Shipmate Jon Major joined locals, fellow Falklands veterans, and the crew of HMS Medway to to celebrate Liberation Day. HMS Medway is currently in the islands covering for her older sister, HMS Forth, which is currently undergoing a refit in Gibraltar.

This year ARDENT’s headed to the National Memorial Arboretum near Derby for our annual service of remembrance, the Ardent anchor memorial becoming the centre piece of our service.

Shipmates Stephen Earp and David Serrell and their partners joined hundreds of visitors for the first Buckingham Palace Garden Party of King Charles III’s reign on Wednesday, 3 May 2023, as guests of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester to represent the HMS Ardent Association.

Army Cadets from Bridgwater Platoon gathered on Thursday March 30th for a ceremony to mark the rededication of the memorial to a former Cannington cadet, Andrew Barr.

HMS Ardent survivor, WEM (0) 1 Kevin Buck Ryan, recently made a trip back to the Falklands since his last visit in March 1984. He has recorded the visit as a mini journal which he is happy to share on our site.

As a tribute to the Falklands 40th anniversary members of the HMS Ardent Association, including family members of the fallen, marched as one platoon at the Cenotaph.

The children of St Edward’s School in Poole held a special assembly to remember and reflect on the contribution and sacrifices made by service men and women. They also paid special tribute to Stephen Ford who was a pupil at their school growing up around Constitution Hill.

The HMS Ardent Association is probably the oldest of the Falkland Conflict Associations and has met every year for the past 40 years. It not only represents the survivors but the families of the fallen and all those who served on her previously. It was felt that to mark the 40th anniversary of the Falkland Conflict and the formation of our own Association it would be a fitting tribute to our fallen shipmates to have a dedicated platoon at this years London Cenotaph march past on Remembrance Sunday .

Queen Elizabeth understood the sacrifices by the men and women of the armed services and the pain of bereaved families. In addition to awarding military honours, she introduced the Elizabeth Cross. It was the first medal to which the Queen put her name. Instituted in 2009, it gives special recognition to the families of those who have died on military operations or as a result of terrorism, since 1948.

In a major change for the Association we are looking at holding the service of remembrance in the National Memorial Arboretum, at our remembrance Anchor, on Saturday 27 May 2023.

The Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel at Pangbourne College held the Falklands 40th service of remembrance on Sunday 12 June 2022. Shipmate Nigel Langhorn shared some photographs of the event.

With over 220 people in the church of St Nicholas in HMS Drake the HMS Ardent Association, led by the ships patron HRH The Duchess of Gloucester, paid tribute to the 22 fallen shipmates who were killed in action on the 21 May 1982 during the Battle for Falkland Sound.

Shipmates, families of the fallen and the general public remembered our 22 fallen shipmates around the UK and beyond on the 40th anniversary of the Battle for Falkland Sound, 21 May 1982.

Actor Katherine Parkinson is given a HMS Ardent Association Challenge Coin after the recording of the IWM Podcast for the Falklands Conflict which also featured ARDENT survivor Richard (Richie) Gough.

The story of those who died when HMS Ardent was bombed and sunk in Falkland Sound on May 21, 1982, was first told in the book 'Through Fire and Water' published in 2001. It is now part of a streaming documentary produced by author Mark Higgitt to be released on 21 May 2022.

On Monday 25 April, SSAFA commemorated the 40th Anniversary of the Falklands Conflict with a reception in the House of Lords.

Hosted by the Rt Hon. the Lord West of Spithead GCB DSC, former First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, who was Captain of HMS Ardent which was sunk during the conflict.

A painting by artist David Ball commemorates the 40th anniversary of the Falklands War. It shows the carrier HMS Invincible, the frigate HMS Ardent, Royal Fleet Auxiliaries Sir Galahad, Stromness and ‘The Great White Whale’, the commandeered and converted troopship Canberra sailing in the Atlantic Ocean on their way to the Falklands.

Work to refurbish the Falklands Maritime Memorial in the Belvedere Garden of Remembrance on Plymouth Hoe is complete and it is now fully restored thanks to the work of HMS Ardent Association founders Tony Ray and Lenny Yeatman.

Veterans are getting ready to mark the 40th occasion of our 40th anniversary of the 1982 Falklands Conflict with events planned around the UK and in the Falkland Islands.

Image copyright: Falklands Goverment