Falklands 45

Martin Kirkbride

Martin in his Navy days

Reverend Martin Kirkbride in his own words…

The Journey from Chief to Chaplain

As a very young naval rating on HMS Endurance, I first visited the Falklands in 1971. We ‘celebrated’ New Year Day 1972 in Port Stanley. Other than a ‘call round’ from NP8901 for a few tinned beers at Moody Brook RM Barracks, it was not the most memorable of New Year celebrations

What was memorable is having a great time a couple of months later when Endurance docked in Buenos Aries for a two-week visit. Even in 1972 there was strong Falkland tensions with Argentina but having observed the essential diplomatic fig-leaf of first docking for 24 hours in Uruguay, (Montevideo), we were made welcome. Very welcome! Argentina quickly became my favourite country outside of UK – though now, as a longtime married man and later a vicar/military chaplain, I’ve conveniently forgotten the details.

Ten years later it was to be a very different scenario. My own membership of The Class of 82 is minor. I was given a medal for turning up late, keeping my head down in Defence Watches, and paying my Mess Bill before leaving. I am embarrassed that I was ‘given’ a South Atlantic Medal. Embarrassed because I am aways aware that for most of the Class of 82 their medal was not given it was ‘earned’, earned at great cost with great courage, commitment, and sacrifice.

At this stage it is probably helpful to mention that throughout my early years in the Royal Navy, and though until 1984, I was an atheist. I had no time for the ‘Jesus wants me for a sunbeam’ club. Life was for living and I lived it to the full – with a couple of sidelines to help fund the ‘full’. This all came to an abrupt halt following a not too friendly home visit from the MOD Police. At my subsequent Court Martial, to slightly misquote from ‘Father Ted’, my defence was, “those boxes were just resting in my garage”. Via MCTC Colchester I was rested for 3 months then discharged.

I’ll spare you the Damascus Road conversion and sermon but suffice to say in 1984 I became a committed Christian, (and an enthusiastic recruiter for the Jesus wants you for a sunbeam club). In 1990 I trained for ordained ministry in the Anglican Church. I’m not sure how the Army found out but in May 1994 I was invited to take my first official service at MCTC Colchester.

The next few years included taking several services for the Army and RAF, plus several military veterans associations. Prime amongst this was becoming Chaplain to the D118 Association – [D118 HMS Coventry, sunk 25^th May 1982]. Then in 2014 the Royal Navy decided I had finally become respectable, probably no longer had any MOD boxes resting in my garage and might be worth re-employing. The outcome was being appointed OCM (Officiating Chaplain Military) on the chaplaincy team at HMNB Devonport. Ironically back in my undetected crime days I had been a Chief Petty Officer at the Devonport Naval Base; Chief to Chaplain is quite a demotion!

More pertinent to this Blog site is my ongoing connection with SAMA. Over the last 15 years it has been an overwhelming privilege to be Chaplain for HMS Coventry veterans.

Back In 2013 I was contacted by an Argentinian veteran who I now count as a personal friend. In 2020 this led to participating in a zoomed conference at Buenos Aries University with Chris Howe MBE (HMS Coventry) and Jorge Barrionuevo the pilot of the second Argentinian A4 Skyhawk that bombed and sank the Coventry. *The conference is available on YouTube, though is only of interest in you speak Spanish – our simultaneous translation was not recorded.

Over the years I have had the honour to cover various sama services, reunions, and Acts of Remembrance. This has included returning to the islands in 2016 to lay several wreaths and take a service at Christ Church Stanley.

Martin receiving the Freedom of the City of Plymouth in 2022

What I would most want to share in this blog, but can’t and never would, is the many privileged ‘chaplain’s conversations’ with veterans struggling with PTSD, pastoral support for families struggling with grief, and bedside prayer vigils as our Brothers in Arms from the Class of 82 have peacefully slipped from this life into the next.

44 years on it is a humbling honour to be sharing and serving with Falkland veterans. Oh, and drinking beer. I’m still quite good at drinking beer.

