As the Falklands War Memorial Day approaches, we look back and reflect on the campaign that led to 10 weeks of close-combat fighting, turning towards the heroes who were there for their recollections of the war.
At Broughton House, we are privileged to care for Major Andy Dinning. Back in 1982, he was a sergeant with the Royal Marines while the conflict was ongoing. Serving aboard HMS Fearless, Major Dinning was called upon to serve his country in the South Atlantic and took part in the initial landings onto the islands.
This is his memory of the war.

The Call to Action and Journey South

On 6th April 1982, Major Dinning received “a phone call saying, ‘Get your squadron ready to go.’ And at 4:00 in the morning, we started… there’s a couple of packs for war, made up and ready to go. We got the pack we needed… we [got] onto the ship with it, and away we [went].”
The journey to the South Atlantic took seven weeks. Before departure, Major Dinning recalls a brief conversation between one of his shipmates and a member of the press, highlighting what the British initially thought of the war:
“There was one guy when we were getting aboard in Plymouth, the press were snapping… and they say to this guy, ‘Are you going to fish them or fight them?’ And he said, ‘Well, there’s going to be fish in the sea and I’ve got all my fishing gear with me… We’ll only just have a small argy-bargy.”

Landing at San Carlos and Under Fire

On 21st May, the amphibious landing in San Carlos Water commenced, and Major Dinning’s unit was tasked with establishing a beachhead.
“We got into an area – where we landed – underneath the artillery, so that made it a lot easier.”
“When we were stuck there… we were ready to go into claws with the enemy and kill them.”
Because of their proximity to the Argentine mainland bases, the British forces faced regular aerial bombardment. Major Dinning estimates he witnessed between six and eight direct air attacks, including one specific encounter with a Skyhawk fighter-bomber that didn’t go as the Argentinians had predicted.
“Because we were only 20 minutes away… they were getting into us quite often.”
“I remember the bomb dropping from the Skyhawk, and I watched it [come] down straight into the ship. It was exactly as you would expect… they were so delighted to have a go at us, they sank all the bombs they had [very early]. They didn’t work because they dropped them too short.”

The Reality of Conflict and Loss

As the British forces secured the beachhead, they began the push inland.
“We moved forward after three or four days… to get a new base… I got my unit up there… [and set up a] ring of defence.”
And while the military campaign succeeded in the end, it came at a cost, with Major Dinning remembering an assault on a British ship that had serious consequences for those onboard.
“We had seventeen people who were on the ship and they were equipped ready to go… something went wrong, and bang, they got straight into the water. Eventually we got the bodies back, but not for a couple of days. A lot of people were getting killed needlessly. It happens all the time.”

Humanity Amidst Warfare

Despite the intensity, Major Dinning recalls that the British forces maintained their professionalism when handling prisoners of war.
“We had them for about four days. One of my mates… he was very sure that they all got food and anything they wanted because we knew we could be criticised on it if we didn’t do that properly.”
And even with the fighting going on around them, Major Dinning and his unit showed the true meaning of comradeship and camaraderie when they came across a large quantity of rum:
“We sat and drank it down, just because we were happy.”
Reflecting today, Major Dinning remembers feeling empathy for the young, poorly trained conscripts they faced. He noted that the Argentinian soldiers “didn’t have a clue. They didn’t have any idea why they were [fighting].”
“There was another young lad, and we killed him. We had a priest who was there and he walked all the way to the top of the hills with this young lad to bury him, as close as he could to [the lad’s] line… It reminded me why we have [priests] there.”

A Legacy of Service

For his bravery and service during the Falklands War, Major Dinning was awarded the South Atlantic Star.
Looking back on his long career in the military, Major Dinning offered this thought-provoking message based on his life experience:
“The one thing you never expect to do, that is the one that is going to happen.”
This Falklands War Memorial Day, we stand with veterans such as Major Dinning and thank them for their service. Their stories remind us of the sacrifice, resilience, and courage shown by those who have served, and help ensure the true cost of the peace we enjoy is never forgotten.
Please consider donating to Broughton House, and help us help our veterans. Any amount is greatly appreciated, and all funds raised go towards supporting our residents live well and with dignity.
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