Storm over honours embargo

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 9

Storm over honours embargo

NZPA-Reuter London Britain has posthumously awarded its highest decoration for bravery, the Victoria Cross, to two paratroopers cited for helping turn the tide of battle in the Falklands conflict. News of the honours, and of more than 800 official awards arising out of Britain’s campaign to recapture the South Atlantic islands from Argentina, broke at the week-end.

The military commanders who gained victory in the 11week campaign earlier this year also won top honours, being knighted.

The Victoria Crosses went to Colonel Herbert (“H”) Jones, aged 42, who died in a hail of bullets leading his battalion against an Argentine machine-gun nest, and

Sergeant lan John McKay, aged 29, killed as he singlehandedly knocked out an Argentine bunker. Premature publication of the honours list brought anger from the Government, which had issued the details to the press on condition that they were not made public before today. A spokesman at Mrs Margaret Thatcher’s office said that the embargo on publication before 11 p.m. Sunday G.M.T. (11 a.m. today N.Z. time) remained officially in force, and added: “We view the breaking of the embargo very seriously indeed and we will be considering action against those involved.” She did not say what kind of action was possible.

It was the first time in 13 years that Victoria Crosses had been awarded by Queen Elizabeth. They were gazet-

ted in a list of awards to servicemen and civilians contributing to the success of the Falklands campaign. Those honoured ranged from Admiral Sir Terence Lewin, who as chief of defence staff co-ordinated the operation with Mrs Thatcher’s war Cabinet, to a civilian canteen manager who had manned a deck gun on the stricken frigate • Ardent against waves of attacking Argentine planes.

The task force commander, Rear-Admiral Sandy Woodward, who had never seen action in his naval career and predicted at the start of the campaign that it would be a walk-over, was knighted. So was Major-General Jeremy Moore, who commanded the land forces on the Falklands and went into battle with a Bible in his

breast pocket. He accepted the surrender of some 10.000 Argentine troops in the capital, Port Stanley. Admiral Lewin, who has just retired, was made a life peer while Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse, fleet Comman-der-in-Chief and already knighted in the Queen’s last birthday honours list, received an extra Knight Grand Cross award.

A knighthood was conferred on Rex Hunt, the Falklands Governor expelled by Argentine troops. He has now returned as the civilian commissioner to supervise reconstruction of the colony.

The Victoria Crosses headed a list of 146 gallantry medals awarded in the armed services. The last time one was awarded was in 1969 to an Australian soldier serving in the Vietnam war.