Martin Kirkbride

Deputy Chaplain South Atlantic Medal Association

Chaplain D118 HMS Coventry Chaplain Royal Naval Association (south-west)

© Jay Morgan Hyrons

NB Each blog text is copyrighted. Each blog is individually researched and written by the author, unless otherwise stated as personal quotes. Every care is taken to ensure that the information in each blog is accurate though occasionally public records are incorrect. If you have any further information or would like to add to this story, please contact the author…

Captain Tony Morton DSC

In his Bucanneer

Captain Tony Morton HMS Yarmouth September 1941 ~ 5 February 2026 Age 84

Antony Morton was born in Halifax in September 1941, the entry in the Huddersfield and Holmfirth Examiner reads ‘September 17, 1941, to 2^nd Lieutenant and Mrs J Morton (nee Ethel Shaw) of Krumlin Hall, Barkisland, late of Waterloo, the gift of a son (Anthony)’.

Ethel Shaw married Jack Morton in late 1939, Jack was born it seems in September 1904.

Tony’s mother Ethel was the born in Halifax during WW1, her mother it appears was one of eight children. Ethel was the only daughter of Arthur and Charlotte Ethel Shaw who married in 1914. Ethel’s mother remarried in 1928; the family were living at Krumlin Hall just before the start of the second world war.

Families prior to the two world wars often stayed in areas for generations but life for many changed during those brutal years.

Known as Tony, he grew up in Loe Beach near Truro in Cornwall with his younger brother. Tony attended Truro Cathedral School, he entered Dartmouth in 1960.

Tony was a fixed wing pilot learning to fly initially on No 114 flying course at RAF Linton-on-Ouse winter of 63/64. The award of the top of course sash earned him a ribbing of ‘Miss Linton’.

Tony was known as a very competent pilot, much needed when in January 1975 his aircraft suffered a hydraulic failure over the Caribbean which affected both the air brakes and the under carriage. Low on fuel the plane was diverted to a US base in Puerto Rico. Tony’s commanding officer Lt Cdr Mike Bickley was observer; he ejected during landing. The port wheel collapsed, the aircraft swung off the runway, but Tony still managed to bring the aircraft to a safe stop. With Bickley injured Tony temporarily assumed command of 809 NAS.

In 1977 Tony piloted then Prince Charles from Yeovilton to the Ark Royal off the Scottish coast.

During the Falklands War naval aviator Tony commanded the frigate HMS Yarmouth known as the ‘Crazy Y’. When the Falkland Islands were invaded Yarmouth was on exercise off Gibraltar. Tony’s opinion was that the frigate was not prepared for modern warfare with her outdated systems.

Despite that under his command the less talked about Yarmouth experienced some of the fiercest fighting of the war yet surviving without loss of life. She did her best to provide cover and tow the damaged Sheffield which later sank in gale force winds on 10 May.

When the amphibious landings took place on 21 May 1982 Yarmouth rescued the surviving crew from HMS Ardent and transferred them to the Canberra. For the next 10 days Yarmouth remained in San Carlos water providing air defence by day and bombarding the enemy ashore at night. She conducted anti-submarine patrols, landed Royal Marines covertly and escorted merchant ships to and from the landing zone.

On May 23 Yarmouth with Brilliant intercepted the Argentine armed coaster Monsunen west of Lively Island. Two days later she was back in San Carlos water where she appears to have shot down an Argentine Skyhawk.

Later in June Yarmouth provided medical and firefighting assistance to HMS Glamorgan when she was hit by an Exocet missile. Under Tony’s command Yarmouth took the last surrender of the Falklands War in Thule, South Sandwich Islands along with Capt. Nick Barker of Endurance and Royal Marine Capt. Chris Nunn. Tony was awarded the DSC for his service during the war. After 120 days at sea Yarmouth returned to Rosyth.

Tony had a long career which included being Naval attaché in Paris and Captain of HMS Beaver. As well as the Falklands he saw service in the Gulf and held a senior role at Northwood. He retired in 1993.

Naval attaché Paris

Having settled in Yealmpton, Devon he was commodore of the Yealm Yacht club 2002-2004. Tony had a 34ft yacht named Beluga which he kept there.

Tony married twice, the first time to Fiona a WRNS officer in the late 60’s and again in 2003 to Ursula Grundy-Wheeler. During his first marriage the couple had two sons.

