland missile. He ejected over the sea and successfully deployed his survival dinghy and other equipment
@WarDiaryF82
I witnessed some of this attack and we shovelled a lot of Chaff Hotel out of the back of the aircraft. Whether it was my Chaff that seduced the Exocet away, I will never know.
I can assure you that Invincible was never hit and my bunk remained unsullied!
Having been involved in historic aviation for many years, it is heartbreaking when I read a report like this. It is awful for everyone involved and especially the family members. 🙏
A short thread on some of the photos I have in my Flying Log Book.
Firstly, my first ship. HMS Invincible in 1980. Note the circular spots that were painted out later in the year.
@BoENorthEast
@theseoldcars
Caller: Can I speak with the person that pays the energy bills?
Me: That will be The Queen.
Caller: Can you put me through to her?
Yep, there I am, just minutes away from the moment that I would first meet the woman that would become my wife. We have been together for the last 42 years.
September 17th 1982: HMS Invincible returns from the Falklands war with HMS Bristol and RFA Olna, and the crowds go wild as they come out in force to welcome them home. A great day I remember so well.
More pictures in the thread below:
It was an absolute honour and a pleasure to attend a superbly organised
#Falklands40
commemoration at
@RNASYeovilton
today. Moving, reflective and heartwarming to see so many
#FAA
Falklands Vets there. Thank you
@CdreGriff
for putting on this excellent event.
@FirstFalklands
11/and we returned to the ship for tea and no medals! Morts was checked over by the Medics and was back on the Flypro soonest. So, it was success all round. It is well documented that Splot (Lt Cdr Keith Dudley) picked up Morts, but my part in this rescue was never recorded. BT
After she went alongside, a certain young Sub Lt met a beautiful young lady in the Wardroom, there to provide moral support to her friend who was engaged to a Naval Pilot. The Sub Lt and young lady were married two years later and are still together today, 40 years later. 🥂
#F40
I try not to do political tweets, but I am shit scared of a Labour government on Friday.
PLEASE DO NOT VOTE LABOUR.
As if you will take any notice of me!
Covid Marshalls have been spotted leaving their barracks. The Government says they've seen a sharp rise in people applying for Russian and North Korean citizenship since these measure were announced
#CovidMarshalls
This VJ Day, I wish that I had asked my Father why he held the Burma Star, in which ship he served and where he sailed. That war generation seemed reluctant to talk about what they did.
Driving in fog on the A303 this morning, I was shocked at how many cars didn’t have lights on. Lost count at 33! Mostly modern cars with auto lights. Also, only about a quarter of cars used rear fog lights. Drivers have forgotten how to use a light switch!
@FirstFalklands
Here we go then:
1/On the 1st of June, Flt Lt Ian Mortimer, the RAF exchange pilot on 801 Sea Harrier Squadron, was on a sortie near Stanley when the aircraft was hit by a Roland missile. He ejected over the sea and successfully deployed his survival dinghy and other equipment
I remember that day too well. I was the Squadron Duty officer on the flight deck, so I saw both aircraft depart and not come back. When the SAR crews brought back debris, I was passed my mate’s helmet and at that moment I knew he and the others would not return. A very sad day.
We were honoured to recently meet the family of Leading Aircrewman Ian Marchment (pictured) who lost his life
#OnThisDay
March 6, 1981, with four other
@820NAS
aircrew in a mid-air collision. His son presented a trophy in his memory. Full story here
41 years ago today, it was the day the Falklands was liberated. You would think that I would have vivid memories of the day, but no. Perhaps it was because we were all knackered from 7 weeks ripple flying or was it because we continued to fly as the submarine threat had not gone
In one ship I embarked in, the ashes of an ex-Chief Stoker were brought onboard in Newcastle for burial at sea later.
Last day alongside they went missing. The Stokers mess took him for one last run-ashore, placing the casket on the bar in every pub they visited.
Brilliant!
A 16-year-old Mexican teenager was murdered... His friends brought his coffin to the place where he always played football and made him score one last goal💙
Incredibly proud to have marched with this fine bunch of gentlemen this morning at the Cenotaph.
