| 1982 Liberation Memorial | |
|---|---|
| Falkland Islands | |
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| For the British Forces and supporting units that served in theFalkland War | |
| Unveiled | 14 June 1984 (1984-06-14) |
| Location | 51°41′29″S57°52′02″W / 51.691395°S 57.867298°W /-51.691395; -57.867298 (1982 Liberation Memorial) |
| Designed by | Gerald Dixon, David Norris |
IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO LIBERATED US 14 JUNE 1982 | |
The1982 Liberation Memorial is awar memorial inStanley,Falkland Islands. It commemorates all British Forces and supporting units that served in theFalklands War and helped liberate theFalkland Islanders fromArgentine military occupation in 1982. The Memorial is situated in front of the Secretariat Building, overlookingStanley Harbour. The funds for the Memorial were raised entirely by Falkland Islanders and it was unveiled by theGovernor of the Falkland Islands,Sir Rex Hunt, onLiberation Day (14 June) 1984, the second anniversary of the end of the war.[1]
The Memorial consists of anobelisk on the front of which is thecoat of arms of the Falkland Islands surrounded by alaurel wreath above the words "In Memory of Those Who Liberated Us" and the date the war ended; "14 June 1982". On top of the obelisk is a bronze figure ofBritannia, the female personification of the island ofGreat Britain. On the back and sides of the Memorial are the lists of theBritish Army regiments,RAF squadrons,Royal Navy vessels and theRoyal Marine formations and units that took part in the conflict. The names of the 255 British military personnel who died during the war are listed on ten plaques behind the Memorial, divided into theservice branches. Directly behind the Memorial is arelief depicting famous moments during the war.
The Memorial was designed by Falklands-born architect Gerald Dixon. The bronze figure of Britannia was sculpted by David Norris[1] and the relief of moments in the war was sculpted byFaith Winter.
In 2015 abust ofMargaret Thatcher (who wasPrime Minister of the United Kingdom at the time of the 1982 war) was erected next to the Liberation Memorial.[2]
Services are held at the Memorial each year on 14 June (Liberation Day)[3] and onRemembrance Sunday, the closest Sunday to 11 November (Armistice Day), withwreaths being laid at the foot of the Memorial.[4]
The Memorial has also been featured incommemorative coins[5] andpostage stamps issued by theFalkland Islands government.[6]
