Monday, September 7th 2026 - 19:26 UTC
Hyslop with Lord West of Spithead (central) and Chris Locke (right), former Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Chief Officer, Marine Officer, alongside other attendees at the Navy Day Memorial
The Falkland Islands Government Representative to the United Kingdom and Europe, Richard Hyslop, laid a wreath on Sunday on behalf of the people and Government of the islands during the annual Merchant Navy Day service held at Trinity Square Gardens in London.
The ceremony took place at the Falkland Islands Memorial, within the grounds of the Merchant Navy Memorial. Hyslop was joined by veterans of the South Atlantic Medal Association, which brings together those who served in the 1982 conflict, and by Lord West of Spithead, patron of the Merchant Navy Association, a former First Sea Lord and himself a veteran of that campaign. Also present was Chris Locke, a former Royal Fleet Auxiliary chief officer who served as Falkland Islands Marine Officer and Harbour Master.
“Each year, we pause to remember the service and sacrifice of merchant seafarers who served during the Falklands War to defend the freedom and right to self-determination of Islanders,” Hyslop said. “We remain hugely grateful to the Merchant Navy, both past and present, for their invaluable role in supporting the Falklands and allowing our modern Islands to prosper.”