Tony’s mother saw out her days in Cornwall, she died in 2004 living well into her 80’s.

Tony died on 5 February 2026 aged 84.

© Jay Morgan Hyrons

Falklands 45 ~ Steve ‘Knocker’ White

Photo Credit Cllr Dianne Snowden

Steve’s name was finally added to the Veteran’s Wall in Sunderland for Remembrance 2021. Though the family had moved from the area the council made a sterling effort to track down Knocker’s NOK for permission to add him, a fitting tribute to this young man who was killed on HMS Ardent in 1982…

© Jay Morgan Hyrons

Falklands 45 ~ Frank Owen Armes

Photo Credit Rod Crockford

In Longwater Lane Playing Field, Cotessey, Norwich there is a bench for Frank if you are in the area why not take a pew & a ponder…

Photo Credit Rod Crockford

Frank also has an inscription on the War Memorial after the names of WW1 and WW2 fallen he finds himself with the latest inscription. These memorials mean so much to families, friends and comrades.

Never forgotten….

© Jay Morgan Hyrons

Falklands 35 ~ Andy Brayshaw

Photo supplied by Andy Brayshaw

Andrew Brayshaw was born in April 1961 in a thatched cottage in the small village of Sydling St Nicolas just outside Dorchester, Dorset. Andy’s parents met whilst serving in the British Army, his dad Albert George Brayshaw, known as Bob, was serving with the REME when he met his bride to be, Margaret, a cook with the WRAC.

Bob and Margaret married in Yorkshire in1955 and soon after started a family, their eldest child was a son named Robert. Andy was the couple’s fifth child; he had two older brothers and two older sisters followed by a younger sister and brother. Eventually a younger stepsister completed his group of siblings.

Bob served a total of twelve years with REME during which time he became their Welterweight Boxing Champion.

Andy’s first school was Royston Primary School, Royston, near Barnsley until he was nine years old when he moved up to Felkirk Middle School. Secondary education saw Andy attending Willowgarth High School in Grimethorpe. Andy remembers hating sports at school particularly cross-country an event in which he mostly came last, he says he was very unfit.

Andy says, ‘I joined the Army straight from school at the age of 16 and went to the Royal Army Medical Corp Apprentices College at Keogh Barracks, Ash Vale, Aldershot where I began my training as a Medical Assistant, later known at the time of the Falklands War as Combat Medical Technician’.

When the Falkland Islands were invaded Andy was a Lance Corporal with 16 Field Ambulance, he says ‘On the day that the Falklands were invaded my unit was in Avimore Scotland learning to ski. We were eating breakfast listening to the radio when the news of the invasion broke. We all looked at each other confused we could not understand how Argentina had made it to Scotland without anyone knowing about it. We had never heard of the Falkland Islands. To us it sounded Scottish. Little did we know that it was over 8,000 miles away in the cold waters of the South Atlantic’. Andy and comrades were not alone in thinking the islands were in Scotland many had never heard of them.

During the War, as with all deployments, post was a coveted item, but though a time delay meant Andy didn’t get expected post at the time, it was to bring a wife to him eventually. He says ‘I met my wife Anita through the Soldier Magazine as a pen friend. She responded to a request from the Sun newspaper for single young ladies to write to soldiers during the Falklands War. She didn’t hear anything until a year later when she received 150 letters from soldiers. She responded to all of them but only kept writing to five and I was one of those five. The strangest thing was her first letter to me was dated 8^th June 1983 exactly a year after I was blown up on the Galahad. I still have that letter today. We had two girls Laura in 1985 and Grace in 1988. Grace was born in Hong Kong’.

Andy sailed ‘Down South’ on the Townsend Thoresen Baltic Ferry along with her sister ship the Nordic.

Of the War itself Andy shares his experience ‘I was nervous and unsure what the future held for us all. At first like most of my unit on board the Baltic Ferry as we sailed south, we thought we would get so far and then get told to turn around everything had been sorted. It wasn’t until we heard about the sinking of the Belgrano that we knew for sure we were going to War. All I could think about after that was my brothers and sisters back home in England and if I would ever see them again. There were times when I thought I was going to die for sure especially when the Galahad was hit. I can remember lots from that horrendous day. However, the only thing I still cannot remember after all these years is how did I get off the ship. I remember the attack, the explosions, the fire, the screams of men burning, the smell of burning flesh, treating casualty on the deck and treating casualties on shore but I do not remember getting off the ship.’

