Discovery and First Landings

The Islands were first sighted in 1592 by English seafarer, Captain John Davis, in the sailing ship "Desire". (The vessel's name has been incorporated in the Falkland Islands motto on the crest "Desire the Right").

The first recorded landing on the Falkland Islands was by Captain John Strong in 1690.

Maritime History

The dramatic maritime history of the South Atlantic is evident from the numerous wrecks in Stanley harbour; of particular note are:

The Lady Elizabeth - damaged in 1913 as she approached Stanley, the ‘Lady Liz’ was originally built in Sunderland in 1879. She was used as a floating warehouse until 1936 when she broke her moorings in a storm and drifted to her current dramatic location at the East end of Stanley harbour.

Jhelum - Built in Liverpool in 1849, the Jhelum was a wooden barque typical of the type of vessel that traded extensively with the sub-continent during the last century. Her crew refused to sail any further in her when she arrived, badly damaged, in August 1870 and she served as a warehouse for many years.

The Charles Cooper - This American-built square-rigger arrived in Stanley in 1866. She is the last survivor of the North Atlantic Packet ships, vessels that provided a scheduled passenger, freight and mail service between North America and Europe.



The role of the Falkland Islands in the two World Wars

The Falkland Islands played a major part in the battle for supremacy of the high seas in both World Wars.

On the 8th December 1914, Admiral Sturdee led a British squadron of seven vessels against the German Pacific Fleet under the command of Admiral Graf Von Spee. The Scharnhorst, the Gneisnau, the Nurnberg and the Leipzig were all sunk in the area to the South East of the Falkland Islands, along with two transport vessels supporting the fleet. The battle secured naval supremacy for the British throughout the remainder of the war.

During the Second World War, the Falkland Islands donated £50,000 to buy 10 Spitfires. The Islands also witnessed the Battle of the River Plate when the German pocket battleship- the Graf Spee - was hunted down by the Exeter, the Ajax and the Achilles before she was finally sunk just off Montevideo.

1982 - The Argentine Invasion

British administration had remained unbroken from 1833 until the Argentine invasion on 2 April 1982. The illegal occupation ended when British troops repulsed the Argentine invaders after 74 days and British sovereignty was restored on June 14th.

255 British personnel and an estimated 1000 Argentines died in a war that most people admit should not have been allowed to happen. The fact that sovereignty was restored is testament to Britain’s ongoing commitment to ensuring that the people of the Falkland Islands should determine their own future.

For more information on the history of the Falkland Islands:

  South Atlantic Medal Association
  Falkland Islands Government
  Falkland Islands Museum and National Trust