Nearly 33 years after she liberated them from Argentina, and nearly two years after her death, the Falkland Islands have finally unveiled a statue to Margaret Thatcher.
Thatcher is a hero to the Falkland Islanders and yesterday, on what was Margaret Thatcher Day in the islands, her 61-year-old son Sir Mark Thatcher unveiled the bronze tribute to her in the islands' capital Stanley.
The bronze statue bears a plaque with a quote from Baroness Thatcher from April 3, 1982 when she said: ‘They are few in number, but they have the right to live in peace, to choose their own way of life and determine their own allegiance.’
The bust has been positioned at the end of Thatcher Drive, next to the Liberation Monument, which honours 255 UK servicemen and three Falklands civilians who died in the conflict.
Inevitably, the statue has sparked a new row between Britain and Argentina, with the South American country's London ambassador condemning the statue 'in our Malvinas Islands' as a provocative move, saying: 'What the UK is doing is celebrating war.'
Artist Stephen Massam said: 'The bust is not meant as a provocation, it is meant to honour the role Mrs Thatcher played in liberating the islands, which are British to their core. We're delighted to welcome her home.'
More than three decades after she went to war with Argentina, the Falklands finally unveil statue of Margaret Thatcher
Bronze sculpture of former Prime Minister unveiled in Stanley by her son
Islanders were consulted on how they wished to commemorate Thatcher
She oversaw Britain's victory in the two-month long conflict in 1982
Bust carries quote from the former Prime Ministers
But it has provoked anger among Argentine diplomat and veterans
By Lucy Crossley for MailOnline
11 January 2015
Daily Mail
More than three decades after she went to war with Argentina over the islands, a statue of Margaret Thatcher has been unveiled on the Falklands.
The bronze tribute to the former Prime Minister, who oversaw Britain's victory in the 1982 conflict, was formally revealed in the islands' capital Stanley yesterday.
Following Baroness Thatcher's death in 2013, the population of the Falkland Islands were consulted about how they wished to commemorate the leader.
More than three decades after she went to war with Argentina over the islands, a statue of Margaret Thatcher has been unveiled on the Falklands
The bronze tribute to the former Prime Minister, who oversaw Britain's victory in the 1982 conflict, was formally revealed in the islands' capital Stanley yesterday by her son, Sir Mark Thatcher (right)
The overwhelming response was for a statue which was unveiled at a ceremony on the islands' Margaret Thatcher Day by her son, Sir Mark Thatcher.
Falklands-based sculptor Steve Masson was commissioned to carry out the work which cost around £40,000 and stands eight foot high on a stone plinth.
The bronze statue bears a plaque with a quote from Baroness Thatcher from April 3, 1982 when she said: ‘They are few in number, but they have the right to live in peace, to choose their own way of life and determine their own allegiance.’
The bust has been positioned at the end of Thatcher Drive, next to the Liberation Monument, which honours the 255 UK servicemen and three Falklands civilians who died in the conflict.
Falklands-based sculptor Steve Masson was commissioned to carry out the work which cost around £40,000 and stands eight foot high on a stone plinth
The statue bears a plaque with a quote from Baroness Thatcher, which reads: 'They are few in number, but they have the right to live in peace, to choose their own way of life and determine their own allegiance'
But the sculpture of Baroness Thatcher has sparked a new row between Britain and Argentina, with the South American country's London ambassador condemning the statue 'in our Malvinas Islands' as a provocative move, saying: 'What the UK is doing is celebrating war.'
Her anger was echoed by veterans' leader Mario Volpe in Buenos Aires. He said: 'The statue is not a symbol of democracy. It's her fault so many died.' He said Baroness Thatcher 'could have avoided the war and the deaths'.
About 650 Argentine personnel also died in the two-month long conflict, and three Falkland Islanders lost their lives.
CCTV will provide 24-hour surveillance around the 'Iron Lady' to prevent it being defaced by those who contest UK sovereignty.
