Framlinghamian 2023 - Flipbook - Page 171
SPIRITUAL LIFE
Argentine Exocet missile in the Falklands
tragedy and the loss of his comrades.
War, losing 20 of her crew as a result. He
He reminded the congregation that
added that 1982 would be considered ‘for
for so many of our brave service men
many in the Armed Forces as a year that
and women, constant 昀氀ashbacks and
will be in their memories forever’.
survivor’s guilt remain with them, as it has
done for Percy 40 years on, with not a
He told the congregation: “Suddenly, the
day going by without them thinking about
grim realities of a war being conducted
their experiences and the comrades lost
8,000 miles away in the South Atlantic
to war, whom they will never forget.
o昀昀 South America were brought home to
us here in rural Su昀昀olk. Sailors, who only
He urged the congregation to consider
a few weeks before were on a visit to
the importance of service and to be a
Gibraltar after a major 昀氀eet exercise in
person who ‘stands out from the crowd
the Mediterranean, had lost their lives in
and volunteers for the duty that no one
the tyranny of war. I remember a sombre
else wants to do’ and to ‘have a sense of
and re昀氀ective mood in the House – war
duty, think of others and be proud of it’.
had become a reality for our generation.
He also encouraged College community
HMS SHEFFIELD was the 昀椀rst Royal Navy
members to not only re昀氀ect upon those
warship to be lost since the second World
who sacri昀椀ced their lives for others in war,
War.”
but to remember those who survived and
those who su昀昀ered life-changing injuries,
Commodore Bell昀椀eld went on to tell the
both physical and mental.
harrowing recollection of 22-year-old
Able Seaman Gunner Chris Purcell -
He said: “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder,
known as Percy - of the HMS SHEFFIELD
or PTSD, was never talked about after
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