Community

Falklands War: We were all just kids, innocents to the slaughter

Published

2 years ago

March 22, 2024

A FALKLANDS WAR veteran and the two sisters of one of his lost comrades are campaigning to win justice for 32 Welsh Guards killed in the bombing of British ship RFA Sir Galahad.

Not a day goes by without Rhyl businessman Les Peake re-living the horrific firestorm which saw 48 of his comrades killed on the morning of June 8, 1982, including the Welsh Guards.

Among them was his pal Peter Edwards, aged just 19, from Llandyrnog, near Denbigh, described by his sisters Mandy Perkins and Barbara Royles as having been ‘full of life’.

Les, Mandy and Barbara are among Falklands veterans and their families who are seeking answers about the Sir Galahad disaster which shell-shocked the nation.

They are incredulous that red tape means documents revealing the full facts about the bombing are sealed for another four decades until 2065.

Speaking ahead of a landmark reunion event in Cardiff on March 23, they called on UK Government ministers to change the rules and immediately unveil the official records to reveal how the Sir Galahad became an open target for Argentinian bombers.

Pete was the son of proud parents Evelyn and Gordon Edwards, and had only been a soldier for around a year when the Falklands War broke out.

Mandy said: “Pete joined the Welsh Guards because there were no jobs around at that time. He loved his training and quickly made lots of friends in the army.”

Rhyl Memorial Gardens Falklands veteran Les Peake with sisters of Peter Edwards who lost his life on the Sir Galahad Picture of Peter Edwards

But in the spring of 1982 he and fellow Welsh Guards, including the now famous burns charity campaigner Simon Weston, were posted to the South Atlantic after Argentinian forces invaded self-governing British overseas territory, the Falkland Islands.

As a specially trained ‘Spearhead Battalion’ they were tasked with ramping up the Royal Navy mission to liberate the Falkland Islands.

But as they arrived confusion reigned even before they managed to get ashore.

They were inexplicably sent to a different nautical location than originally planned. Vital landing craft failed to show up, and scores of soldiers were unexpectedly put onto the civilian supply ship RFA Sir Galahad where they were told to wait for a fleet of smaller boats to bring them to shore.

But as daylight dawned, having no surface to air missile defences on board Sir Galahad, they became sitting ducks within the sightline of Argentine jets.

The defenceless ship, full of munitions and fuel, suffered three direct hits from Argentine bombs. It became a raging inferno from which there was no escape.

It was the highest loss of British troops of any incident in the war and the biggest single day British military disaster since World War II.

Memories of that hellfire, haunting visions of his comrades on fire, and their desperate screams for help, will never leave Les or his fellow survivors.

Les was aged 18, and most of the young Guards who lost their lives were also in their late teens.

He said: “We were all just kids, innocents to the slaughter. I was 18, my cousin was there too, and Pete was 19, we were teenagers, good pals, young men on the verge of adulthood.”

Back at home, for Mandy, Barbara and their families, the day news of the attack reached them is forever etched in their minds.

They say the huge loss of life is hard enough to bear, but the distress of losing loved ones has been compounded by controversy which has surrounded the Sir Galahad disaster over the last four decades.

Veterans and bereaved families are angry and distraught that some media reports, government and military officials have laid the blame for the disaster at the door of the Welsh Guards, accusing them of incompetence and being unprepared.

Les said: “We’ve been made scapegoats. It’s a travesty of justice to let us be blamed for events clearly out of our control.”

Although an official inquiry was held shortly after the war ended, its findings have never been fully released. Only highly redacted versions have been made available and many survivors’ questions remain unanswered.

They are calling for the names of key decision-makers to be unveiled along with an explanation as to why the battalion came to be placed in an exposed location on an undefended supply ship in the first place.

Mandy and Barbara are furious, feeling that for too long their brother’s name and the reputation of the Welsh Guards have been ‘unfairly slurred’.

They want the findings of the Board of Inquiry report into the incident to be unsealed in full. They say it is incomprehensible that the report is currently not due to be opened for public viewing until 2065.

