Stories From My Scrapbook - The Falklands by Kay Foster

I was posted to the Falkland Islands in 1987-88 on a six-month tour as Matron at the newly built King Edward V11 Hospital. The previous Military Hospital had burned down with a number of civilian casualties. The Military worked jointly with civilian medical and administration staff as the hospital looked after both the civilian and military population of the islands.  The majority of military personnel were stationed at RAF Mount Pleasant, whereas the military medical staff lived in Port Stanley. At the time of my posting, we were accommodated in portacabins in Port Stanley and had a comfortable Mess, with a church and a pub on the island. 

At that time many foreign fishing vessels from the Far East, Russia and Europe obtained fishing licenses to fish in the fertile fish stocks in waters around the Falklands. The hospital was kept quite busy with a number of trauma injuries suffered by the fishermen.  

The Islands were a perfect wildlife sanctuary, whale's, sea lions, dolphins' various breeds of penguins, also an array of birds including the elegant huge albatross. I even had a wild cat that took up residence with me in my cabin and I would often find a mouse or a bird waiting to greet me. On my days off I would walk the area around Port Stanly and visit the site where the fierce fighting took place, against the Argentine military. There were occasions when I found human bones, e.g. bones from a finger left from the debris of war. We also got the opportunity to get a lift on a working helicopter and visit different areas and islands. 

I visited Fitzroy where the Sir Galahad was bombed with loss of life to the British Troops.  A dear friend L/Cpl Andy Mortimer, REME, was on board at the time and survived the horrific attack by the Argentina airforce. Some years before while serving in Hong Kong I had a return trip on the Sir Galahad to Brunei. I often wonder what happened to the crew of the Sir Galahad, as many foreign staff made the ship their permanent place of work. I had a memorable tour in the Falklands Islands, one of many wonderful postings and experience's I had while serving with the QA’s. 

We featured in Soldier Magazine, as can be seen below.

Major Kay Foster QARANC (Retd) Served from 1977 to 1996

A letter from a soldier in the Falkland’s War - 23rd June Port Stanley 1982 (submitted by Kay Foster)

This week we have a real treat on the blog. A glimpse into the life of a soldier in the Falklands War. This letter was written to Kay Foster from her friend Andy Mortimer. 

Dear Kay,

Many thanks for the postcard, yes I am looking forward to seeing Exmouth again. Got to Port Stanley yesterday after being on the Canberra doing the POW run to Argy land. When they came on board first they smelt just like the school house at Cusichaca! Two weeks ago, as I’am sure you know already, we were hit as we waited to go ashore from the Sir Galahad. But being where I should be I escaped with a single hair and a large burn hole in my waterproof. Had I been where I should have been I wouldn’t be writing this. Thanks to your first aid lessons at least one soldier got away alive who wouldn’t have had I not known what I was doing - only two medics got out. The whole thing was a mess - a mess that got 25 of my mates killed. We were left in daylight for eight hours without air cover! There was hardly any warning just someone screaming Air Raid Warning Red! Air Raid - he never finished. A 500lb bomb came through the wall about 15ft away from me and carried on through two more walls and floors where it exploded. The guy stood behind me was killed. I didn’t have time to panic or be scared. Even after I got out I had to go back again to bring some others out the smoke was so thick you could walk on it.

Lucky every other man was carrying a 1 litre Hartmans Drip - these faded a lot of the guys with burns. later on today we’re going back to “Bluff Cove” by “chopper’ for a memorial service. Then the wreck of the ship will be towed out to sea and sunk as an official war grave.

I lost nearly all my kit - I got away in what I was wearing. The lads from 2 PARA who put us up for the night in their sleeping shed were fantastic. some of them stayed up all night making us tea. Next day we were “choppered” out to HMS Intrepid where we rested and issued with new kit.

Don’t know how long before we get home but in the meantime we are doing a northern Ireland type job in Stanley- patrolling- chatting up the locals - checking possible booby traps etc. Mines are still a big problem - they won’t let us use the Argies to find them! Looking after the POW’s was a bit like giving treatment to the people in Cusichaca who had stolen from us - crazy!

Still that’s life - that’s war, and I’ve had enough of this one for the moment. Not sure when I’ll be home - about six weeks they say - we’ll see. Hope to see you then.

Give my love to Exmouth.

Love and best wishes,

Andy

Footnote: L/Cpl Andy Mortimore REME and I were on an archaeological expedition in the Andes Peru 1981 thus his referral to Cusichaca, also one of the Argentina POW worked on the camp with us and Andy recognised him when he escorting the POW back. I had the pleasure of travelling on a return trip on the Sir Galahad in 1979 from Hong Kong to Brunei.

Please note, this letter has been in two books, so is already in the public domain and we have the permission of all parties to reproduce it here.