Brecon remembers the Falklands War

Despite its long military connections, the small city of Brecon had no memorial to the Falkland Islands war. This was rectified however with the dedication of a memorial stone and bench on 30 September 2017 in Brecon Peace Gardens. The ceremony was well attended by veterans of the conflict and by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, the Mayor of Brecon and the MP for the constituency.  The new memorial commemorates the 255 British servicemen and three Falkland Islander civilians who lost their lives during the 1982 Falklands conflict. The memorial bench was unveiled by Mr J Blair of the Royal British Legion (Brecon Branch) and the stone by Mr Alan Huckle, former Governor of the Falkland Islands (2006-10) and chairman of the Falkland Islands Association. 

Unveiling of the Falklands memorial

The memorial stone came from a local Welsh quarry near Builth Wells and the plaque was handcrafted from Welsh slate. The whole project was led by Mrs Jules Hore, a 1982 veteran who served in the Queen Alexandra Nursing Corps, and her husband, Drew Hore, formerly of the 6th battalion Light Infantry. Funds were raised in part from the Falklands 35th anniversary ‘Ride of Respect’ in which some 600 motorcyclists rode from Brecon to Cardiff on 18 June 2017 carrying the wreath of metal poppies which was laid at a service attended by the First Minister of Wales.

Brecon has a strong connection to the 1982 Falklands conflict since the 5th Brigade, which included a battalion of the Welsh Guards and the Gurkha Rifles, centred its pre-combat training in the area. There is also a close connection with the Parachute Regiment and the SAS. Thirty-six Welsh men were killed in the Falklands in 1982, mainly from the Welsh Guards and the SAS. The Gurkhas lost one man. Overall, 777 British Service personnel

were wounded in action during the conflict and many in the Task Force have since suffered from post-traumatic stress disorders; according to records, some 250 Falklands veterans have since taken their own lives. The erection of these memorials helps to keep memories of their sacrifice alive.