The hope is that the government will finally recognise the strength of feeling demonstrated by those attending the reunion of RFA Sir Galahad survivors, bereaved families and supporters at the Mercure Hotel, Cardiff, on March 23.

It is the first ever reunion of its kind involving surviving veterans, with guests and speakers including prominent figures who have joined the fight for justice like General Sir Michael Rose, commander of the SAS; Master of the RFA Sir Galahad, Philip Roberts; Welsh Senedd member Jenny Rathbone and south Wales MPs, Jessica Morden and Stephen Doughty.

Reunion organiser Kevin Edwards, himself a Sir Galahad survivor, said decisions will be on the day about the proposed next steps.

He said: “A recently redacted copy of the Board of Inquiry report clearly shows that the Welsh Guards and its officers were completely exonerated of any blame in 1982, yet many official voices and authors of media publications still wrongly state differently and smear our regiment’s name.

“The bereaved and veterans have endured almost 42 years of blame, 42 years of defamation of character, capabilities and the names of our fallen dragged through the dirt. Enough is enough, we who remain will all be history by the year 2065.

“Our committee met with cross party MPs in Parliament of late, having produced evidence uncovered at the national archives at Kew. This resulted in Sir Ian Duncan Smith, Priti Patel and many MPs to suggest that there remain questions to be answered. They all fully support our campaign.”

The original 1980s inquiry was held behind closed doors shortly after the attack but its meagre published findings comprised merely a statement that concluded the loss of the ship and troops was down to the ‘ordinary chances of war’.

Survivors dispute this and cite a catalogue of errors made by senior commanders who they say needlessly left the Welsh Guards defenceless and vulnerable.

Their calls for the truth to come out have grown stronger following the publication of a book last year, ‘Too Thin for A Shroud’, by Crispin Black, a former Welsh Guards officer who survived the Sir Galahad and went on to become an intelligence adviser in the Cabinet Office. He will also be speaking at the reunion.

In the near-42 years which have passed Les has barely had a full night’s sleep. He has suffered his marriage break-up, two years of homelessness, rifts with his family and persistent nightmares.

These days he takes refuge in his work, describing himself as a workaholic, who tries to stave off nightmares by allowing himself only two or three hours sleep a night.

He said: “Sleep is my enemy now. The nightmares kick in and bring it all back, so I avoid sleep as much as I can. Even so there is never a day when I don’t think about what happened out there. I try to push it out of my mind.

“I know some survivors who turn to alcohol or drugs. For some the constant torment drove them to commit suicide.

“I have had rough times in the past, my moods became so bad that I grew apart from my family.

“I was homeless for two years and then I took to driving to earn a living, taking trucks all around Europe just to stay on the move, never letting my mind settle.

“More lately I’ve coped by diverting my attention away from the dark thoughts, I put my whole focus on work. I now run a successful transport company, with my two daughters. You could say I’ve learned to cope by becoming a workaholic.

“It’s really not good for my mental health to let my mind wander back to such dark visions. But it’s something that I feel I have to risk for Pete, all the others who died, their families, and for survivors like myself who still live with these memories every single day. We all deserve justice.

Community

Pembrokeshire Lottery makes Superdraw winner’s Christmas extra special

Published

2 days ago

December 3, 2025

Tom Sinclair

ONE lucky Pembrokeshire Lottery player has scooped a festive windfall after winning the £10,000 Christmas Superdraw held on Wednesday 3 December.

The winner, Mr Damon McGarvie, formerly of Milford Haven and now living in Llangwm, was selected with lucky number 41475. He plays through a salary-deduction scheme run by his employer, Pembrokeshire County Council.

Mr McGarvie’s name was announced live on Radio Pembrokeshire, after which the Pembrokeshire Lottery team made contact and presented him with his cheque later that day.

Speaking after the win, Mr McGarvie said he and his wife will be jetting off on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday over the festive period, thanks to the surprise Christmas windfall.

