The Falklands - Remembering Craig Inside Out West Midlands

Hello and welcome to the last in this series. Tonight, we have got

the story of an extraordinary journey. I am very emotional right

now. It is going to be hard. regeneration is a one Midlands

family travel 8,000 miles to find peace. We have never really had the

full story of it. We have had bits and pieces, but we have never

really understood it. 30 years after the Falklands conflict, can

the island they have been given by Faulkland fire -- Farmers help keep

their son's memory alive. Why did you choose to do it? If I can help

someone, that is the least we can In 1982, Britain came under attack.

In a decisive move, the Argentine forces invaded the Falklands and

seized control. And as the talking seems about to come to hold,

Argentine military chiefs are prepared for a large-scale military

attack. In a state of shock, and nation went to war. -- our nation.

20-year-old Craig Jones had long dreamt of becoming a military man.

Craig was always an outdoors type, not academic. He was bright, but he

couldn't care less about school. He did it because he had to. He went

into the 6th form and he only did the first year because his heart

wasn't in it. He only wanted to be in the army. He had signed up to

the Parachute Regiment straight from school, and when the call to

arms came, he was ready. He came home on the Friday evening for the

weekend and said there were things going on, that he may get called

back. We said, OK, and then the following morning, a phone call

came through to say that he needed to report back to barracks. I took

into Northampton station and saw him walk up the station, and that

is the last, saw him. Quaker's next stop was Southampton docks. On Good

Friday, 1982, he boarded the cruise line and set sail the suffer and

take to retake the Falklands. As the British task force fought its

way forward, every skirmish was affected by hungry media. In the

last half-hour, Ministry of Defence has announced... Every minute I

could, I was listening to news broadcasts. The news was on

constantly. He had Updates all the time. The British are back. From

aerial bombardment up, to hand hand contact, the fighting was brittle

and bloody. Finally, British troops retook Stanley. There is a white

flag flying over Stanley. On 14th June, 1982, Argentina surrendered.

Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher emerged from Downing Street to a

jubilant crowd. It has just been everyone together. I got the news

on video last I could hear it wherever I was in the house. I

think I heard someone say, I'm delighted to report that white

flags are flying over Port Stanley. I thought, thank God, they have

surrendered. That was a moment of real elation. But the relief was to

be short lived. Fast Pam and Richard were out celebrating, the

air and a stun Gareth was home alone -- they younger son. I was

sat watching James Bond, I remember it vividly. I opened the door and

there was a man in a suit stood there and I could see over his

shoulder a Vauxhall with the Ministry of Defence numberplate. I

knew instantly what he was there for. I burst into tears affair and

then on the doorstep. -- there and then. I got home about 8 o'clock. I

didn't see a car parked outside the house and I walked in, I walked to

the door and Garras opened the door and said, you'd better come in, Dad.

I walked into the lounge and the minute I saw the guy stood there in

his suit, I thought... Dad just said, is he dead? And the guy said,

I'm sorry Mr Jones, I'm here to inform you your son has deceased.

Dad through the keys at him. He hadn't even had time to put his car

keys down. Craig had been killed by an enemy shell on a ridge above

Stanley, just hours before the surrender. Out of joy came utter

despair. That is how it was for many other families as well. We had

letters returned back to us after the war that we had written

probably six weeks before Craig was killed, and he never got them. What

was awful was they came back, addressee deceased. Five months

later on a grey November day, Craig's body made its final journey

back home. He was laid to rest alongside 17 comrades in Aldershot

Military Cemetery. It was a very difficult day. There was a lot of

old friends. We walked out to find a Assam, and there was so traumatic

to see so many coffins. -- our son. Recapturing the Falklands have cost

the lives of 255 British servicemen. Craig was when -- one of the very

last to fall. Was there some feeling that you had completed what

you needed to do for Craig on that day? Yes. We brought him home.

think he would have agreed with Now, 30 years on, the family has

come up with the new -- a unique idea to remember Craig permanently.