Following Baroness Thatcher's death in 2013, the population of the Falkland Islands were consulted about how they wished to commemorate the leader, and chose to put up a statue
But the sculpture of Baroness Thatcher has sparked a new row between Britain and Argentina, with the South American country's London ambassador condemning the statue 'in our Malvinas Islands' as provocative
Artist Stephen Massam said: 'The bust is not meant as a provocation, it is meant to honour the role Mrs Thatcher played in liberating the islands, which are British to their core. We're delighted to welcome her home.'
Mr Massam believes the bust will become a tourist attraction, adding: 'She is an integral part of the islands' history and it is entirely appropriate that her image will gaze down on visitors and that she will remain in the Falklands for ever.'
The row is the latest in a recent series of flare-ups between Argentina and Britain.
Last year, Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear team were forced to flee Argentina during filming of the show's Christmas special, which aired on the BBC last month.
An angry mob took offence at the 'H982FKL' number plate on Clarkson's Porsche 928GT, which some interpreted as a Falklands reference, but the production team maintain was a coincidence.
In July, Argentina's football chiefs were fined £19,500 by FIFA after their players posed with a political banner laying claim to the Falkland Islands.
The players stood behind the slogan ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ (the Falklands are Argentinian) at a June 7 friendly against Slovenia in Buenos Aires.
'THEY ARE FEW IN NUMBER BUT HAVE THE RIGHT TO PEACE', THE REMOTE ISLANDS AT THE CENTRE OF BLOODY 74 DAY WAR
Waged over the course of ten weeks, the Falklands War was sparked when Argentina invaded remote British territories in the South Atlantic on April 2 1982 in an attempt to establish the sovereignty it had long claimed over them.
Argentina, which refers to the islands as Las Malvinas, had claimed it had inherited them from Spain during the 1800s.
The invasion prompted Britain, which has ruled the islands since 1833 but first claimed sovereignty over them in the 1690s, to retaliate, sending a task force of 127 ships to reclaim the Falklands, with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher saying the 1,800 Falklanders were 'of British tradition and stock'.
Margaret Thatcher with a painting of the famous photograph of British troops advancing on Stanley during the conflict. The war lasted 74 days and claimed the lives of 255 British military personnel, 649 Argentinians and three Falkland Islanders
Britain declared a 200-mile exclusion zone around the islands, and warned that any vessel or aircraft entering this would face being fired at.
Some 28,000 British troops and 127 British ships ships were deployed, with the ensuing war lasting for 74 days, claiming the lives of 255 British military personnel, 649 Argentinians and three Falkland Islanders.
The first major loss of life came on May 2, when Argentine cruiser General Belgrano was sunk by submarine HMS Conqueror, with the loss of 368 crew members. Just two days later British destroyer HMS Sheffield was struck with an Exocet missile, causing it to sink.
Of those on board, 20 were killed.
On May 21, 3,000 British troops landed at the San Carlos settlement in East Falkland, bringing ashore 1,000 tons of supplies to establish a beachhead, with the plan being to launch attacks on there on Goose Green and Stanley.
On May 28, troops from 2 PARA attacked Goose Green and Darwin, with fighting lasting through the night and into the following day. The British troops were hugely outnumbered but ultimately successful. A total of 17 British and 47 Argentine soldiers were killed, and 961 Argentine troops were taken prisoner.
The victory meant that British forces were then able to march towards Stanley, mounting a final attack on Argentine troops before liberating the town on June 14.
Dispute over who should have the islands has continued in the decades since, but in a referendum in March 2013, which produced a 92 per cent turn out, 1,513 islanders (99.8% of those who voted) vote to retain their status as a British Overseas Territory, with just three voting against.
Britain sent a huge armada of 127 ships to the Falkland Islands after they were invaded by Argentina
Twenty sailors were killed when the Argentines sank HMS Sheffield
Royal Navy submarine HMS Conqueror sank the General Belgrano, killing 368 Argentine sailors
A school in Darwin after being hit by Argentine 35mm fire during the Battle of Goose Green
More than 1,200 Argentine soldiers surrendered to the British and laid down their arms at the end of the 40-hour Battle of Goose Green
Argentine prisoners of war after their defeat in the Battle of Goose Green
The British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands is around the same size as Northern Ireland with a population of around 3,000, approximately double what it was in 1982
Thatcher is a hero to the Falkland Islanders and yesterday, on what was Margaret Thatcher Day in the islands, her 61-year-old son Sir Mark Thatcher unveiled the bronze tribute to her in the islands' capital Stanley.
