Over 30 years after the Falklands War, a former Royal Navy officer from Falmouth has received the South Atlantic Medal for his service on board the Type 42 destroyer HMS Birmingham.

Tony Bell, as a sub-lieutenant, was missile gun director (visual) in the ship’s gunnery division. The ship’s company became eligible for the medal following changes last year to the rules governing its award.

Now serving in the Army Reserve based at Headquarters Regional Command in Aldershot, Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Bell was presented with the medal at a ceremony in Aldershot by Lieutenant General James Bashall CBE, commander of personnel services command.

Following the ceasefire and in a peace-keeping role, HMS Birmingham, with long range radar capability, was tasked on Hamlet patrol at the far western edge of the Falkland Islands’ total exclusion zone. This involved radar picket duties in order to warn the task force’s carrier group of any Argentinian aircraft movements. The same duty was carried out by HMS Birmingham’s sister ship HMS Sheffield.

Tony commanded a small gun crew operating close-in-weapon-systems (CIWS), including 20 mm Oerlikon guns and general purpose machine guns (GPMGs). HMS Birmingham was called to action stations a number of times in response to perceived air and sub-surface threats, while the ship’s company worked tiring and relentless defence watches for several weeks.

After HMS Birmingham completed her radar picket duty, Tony was made First Lieutenant of the former anchor handling oil tender MV Falkland Sound (aka “The Black Pig”), the ex-Yehuin captured from the Argentinians. In contrast to radar picket duties, the “The Black Pig” was tasked with the collection of refuse from the ships in Port Stanley harbour and then dumping the waste many miles to the south of the islands.

Upon receiving his medal Lt Col Bell said: “I feel privileged to finally receive the South Atlantic Medal in recognition of my service on HMS Birmingham, and I really appreciate the manner in which it was presented.”