Three generations about to travel 8,000 miles to dig -- dedicate an

island to him in the Falklands. is still difficult now to believe

we have got it. I have never seen it, so to just go there and get off

the boat and step on it, then I will know it is there. Today, the

journey begins. Arriving at RAF Brize Norton it with his father and

brother, Gareth can't believe this day has finally arrived. This has

been a long process. It took close to two years to get the

authorisation, to go through the searchers and make it happen, and

now to actually be there, it is like a Christmas that has been

coming and coming. Now we're going to get there, so it will be really

emotional and exciting. I want to capture it because I want to

remember this. Pam is staying at home, unable to make this trip. And

as diplomatic tensions rise, Gareth is a where this could be their last

opportunity to visit the islands. - - Gareth is aware. It is important

because it is important to my dad. It is important because it is 30

years and we all know the sabre- rattling that is going on at the

moment means we might not get another chance in 10 years. I don't

know what will happen, so I want to do it now. I want to do it at this

time now that we have got Craig Ireland, to go and see it, to put

my feet on it, to be there. It sounds really weird, but to touch

it, it is something special. After 20 cramped hours in the air, this

air base is a welcome sight. These remote islands, battered by

persistent westerly winds, are home to fewer than 2,500 people. Over

the past decade, visitor numbers have soared by 200 %. Many, like

the Jones family come up are here to retrace history. And with

memories of war still fresh in their minds, islanders are more

than happy to help. We're just a small country. We just let the rest

of the world go by. One morning, we were invaded, and when you have

someone with a gun taking you from room to run, checking your house,

it is unreal. It is like a nightmare. To be liberated, you

can't explain it. It was just so good. That is why I liked the

veterans coming back. Unlike them to bring their families if they can

-- I like them. They can sit in the sitting room with us and get

emotional and we can cry with them. When the Argentines invaded,

defined Falklands as we are determined to do their bit to

assist the British troops. On a freezing May Day in 1982, Craig's

regiment to Cover this woman's Farm as they secured the area. They

turned up to the House desperate for the loo. I had one toilet, 12

of us, three kids and two babies. There was a queue three deep down

the steps into the yard, waiting to go to the toilet. It was the middle

of winter, the guys were coming in with wet boots on. I put a pair of

Wellington boots in the porch so it we put them on women needed to go

to the toilet. The woman's front room was converted into a makeshift

hospital. The soldiers beat needed urgent attention. There was a

steady stream of ft 3 there all day long. The guys have their but --

their boots port as far apart as they could, they would be hobbling

along. It was awful. But luckily, it gave them a better time to heal

Ten days later they left to continue their advance. She was the

last Arlinda that Craig would see. The Jones family up as -- are

planning to visit Craig Island in the next few days. They first on to

travel to the mountain ridge where Craig was killed. We never really

heard the full story. We have had bits-and-pieces, some conflict,

that we have never really understood. We are getting much

more the story, and I would like to put that together for myself. I

would also like to explain it to Alexander, so he has the full story.

I don't want it to be lost. I'm very emotional right now. It's

going to be hard. Overlooking Port Stanley, this was apt -- a key

piece of high ground. A former Marine is acting as a guide. There

is a good view from the top. Looking west, we have Mount Longdon,

that was the scene of the battle. The paratroopers had trekked across

the island to reach their mark. dusk, on an icy dew night, the

soldiers went up this slope to take up their start line. The Argentines

were warned of the attack when a call Paul stood on a landmine, then

the firing began. -- a corporal. By daybreak it was in British hands,

but there was a heavy price to pay. During the battle 23 paratroopers,

including Craig, lost their lives. Verities. I found it. That's it. --

of their eighties. That is the shell crater. You can see the marks

on the right. There was a series of It's a poignant moment, and for

Gareth, being with his son, makes it even more moving. The fact that

Alexander is just one year younger than Craig, I haven't really

thought about that until we came here. It really struck me down

where we found a way he was killed, it hit me then. Thinking that Craig

had gone to his training -- gone through his training at your age.

It is bizarre to think he was just one year older than the one now.

That's bizarre. You come here, and you see all of these plaques, it's

all very real. You can stand here and imagine the people running up

and down the hill. It makes you think about what happened. At home,

Pam is catching up with some old friends. They met at a Falklands

memorial service, and formed a bond. Like his dad, Timothy Jenkins was a

paratrooper, and like Craig he was killed in the Falklands. He was

shot in the head during the conflict. His body was brought back

eventually, we live five minutes away from where he is buried. It is

a comfort that he is so close. has witnessed the family's

heartache. His mother never got over the shock. She died two years

later. The family blame it on the death of Timothy. They were very

close. You know that if you talk about a loss, their feelings are

exactly the same. We all understand. It doesn't actually get that much

easier, but you learn to live with it. It's something that happened,

but you don't wear it on your face all the time. The Falklands

conflict has led to deep scars on both sides of the Atlantic. 30

years ago, one city in the Midlands suffered a double blow. Hereford

was thrown into a morning when a helicopter was involved in a

terrible accident. The helicopter was transferring them from a ship

to another, when something cause the engine to lose power, and it

plunged into the freezing at that - - be freezing Atlantic. 20 people

died, including seven SAS soldiers. Just a few days later, he -- HMS

Antelope was hit by two bombs. A bomb disposal unit was summoned.

