Falklands : Battle Day: Sun Drenched and Dignified
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 10.12.2004 (Article Archived on 24.12.2004)
An anniversary to mark the 90th anniversary of Adm. Sturdee’s defeat of Adm. Graff Von Spee off the Falkland Islands in 1914 was marked by a Memorial Service at Christ Church Cathedral and a Wreath Laying at the Battle Monument.
Photo (c) J. Brock (FINN) H.E. the Governor Mr. Pearce takes the salute from the FIDF.
BATTLE DAY: SUN-DRENCHED AND DIGNIFIED
By J. Brock (FINN)
H.E. the Governor Mr. Pearce takes the salute from the dias in fromt of Government House
An anniversary to mark the 90th anniversary of Adm. Sturdee’s defeat of Adm. Graff Von Spee off the Falkland Islands in 1914 was marked by a Memorial Service at Christ Church Cathedral and a Wreath Laying at the Battle Monument.
The church service began at 0945 at Christ Church Cathedral with H. E. the Governor and Mrs Pearce in attendance as well as Air Commodore Lacey and Mrs Lacey, Councillors, Government Officials and members of the public. The Reverend Paul Sweeting, Priest in Charge of the Cathedral spoke words of welcome. Assisting him in the service was Fr. Paul Owens, and RAF Padre covering St. Mary’s Catholic Church and Rev. Ken Newton of the Tabernacle Free Church ad the Seamen’s Mission.
Rev. Paul Sweeting read:
“We are met together on this day for the commemoration of the Battle of the Falkland Islands, to thank God for the preservation of our community. We remember with gratitude the courage and faithful service of the Officers and Men of the British Squadron involved in that action, especially the sacrifice of those who lost their lives in the defence of these Islands. Let us accompany our praise and strengthen our prayers with the renewal of our faith in God and by offering ourselves to his service.”
The Hymn, “All People That on Earth Do Dwell,” followed this. Psalm 29, the Old Testament Lesson, was read by H. E. the Governor Mr. Howard Pearce. Next, the Hymn, “Now Thank We All Our God was sung, followed by the New Testament Lesson, Acts 27:13-25, read by the Commander British Forces South Atlantic.
Rev. Paul Sweeting delivered the sermon.
“So why, exactly, are we here? What’s the point of turning out to remember something that happened 90 years ago? It might feel like an exercise in futility.
Let me tell you a true story. Across the vast Pacific lurks a threat – a threat that must be found – and that must be destroyed. The year is 1914. The Great War has just begun and the thread was a squadron of German ships commanded by Admiral Graff Von Spee. This man is a bit of a maverick, who is also a fearless sailor with the instincts of a pirate. And, he is roaming with his fast armoured cruisers, cutting and slashing and despoiling the vulnerable British Empire.
Back in London at the Admiralty they fret about where this maverick, Von Spee will turn up next. And the Civilian in charge at the Admiralty describes the problem of finding Von Spee like this, ‘The vastness of the Pacific and its multitude of Islands offered him shelter. Once he had vanished, who should say where he would reappear?’ So, this man at the Admiralty dispatches Admiral Kit Craddock, whose Memorial you see before you in the Cathedral this morning.
He dispatched Craddock to intercept Von Spee and to destroy him, which, given the ships that Craddock has actually got, is a little like dispatching a FIGASS plane to shoot down a Tornado with an air rifle – doomed to failure. This civilian at the Admiralty meddles with Naval plans and refuses to send any British Dreadnaughts from the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow. And, he expects Craddock to take on these fast armoured cruisers of the Germans with old, slow ships that are lightly armoured, with desperately inexperienced crews.
Some of the guns weren’t even firing, in heavy seas. On one ship, the Gunnery Officer had never even been in a turret before. And so, at the Battle of Coronal, Von Spee and Craddock meet at the Battle of Coronal, the prelude to the Battle of the Falklands, which we commemorate today. They meet at Coronal and the inevitable happens. The British ships are either sunk or slip away under the cover of darkness.
Someone who was there, an Officer on HMS Glasgow, describes the affect of a salvo hitting HMS Good Hope. These are his words, ‘There was a terrible explosion on Good Hope between her main mast and her after-funnel. The dust and flames reached a height of over 200 feet, lighting up debris that was flung still higher into the air.’ It was the worst British Naval defeat in 250 years. One thousand six hundred lives are wiped out. And, the man at the Admiralty – the First Sea Lord Later said of him, ‘He holds himself blameless over the Coronal Battle but if my memory serves me, he was anything but.’ The man at the Admiralty is not some faceless, nameless grey suit. The man at the Admiralty is one of the best-known names in British history. His name was Winston Churchill. This was the Winston Churchill who, in the Second World War was to lead Britain – that Island Nation – that solitary Nation – against the swastika.
What a contrast. From Naval disaster to war-time leader. From Churchill meddling at the Admiralty to Churchill at Downing Street – old, gruff voice – cigar – and “V” for victory. There is something about life that offers us sometimes a new start. We may not go through the kind of change that Churchill clearly did. But still, there are many here that could testify to different ways in which the disasters and mistakes of the past can be left behind like this.
When St. Paul set sail in that ship we heard about earlier, he warned the Centurion not to sail. But the Centurion did and the storm blew up. And, St. Paul himself panicked. He says, ‘we finally gave up all hope of being saved.’ But after the reading ends, the crew all survive and eventually Paul died.
New life does offer some times new starts. Most of us won’t be Churchill’s or St. Paul’s but there is something here for us. Ninety years after Coronal, Churchill is rightly remembered as a great war leader, who still towers over British History. But he did have skeletons in his cupboard. There were some desperate mistakes. But the lesson of Churchill’s life and St. Paul, in that storm, thrown ship of the Bible is this, a new start is possible. For Churchill, it was the disaster of Coronal to the dispatch box in the House of Commons. On the 13th of May, 1940, he steps forward to the dispatch box and says these words to an embattled nation:
‘On Friday evening last, I received from His Majesty permission to form a new administration. In this crisis, I think I may be pardoned if I do not address the House at any length today. I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind.’
It was the eve of the evacuation at Dunkirk. A new start. For Churchill, it was Coronal to the Commons. For St. Paul, it was from the fear of shipwreck to trusting in God. For each of us it will be different. This morning, I leave the final words to the great man himself. Churchill once said that success was not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.
May God grant you that courage.”
The Central Band of the RAF struck up “Eternal Father Strong to Save.” Rev. Ken Newton then prayed for the Church and the People and of Thanksgiving for those who laid down their lives for their country. Bidding prayers were read by Fr. Owens. The collection was then taken for the Lighthouse Seamen’s Centre in Stanley. Fr. Owens also said the final prayer of thanksgiving over the collection. The National Anthem preceded the final blessing by Rev. Paul Sweeting.
After the service, the Central Band of the RAF, a Naval Contingent from HMS Dumbarton Castle, and the Falkland Islands Defence Force formed up and marched to the 1914 monument. Prayers were said and H. E. the Governor Mr. Pearce laid a wreath for the People of the Falkland Islands. Air Commodore Lacey laid one for the Forces at MPA and the Captain of the Dumbarton Castle laid a wreath on behalf of the Royal Navy. Mr. Bob Fiddes laid a wreath on behalf of the Royal Naval Association and the Royal British Legion. After the fly-past by three RAF Tornado Aircraft, the contingents formed up and H. E. the Governor Mr. Howard Pearce took the salute from the dais in front of Government House.
(100X Transcription Service)
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