The bronze statue bears a plaque with a quote from Baroness Thatcher from April 3, 1982 when she said: ‘They are few in number, but they have the right to live in peace, to choose their own way of life and determine their own allegiance.’
The bust has been positioned at the end of Thatcher Drive, next to the Liberation Monument, which honours 255 UK servicemen and three Falklands civilians who died in the conflict.
Inevitably, the statue has sparked a new row between Britain and Argentina, with the South American country's London ambassador condemning the statue 'in our Malvinas Islands' as a provocative move, saying: 'What the UK is doing is celebrating war.'
Artist Stephen Massam said: 'The bust is not meant as a provocation, it is meant to honour the role Mrs Thatcher played in liberating the islands, which are British to their core. We're delighted to welcome her home.'
More than three decades after she went to war with Argentina, the Falklands finally unveil statue of Margaret Thatcher
Bronze sculpture of former Prime Minister unveiled in Stanley by her son
Islanders were consulted on how they wished to commemorate Thatcher
She oversaw Britain's victory in the two-month long conflict in 1982
Bust carries quote from the former Prime Ministers
But it has provoked anger among Argentine diplomat and veterans
By Lucy Crossley for MailOnline
11 January 2015
Daily Mail
More than three decades after she went to war with Argentina over the islands, a statue of Margaret Thatcher has been unveiled on the Falklands.
The bronze tribute to the former Prime Minister, who oversaw Britain's victory in the 1982 conflict, was formally revealed in the islands' capital Stanley yesterday.
Following Baroness Thatcher's death in 2013, the population of the Falkland Islands were consulted about how they wished to commemorate the leader.
More than three decades after she went to war with Argentina over the islands, a statue of Margaret Thatcher has been unveiled on the Falklands
The bronze tribute to the former Prime Minister, who oversaw Britain's victory in the 1982 conflict, was formally revealed in the islands' capital Stanley yesterday by her son, Sir Mark Thatcher (right)
The overwhelming response was for a statue which was unveiled at a ceremony on the islands' Margaret Thatcher Day by her son, Sir Mark Thatcher.
Falklands-based sculptor Steve Masson was commissioned to carry out the work which cost around £40,000 and stands eight foot high on a stone plinth.
The bronze statue bears a plaque with a quote from Baroness Thatcher from April 3, 1982 when she said: ‘They are few in number, but they have the right to live in peace, to choose their own way of life and determine their own allegiance.’
The bust has been positioned at the end of Thatcher Drive, next to the Liberation Monument, which honours the 255 UK servicemen and three Falklands civilians who died in the conflict.
Falklands-based sculptor Steve Masson was commissioned to carry out the work which cost around £40,000 and stands eight foot high on a stone plinth
The statue bears a plaque with a quote from Baroness Thatcher, which reads: 'They are few in number, but they have the right to live in peace, to choose their own way of life and determine their own allegiance'
But the sculpture of Baroness Thatcher has sparked a new row between Britain and Argentina, with the South American country's London ambassador condemning the statue 'in our Malvinas Islands' as a provocative move, saying: 'What the UK is doing is celebrating war.'
Her anger was echoed by veterans' leader Mario Volpe in Buenos Aires. He said: 'The statue is not a symbol of democracy. It's her fault so many died.' He said Baroness Thatcher 'could have avoided the war and the deaths'.
About 650 Argentine personnel also died in the two-month long conflict, and three Falkland Islanders lost their lives.
CCTV will provide 24-hour surveillance around the 'Iron Lady' to prevent it being defaced by those who contest UK sovereignty.
Following Baroness Thatcher's death in 2013, the population of the Falkland Islands were consulted about how they wished to commemorate the leader, and chose to put up a statue
But the sculpture of Baroness Thatcher has sparked a new row between Britain and Argentina, with the South American country's London ambassador condemning the statue 'in our Malvinas Islands' as provocative
Thatcher oversaw Britain's victory in the 1982 conflict. (Above) A Royal Marine watches over captured Argentine soldiers
Artist Stephen Massam said: 'The bust is not meant as a provocation, it is meant to honour the role Mrs Thatcher played in liberating the islands, which are British to their core. We're delighted to welcome her home.'