One of the devices detonated, and the ship was torn open. Troops

looked on helplessly as explosions continued the rowdy night. The

following day she sank completely. -- throughout the night. In the

Falklands remembrance is part of everyday life. Relics a battle

still litter the island. Memorials are still a very common sight.

Today the Jones family is driving off. They are staying with farmers.

On the way Carol stops and shows them Craigs Ireland for the first

time. -- Craig Island for the first time. You see that over there.

not very big. He is a couple of miles away at the moment. At least

three miles. That is great. It's hard to describe the words. We have

got something to remember Craig by. It's Craig Island, I'm just pleased

to be here. At Carol and Terence's Farm, there is another surprise.

It's a plaque created the rededication ceremony on Craig

Island. -- of the dedication ceremony. That is fantastic. Before

this trip Gareth and Carol had never spoken. He is intrigued by

the generosity of giving them the silent. Why did you choose to do

this? If I can help someone who liberated us, it's the least I can

do. I don't know if anywhere else in the world appreciate it like we

did. I've got my son here, he was a year younger than my brother when

he died, I can't wait to take him on that island. It's good. I can't

tell you how much it means to me. I'm sorry. I'm starting to get

emotional. It does mean so much. And it means so much because of

what they achieved, of which in itself is important, but it means a

lot. It means so much that people here have the gratitude that they

have got. The big day has finally arrived. Today, surrounded by

locals, the Jones family will live the idea that was dreamt up years

ago, and officially dedicated the island to great -- dedicate the

island to Craig. I'm feeling very proud. I'm incredibly grateful. I

can't say thank you enough for what they have done. For them it is

nothing, they are so relaxed by it. There us it's incredible. I have

got that emotion. They are a lovely family. It's brilliant. I'm very

pleased. It will be a bit sad later on, but most of all I'm very proud.

It has taken so long. So much preparation work. We have gone

through many emotions already. Now we want to make the service right,

and get everybody there. That is It's a great pleasure for me to be

able to welcome you here this afternoon to this short but very

special ceremony in the Falkland Islands. We commend your love and

care does, to this day, Grieve the Death Of Love ones. Especially

Gareth and Alexander. Thank you so much for coming here today on to

Craig Island. We have placed a stone facing north, towards the

British Isles, 8,000 miles away. It's been a long road, but at last

crate has a permanent memorial in the land that he helped to liberate.

I don't know why and smiling so much. It's a beautiful island, you

can see for yourself. It was a lovely service, the stone and the

plaque, dedicating it to Craig. It's been three years, but it is

the right thing to have done. have had a dream of doing this for

quite a fears. The reality is so nice. -- quite a few years. I'm so

pleased. It's up to Alex, he will inherit the Ireland one day, to

keep the memories alive. Inheritor the island one day. It feels quite

weird to think it's here for him to be passed down for lots of

generations to come. Back at the farm, they rose another a gift --

there is another gift to the family, a shell that was fired in the

complex. Thank you so much guys. And for Carol, the last few days

have bonded these families for life. I hope now that they feel they are

part of the Falklands, part of our family. They are at our family now.

Watching from afar, Pam is about to see Craig Island for the first time,

in a report that is being sent back. I was overwhelmed. I didn't expect

it to be like that. It was quite different to how I expected.

Nevertheless, it is quite a beautiful little spot. Richard and

Gareth and Alexander looked very pleased. I'm very pleased that it

happened. It has made a dream come true for all of us. All of the boys

that died were enormously brave, and they deserve to be remembered

all the time. I do remember them all the time. It's been an

emotional and then lightning today's. 30 years after Craig's

death, the family are finally clear about what happened in his final

moments. Now, they are satisfied that Craig's memory will live on.

have had all my questions answered, I know everything I want to know

now. I have seen something quite beautiful, that is in tribute to

him, that physical piece of land, that perfect. Everything is in

place. It's almost, not quite like the end, but it's nice to know that

Craig Island will be there for ever, hopefully. Well done. Good job.

What an incredible journey. That's it for tonight, and for the series.

We will be back in the autumn with more stories from where you live.

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