Page 94 - AGC-Journal-2016

AGC JOURNAL 2016

Exercise

Corporate Redcap

By Captain Mathew Spencer

4 Royal Military Police
Regimental Headquarters

ran a battlefield study to the
Falkland Islands.

The team, consisting of 11
members and Major (Retired)
Allan Barley, the only Royal
Military Police on the
Falklands during the time of
the conflict, arrived on the
Falkland Islands on Monday
22 February 2016.

The Teams Arrival

The team’s first experience of the Mount
Pleasant Complex was driving through At the memorial to 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment
the camp to respective messes and
accommodation; a long, sprawling and tourists from visiting Cruise Ships control, contrasting Allan and the
building with accommodation blocks being welcomed by the residents of Stanley rest of 5 Brigade’s hectic, uncontrolled
branching off one long corridor. One thing was truly amazing. I even met a couple of and unmanaged landing to the more
immediately noticed by most of the team residents who remembered me from my documented and thorough process we
after landing was the conspicuous absence days handling prisoners of war and as a would expect from operations today.
of trees and wood blocks, the environment result I received a ‘veterans’ welcome with
was certainly more North Yorks Moors hugs and gratitude.” For lunch, the team went to Darwin
than Scottish Highlands. House for sandwiches and cake, where

Stanley, the island’s capital, is an hour’s The Adventure Begins they met their guide for the afternoon.
Ken Greenland - ex Royal Military Police
drive north of Mount Pleasant and is and ex Royal Falklands Island Police
situated on a hill overlooking the water. The first stop was at the San Carlos war Chief Constable - took the team for a
Stanley has a great deal more cafés, memorial and then on to the jetty where wonderfully immersive and informative
restaurants and hotels today than in 1982, Allan clearly remembered - and vividly tour of 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment’s
and now accommodates the great number described - disembarking from a landing campaign on Goose Green. The team
of tourists alighting from cruise ships craft onto the Island for the first time. visited all the iconic sites, including the
which drop anchor just off the island for The team were also certain they found hill on which B Company fought valiantly,
day trips. Allan Barley remembers what it Allan’s shell scrape on the side of the hill, but were unable to advance, having been
felt like to be back on the Island after 34 but admit that even though many of the pinned down by enemy fire, to where A
years. shell scrapes are still visible in a largely Company surged the hill and Lieutenant
unchanged landscape 34 years later, it Colonel H Jones VC later lost his life. It
“When I left the island it was in total may have been more wishful thinking. was an incredible tour given by a real
disarray; to return as I did to Stanley Warrant Officer Class 2 Jonathan Lowther expert which left the team humbled by the
to see a well-organised town with new and Lance Corporal Philip Hambleton realities of the 1982 conflict.
buildings, a wonderful Maritime Museum presented their stand on movement

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