Pembrokeshire Lottery Manager Abigail Owens said:
“I am so pleased for Mr McGarvie. He has contributed to the Pembrokeshire Lottery for many years, and it is only by the continued support of our players that we are able to assist so many local businesses with interest-free funding from the loan fund.”

The regular weekly £2,000 draws continue in the run-up to the January Superdraw, which will offer a £4,000 prize.

To sign up or order Pembrokeshire Lottery gift subscriptions for Christmas, call 01646 690800.

Photo caption: Damon McGarvie with his winner’s cheque.

Community

Care home fees in Wales remain among the lowest – but families still face crippling bills

Published

2 days ago

December 3, 2025

Tom Sinclair

WALES continues to offer some of the most affordable care home places in the UK, with residents paying hundreds of pounds less each week than in London or Scotland, new figures reveal.

The average weekly cost of a residential care home place in Wales stands at £1,156 – £392 cheaper than in London (£1,548) and £142 below the UK average of £1,298, according to data published by the country’s largest care home reviews website, carehome.co.uk.

Even when nursing care or specialist dementia support is required, Wales remains significantly cheaper than most of the UK. A week in a Welsh nursing home with dementia care costs £1,440 on average – £327 less than in London and £124 below the national figure.

The figures, based on self-funder fees collected on 9 September 2025, underline a stark north-south divide that has persisted for years.

London is by far the most expensive region, with basic residential care now averaging £1,548 a week. Scotland, where care workers benefit from a higher minimum wage settlement, comes a close second at £1,539. In contrast, the North East of England remains the cheapest area at just £1,112 a week for residential care – almost £200 below the UK average.

Sue Learner, editor of carehome.co.uk, said the regional variations were only part of the story.

“Wales is the third most affordable region for most types of care, which will come as a relief to many families here,” she said. “But even at £1,156 a week, the bills add up to almost £60,000 a year. For the 49 per cent of residents who pay for their own care, these costs are devastating.”

The financial pressure is compounded by differing rules on state help across the UK. In Wales, anyone with assets below £50,000 qualifies for local authority support – more than double England’s £23,250 threshold and well above Scotland’s £35,000 limit.

Ms Learner warned that rising staff wages and looming increases in employer National Insurance contributions would push fees higher everywhere.

“Local councils are already stretched to breaking point,” she said. “Without genuine reform of the social care system – something governments have been promising for decades – more and more families will have no choice but to sell the family home to fund care.”

The website, which carries 390,000 independently verified reviews, is urging people to plan early and seek expert advice. Its free Care Helpline (01488 501 499) is available to anyone looking for a home that offers both quality and value for money.

As the population ages and demand grows, campaigners say the latest figures are another reminder that the postcode lottery in care costs shows no sign of disappearing.

UK care home fees at a glance (average weekly self-funder rates)

London: £1,548
Scotland: £1,539
South East England: £1,446
Wales: £1,156
North East England: £1,112 (cheapest)
UK average: £1,298

Source: carehome.co.uk, 9 September 2025

Community

Folly Farm marks second birth of critically endangered rhino

Published

2 days ago

December 3, 2025

Luke Sinclair

FOLLY FARM is celebrating the birth of another critically endangered eastern black rhino calf – and it’s a boy!

This is the second rhino calf to be born at the family-run zoo, and the second in Wales as part of a managed breeding programme through its membership with EAZA (the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria).

After a 15-month long pregnancy, mum Dakima gave birth to a healthy male calf on Thursday 27 November. With only an estimated 39 eastern black rhinos born in the UK in the past 25 years, it’s a significant achievement for the captive European Endangered Breeding Programme (EEP) for black rhinos.

Eastern black rhinos are classed as critically endangered due to poaching and loss of habitat. There is thought to be an estimated 1471 Eastern black rhino left in the wild and around 109 in zoos across Europe, including Folly Farm’s newest addition.

The calf made its appearance at 6.34am and within a couple of hours was standing up, following mum around the enclosure and had started suckling.

12-year-old eastern black rhino Dakima arrived at Folly Farm in May 2017 as part of a European breeding programme and met her mate, 14 year-old male Nkosi.