Mr Massam believes the bust will become a tourist attraction, adding: 'She is an integral part of the islands' history and it is entirely appropriate that her image will gaze down on visitors and that she will remain in the Falklands for ever.'
The row is the latest in a recent series of flare-ups between Argentina and Britain.
Last year, Jeremy Clarkson and his Top Gear team were forced to flee Argentina during filming of the show's Christmas special, which aired on the BBC last month.
An angry mob took offence at the 'H982FKL' number plate on Clarkson's Porsche 928GT, which some interpreted as a Falklands reference, but the production team maintain was a coincidence.
In July, Argentina's football chiefs were fined £19,500 by FIFA after their players posed with a political banner laying claim to the Falkland Islands.
The players stood behind the slogan ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ (the Falklands are Argentinian) at a June 7 friendly against Slovenia in Buenos Aires.
'THEY ARE FEW IN NUMBER BUT HAVE THE RIGHT TO PEACE', THE REMOTE ISLANDS AT THE CENTRE OF BLOODY 74 DAY WAR
Waged over the course of ten weeks, the Falklands War was sparked when Argentina invaded remote British territories in the South Atlantic on April 2 1982 in an attempt to establish the sovereignty it had long claimed over them.
Argentina, which refers to the islands as Las Malvinas, had claimed it had inherited them from Spain during the 1800s.
The invasion prompted Britain, which has ruled the islands since 1833 but first claimed sovereignty over them in the 1690s, to retaliate, sending a task force of 127 ships to reclaim the Falklands, with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher saying the 1,800 Falklanders were 'of British tradition and stock'.
Margaret Thatcher with a painting of the famous photograph of British troops advancing on Stanley during the conflict. The war lasted 74 days and claimed the lives of 255 British military personnel, 649 Argentinians and three Falkland Islanders
Britain declared a 200-mile exclusion zone around the islands, and warned that any vessel or aircraft entering this would face being fired at.
Some 28,000 British troops and 127 British ships ships were deployed, with the ensuing war lasting for 74 days, claiming the lives of 255 British military personnel, 649 Argentinians and three Falkland Islanders.
The first major loss of life came on May 2, when Argentine cruiser General Belgrano was sunk by submarine HMS Conqueror, with the loss of 368 crew members. Just two days later British destroyer HMS Sheffield was struck with an Exocet missile, causing it to sink.
Of those on board, 20 were killed.
On May 21, 3,000 British troops landed at the San Carlos settlement in East Falkland, bringing ashore 1,000 tons of supplies to establish a beachhead, with the plan being to launch attacks on there on Goose Green and Stanley.
On May 28, troops from 2 PARA attacked Goose Green and Darwin, with fighting lasting through the night and into the following day. The British troops were hugely outnumbered but ultimately successful. A total of 17 British and 47 Argentine soldiers were killed, and 961 Argentine troops were taken prisoner.
The victory meant that British forces were then able to march towards Stanley, mounting a final attack on Argentine troops before liberating the town on June 14.
Dispute over who should have the islands has continued in the decades since, but in a referendum in March 2013, which produced a 92 per cent turn out, 1,513 islanders (99.8% of those who voted) vote to retain their status as a British Overseas Territory, with just three voting against.
Britain sent a huge armada of 127 ships to the Falkland Islands after they were invaded by Argentina
Twenty sailors were killed when the Argentines sank HMS Sheffield
Royal Navy submarine HMS Conqueror sank the General Belgrano, killing 368 Argentine sailors
A school in Darwin after being hit by Argentine 35mm fire during the Battle of Goose Green
More than 1,200 Argentine soldiers surrendered to the British and laid down their arms at the end of the 40-hour Battle of Goose Green
Argentine prisoners of war after their defeat in the Battle of Goose Green
The British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands is around the same size as Northern Ireland with a population of around 3,000, approximately double what it was in 1982
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