Falklands War Twenty Fifth Anniversary

The South Atlantic Medal Association (1982)

Imperial War Museum

The Falklands
25th Anniversary Exhibition
16 May 2007 - 6 January 2008

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War, Imperial War Museum London is launching The Falklands, a new special exhibition that explores the people behind the most recent invasion of a British territory since the Second World War. Featuring material on public display for the first time, the exhibition tells the story of the war through the unique first-hand accounts and personal memorabilia of those involved.

On 2 April 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, a remote British colony in the South Atlantic that had a population of fewer than 2,000. Under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Britain's immediate response was to send a task force 8,000 miles by sea to liberate the islands, a feat that was accomplished by Britain's land, sea and air forces on 14 June 1982 after a seven-week campaign.

The exhibition explores the remarkable stories of British and Argentinian service personnel through personal items and memorabilia. Among the previously unseen items on display are the joystick of the helicopter flown by Lieutenant Richard Nunn and Sergeant Bill Belcher. As part of the two-man crew of a Scout helicopter supporting 2 Para in the battle to capture Goose Green, Nunn and Belcher were shot down on their way to pick up Lieutenant Colonel 'H' Jones, the mortally wounded Paras' commanding officer who was later awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

The exhibition will also display the diary and medals of Royal Navy Surgeon Commander Rick Jolly who established and ran the British field hospital at Ajax Bay which became known as the 'Red and Green Life Machine'. Wounded from both sides were treated by Jolly's medical teams and he was honoured by Britain and Argentina for his humanitarian work - a unique distinction in modern conflict.

From Argentina, and on public display in the United Kingdom for the first time, is the crucifix belonging to Capitan de Fragata (Commander) Nestor Cenci. Cenci was on board the cruiser General Belgrano when she was torpedoed and sunk by HM Submarine Conqueror on 2 May 1982 in the most controversial act of the war.

The exhibition will also explore how the war affected the lives of civilians both at home and on the Falkland Islands. A piece of shrapnel that narrowly missed Falkland Islander Tim Miller will be displayed with an essay written by Lisa Pole-Evans who, aged nine, describes what it was like to be visited by four men of the Special Boat Service. A letter written by Lieutenant Colonel 'H' Jones to his wife Sara and the handwritten news despatch from Goose Green belonging to BBC Correspondent Robert Fox reveal how news of the war reached those at home. Artistic responses to the war will be illustrated by a selection of sketches made by Official War Artist Linda Kitson and original drawings by Raymond Briggs for his book The Tin-Pot Foreign General and the Old Iron Woman.

Falklands veteran and military historian, Major General Julian Thompson CB OBE, who commanded 3 Commando Brigade during the land fighting, has acted as a historical adviser to the exhibition.

In association with the Imperial War Museum, Ebury Press will publish, Forgotten Voices of the Falklands, written by Falklands veteran Hugh McManners with an introduction by Sir Max Hastings to coincide with the exhibition.

The Big Lottery Fund has supported the audio visual and online elements of this exhibition as part of Their Past Your Future.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a website and an online interactive timeline www.iwm.org.uk/Falklands