I’m not sure about the beret discipline though!
@820NAS
#RemembranceSunday
#LestWeForget
I remember this with such a heavy heart. We in Invincible survived the war unscathed (despite what the Argentines said many times), and then this poor lad lost his life in a tragic accident. So sad.
@RDPHistory
Remembering Naval Airman 1 Brian Marsden, HMS Invincible Royal Navy, died in an accident on board the ship on the 16th June 1982 aged 19.
#Falklands
@falklands_utd
Snow landings, South Georgia, 1984. I decided to land somewhere that no human had ever been before, half way up a remote mountain. I told the crewman to go out and take a photo but he was afraid of falling through the snow, so we put him on the winch wire which you can just see.
@FalklandsRepUK
I leave
@RoyalNavy
service tomorrow after 44 years, 5 months and 15 days.
I have deployed to the Falkland Islands 5 times including 1982.
The islands and the wonderful people will always be part of me and I am honoured to receive the Freedom of the Falkland Islands.
Thank you
@FirstFalklands
3/This was a good tactic except that it made it very difficult for us to find him! The ship decided that a rescue mission would be attempted at night. The plan was to have one helicopter flying at height dropping flares in an attempt to get Morts to turn on his emergency beacon
The 4th of January has always been a special day for me as I joined
@DartmouthBRNC
on this day 42 years ago. However, that has been eclipsed by a much more momentous happening today. I have never been one of these before!
@TimScottUK
@DrChrisParry
A wonderful, hard working woman that I have had the pleasure of meeting many times and sitting next to at dinner. She has a fantastic sense of humour too.
#OnThisDay
2018 Surgeon Capt. Rick Jolly RN died aged 71. Rick was the only servicemen to be decorated by the British & Argentine Governments for his medical care of soldiers from both sides. He campaigned for recognition of PTSD and co-founded South Atlantic Medal Assoc.
@FirstFalklands
2/He made a short radio call on his emergency locator radio saying he was okay before switching it off as he didn’t want to be picked up by the Argentinians. He also turned his dinghy upside down so that the dayglo orange covering was underwater to make his location inconspicuous
I just found this on
@eBay
It reminds me of a lecture we received in early months of training when the pretty young Wren Officer said “There are two methods of Wren Officer entry”.
She had no idea why a classroom full of red blooded males all laughed!
BREAKING
@GBNEWS
has learned military veterans from several regiments have been told NOT to wear "medals or insignia" as they travel to Armistice & Remembrance events
I love the way
@JJChalmersRM
is calling the officers and WO’s he is interviewing “Sir” on the
@BBC
coverage.
It makes a pleasant change to see such respect.
BZ JJ.
I’ve just finished a 6 hour shift on my feet as a volunteer at a vaccination centre. 99% of those pitching up are polite and understanding about the car parking and queuing. However,the remaining 1% manage to ruin your day by their self-centred, high-handed, demanding attitude.
@FirstFalklands
6/on and noticed that we had been moved to the top, leap frogging about four other crews that had landed after us. On reflection, well after the war, I realised that we had been called forward early because we were all young, single men with little or no commitments and this
36 years ago today,
#HMSInvincible
returned from the
@falklands_utd
Somewhere in this crowd is the woman I first met in the Wardroom drinking champagne on that day. She later became my wife! We have had many champagne moments since.
Putting the clocks forward at
#Stonehenge
. English Heritage staff repositioning the stones for the start of British summer time on Sunday
#BST
#Clocksgoforward
😀⏰⏩
Connor Chapman, the gunman who fatally shot 26-year-old beautician Elle Edwards when he opened fire outside a pub on Christmas Eve, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 48 years after a trial at Liverpool Crown Court.
When Argentina invaded the Falklands Islands in April 1982, they didn't expect Britain to retaliate. But they were wrong.
Learn why in our YouTube series exploring the Falklands Conflict. Watch Episode 1, the examining the causes of the conflict now: