April 2nd was the day

All the papers had to say

At 20 years old…..

..you had better learn to pray

The day before was no joke

I was just a normal bloke

Tomorrow would be…..

..The man in me, that awoke

The next 10 weeks would prove to be

Life changing times upon the Sea

We had to sail…..

..And set them Free

Swiftly, the Lady decreed

Retíraos, or find yourselves besieged

My land and people…..

..Will be retrieved

For I have sent a powerful might

To visit thee in dead of night

You really won’t want…..

..To fight THAT fight

A deaf ear, they turned

The offer spurned

There were about to be…..

..Several lessons learned

Who Dares Wins arrived with stealth

To wrestle back the Islands wealth

And restore the land…..

..To perfect health

But not without a woeful cost

As the Steel City was sadly lost

And to the depths…..

..Twenty lives were tossed

The same fate came to several more

Whilst keeping safe all those ashore

Two hundred and fifty five souls…..

..Labelled  ‘Casualties of War’

City of 3 spires, then fell

Sounding again, that same death knell

Antelope and Ardent adrift…..

..when next, death cast his ugly spell

Jumping jets were jumping high

Then standing still in deep blue sky

Wreaking destruction…..

..with measured eye

14th June when silence reigned

What was lost was now regained

But at a cost…..

..Every man forever pained

The memory of this righteous fight

Empire blue, sea green and white

Restored the Islands…..

..’Desire the Right’

 

(Dedicated to my shipmates and all who wear the South Atlantic medal with pride. But especially those 255 who are on eternal patrol)

Lowen Pengoose  – 13 May 2020 ex RN