Mating rhinos can be unpredictable, but their relationship blossomed and Dakima gave birth to her first calf at the start of 2020. Male calf Glyndŵr was Dakima’s first born and the first rhino calf to have been born in Wales. Glyndŵr was named after Folly Farm’s Founding Director, the late Glyndŵr Williams, and has since moved onto another animal collection to continue the breeding programme for the species.

Eastern black rhinos are solitary animals and therefore usually reside in their own paddocks. But when the time was right, Dakima and Nkosi were reintroduced again for some carefully planned ‘date nights’ – and keepers predicted she fell pregnant sometime in August 2024. After having Dakima’s stool sample analysed at a specialist lab in Chester Zoo, who run the breeding programme for Eastern black rhino, it was confirmed that baby number two was on the way, with a due date of mid-November 2025.

Conservation Officer, Jack Gradidge, said: “It’s always heart-warming to welcome new arrivals as part of the European Breeding Programme through our membership with EAZA (The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) – but it’s even more special when it’s such a significant animal and one who’s wild cousins are under threat.

“Dakima was a great mum with Glyn so it’s wonderful to see these instincts are still just as strong the second time around. She’s being very protective of her new baby, showing they have a strong bond already.

“This is such a monumental event for all the staff here and the zoo team have worked incredibly hard to create an environment where the rhinos felt comfortable enough to mate.

“Not only is this calf helping to increase numbers of a critically endangered species, he’s also the second rhino ever to be born in Wales – with his brother being the first!”

Along with other zoos across Europe, Folly Farm is part of a breeding programme to help increase the numbers of Eastern black rhino in captivity and, ultimately, the wild. They support a number of conservation projects alongside various animal charities – including their new partnership with ‘Helping Rhinos’, a UK based organisation who, amongst various other conservation initiatives, support a rhino orphanage in South Africa, caring for young calves who have become victims of the poaching crisis.

Simon Jones, the CEO of Helping Rhinos was delighted with the zoo’s happy news; “We are absolutely delighted to welcome news of this beautiful eastern black rhino calf at Folly Farm.

We are grateful for their support of Helping Rhinos’ efforts including the care of young calves orphaned by poaching.”

Most animals give birth at night under the cover of darkness – and Dakima gave birth early in the morning, just before the keepers arrived to start their day.

Jack explains: “Our rhino keeper opened up the rhino house and the first thing he saw was the security camera footage where a tiny newborn rhino was seen happily padding about the enclosure. After quietly taking a sneaky peak at the beautiful new calf to confirm what he had seen – he let the team know the happy news that baby had arrived!

“We then left Dakima alone with her new bundle of joy, giving them both some space to bond – but continued to monitor them on the cameras and did regular spot checks to ensure baby was starting to feed.

“For us, the next steps are just to keep an eye on Dakima and make sure the calf stays healthy and gets everything he needs from mum. Our goal is always to let nature take its course and interfere as little as possible.

“Nkosi will be a bit of an absent father, but that’s perfectly normal as male rhinos don’t have anything to do with their offspring in the wild. It’s unlikely we’ll introduce him to the calf for some time.

“In the wild, rhino calves can stay with their mums for up to four years, after that there’s a possibility this new addition could one day be released into the wild to help boost population numbers – or move to another zoo to continue the breeding programme in Europe just like his brother.

“It’s exciting to be playing our part in helping to safeguard these amazing animals for future generations.”

Folly Farm’s rhino keepers will monitor mum and baby closely over the coming weeks and they will be back out in the enclosure in due course.

Visitors shouldn’t expect to see the calf for a while but Folly Farm will be posting updates on their social media channels.

Folly Farm’s Kifaru Reserve welcomed rhinos to the park ten years ago almost to the day! It is a £500,000 purpose-built exhibit which tells the story of the role of modern zoos in conservation and highlights Folly Farm’s hands-on commitment to conservation through the projects it supports in the wild and closer to home.

For further information please visit https://www.folly-farm.co.uk/.