Ronald James Rotheram

Ronald Rotheram was born in Liverpool and joined the Royal Marines in 1969. He completed his training at Lympstone as a Royal Marine Commando and was awarded the Commando Medal. In his service career he served in Northern Ireland, Singapore, Cyprus (with the United Nations), in HMS Nubain, Plymouth and Malta. At the time the Falkland Islands were invaded by Argentine forces on 2nd April 1982, he had just completed his training with the Landing Craft Branch of the Royal Marines at Poole and was due to join HMS Fearless in June. He and his wife, Maureen, had settled in Cerne Abbas with their daughter, Dawn, who was at Shaftesbury High School. He immediately volunteered to go to the Falkland Islands as a relief for another Royal Marine and, according to his wife, his greatest fear was that he might miss the action.

Ron Rotheram who was always nicknamed ‘Scouse’ was attached to HMS Fearless in the crew of Landing Craft Unit (LCU) F4 and was involved in rescuing over 100 survivors on 23rd May from HMS Antelope, which had been hit by two bombs in San Carlos water during and air attack. On the evening of 8th June, the LCU was attacked in Choiseul Sound by 3 Argentine aircraft, while returning to HMS Fearless after transporting troops ashore. The crew, four Royal Marines, including Ronald Rotheram, and two Royal Navy ratings, were all killed. Foxtrot Four was taken in tow but sank before reaching shore. In recognition of their collective bravery in operations around the Falkland Islands the coxswain, Colour Sergeant Johnston, was posthumously awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal. The citation for the medal records that his bravery in the face of extreme danger was in the highest tradition of the Corps.

Scouse Rotheram is commemorated on a memorial at Bluff Cove in the Falkland Islands, with the others who died on that day.

“Always in our Hearts,” Maureen and Dawn

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