A REMEMBRANCE ceremony was held in York to mark the 40th anniversary of the end of the Falklands war.

An act of remembrance took place today, (Tuesday, June 14), at the Spurriergate Centre to remember those who lost their lives during the conflict.

It was held as part of the City of York council’s commitment to the city’s Armed Forces Covenant, and coincided with the Armed Forces Drop-in morning, which is held every Tuesday morning at the centre.

York Press: . Councillor David Carr the Rt Hon Lord Mayor laid the wreath at the City War Memorial on behalf of the City of York Picture: CYC. Councillor David Carr the Rt Hon Lord Mayor laid the wreath at the City War Memorial on behalf of the City of York Picture: CYC

A memorial wreath was laid followed by a two-minute silence with a reading of prayers, led by Ian Cartwright, ex-veteran, and Covenant officer for the council.

He explained that the conflict, which ran from April 2 to June 14, 1982, saw 690 British parachuters, some as young as 16 years old, face over 1,100 Argentinians, and cost the lives of 255 British soldiers and wounding 775 others.

Tony Brooks is a Royal Navy veteran who fought in the war when he was just 22, on the HMS Minerva.

He said: “I had no experience of warfare whatsoever other than training, and we were apprehensive, hoping that by the time we’d got in and around the islands the negotiations would’ve succeeded, and we would not be required to go into action.

“But all that changed on the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano and HMS Sheffield that we were in for a fighting war.

“We did everything we were trained to do but we weren’t kitted out for a long duration of war, but we came back pretty well off compared to other ships that came off really badly, it was scary but we just had to get on with it.

“Its very sad of all the losses on both sides, I don’t just reflect on the losses of British serviceman but also of the Argentinian serviceman – no sailor wants to see another ship being sunk.

“I had my 23rd birthday down in the Falklands, I remember looking at my diary thinking ‘three days to go, will I make it back home?”

York Press: The memorial reef in Spurriergate centre Picture: CYCThe memorial reef in Spurriergate centre Picture: CYC

Cllr Darryl Smalley, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure, and Communities, said: “Its important that we recognise the service and sacrifice served in the Falklands war, especially with current events unfolding across Europe.

“In York we are working to try and improve the support of the Armed Forces community like drop-in events for ex-veterans and their families to socialise and access services on offer such as employment opportunities.”

Sherriff of York, Suzie Mercer said: "I remember seeing the ships on television, and my mum, who remembered the second world war saying, 'war always takes the best'.

"Its still emotive now, we need to remember that they gave their lives."

Later in the day, the wreath was laid at York's war memorial.