He also reflects The Falklands War brought many challenges. ‘At the time, it was difficult to grasp the reason for traveling such a distance to engage in conflict over an unfamiliar location. With the passage of years and reflection on the war, including the sacrifices made and lives lost, it has become clear that action was necessary. The islanders were British citizens, and it was deemed important not to let them be taken over by another nation. Over the years, there have been inquiries about whether, if given the chance to relive my life, I would still join the army knowing that by age 21 I would go to war. Without hesitation, the answer remains the same: yes.’

Andy served a total of 43 years in the military, 22 years of that time in the British Army, he then joined the Australian Army as a lateral transfer and served for another 19 years before being medically discharged.

He reflects about his life ‘I had a full and varied career in the British Army serving in Germany, Cyprus, the Middle East, the Balkans, Hong Kong and the UK. I not only served as a frontline Combat Medic but also in military hospitals and managed several Army Medical Centres. I had the honour of taking part in the US Army Expert Field Medical Badge competition in Germany and was invited back the following year to assist as a tester. The Falklands was not my only war I served in the first Gulf War and in Croatia during the Balkan troubles as part of the United Nation Protection Force.

During my time in the British Army, I developed a passion for training people in first aid and not only trained soldiers but also many civilians through the ST John Ambulance and other first aid training organisations. I also developed a passion for long distance running and ran numerous half marathons and full marathons. I even ran the Pennine Way for charity, 275 miles nonstop in just under three days. I continued my passion for first aid when I moved to Australia and still teach it today.

During my later years with the British Army along with my family I got involved in helping Chernobyl Children from Belarus who were suffering from various illnesses due to exposure to the radiation fallout. Over a period of 10 years, we looked after 12 Chernobyl Children. I was also a well-known Children’s Entertainer and magician entertaining many forces children at birthday and Christmas parties in the Germany, Hong Kong and the UK. I even put on a Christmas party for Serbian children during my tour with UNPROFOR over Christmas 1992 where I played Santa and did a magic show.

I retired from the British Army after 24 years as RSM in 2001 and joined the Australian Army as a WO2. I had a very rewarding second career with the Australian Army even receiving the Royal Army Medical Corps annual CF Marks Award in 2006 for my expertise and contributions to the establishment of two Army Reserve medical trades, I was medically discharged from the Australian Army in 2020.’

Andy returned to the Falkland Islands in 2017 for the first time since the War he says ‘I spent nearly two weeks on the islands visit the various battle sites and paying my respects to those killed on the Sir Galahad including two friends and my 2IC. Whilst visiting the Falklands I also put on a magic show for the local primary school in Stanley and Magic Night for both adults and children’.

Andy would like to be remembered thus ‘I would like to think I am a kind and considerate person who would always strive to do the right thing’.

For sure the world needs more Andy’s in it!

Andy is another example of the depth and breadth of the human beings behind the military number and unit.

Andy, we thank you for your service!

Falklands 40 Map ~ Lightfoot Beach

Lightfoot Beach Photo Credits Mike Pole-Evans

Lightfoot Beach, a sandy beach at Pond Point on the east coast of Weddell Island, West Falkland. In honour of Paul Neville Lightfoot.

His name lives on…

Falklands 40 Map ~Tony Marshall

Marshall Point ~ Photo Credit Mike Pole-Evans

Marshall Point, south entrance point to Long Creek on the south coast of Weddell Island, West Falkland.

His name lives on…

Falklands 40 Map ~ Knowles Bay

Knowles Bay ~ Photo Credit Mike Pole-Evans

Knowles Bay, a bay on the south side of Gull Harbour on the east coast of Weddell Island, West Falkland.

His name lives on…

Falklands 40 ~ Baker Point John Ivan Baker

Baker Point Photo credit to Joe’s sister Joanne

Falklands 40 Map ~ Derek James Denholm

Denholm Bay Photo credit Christine Ford