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| Tributes as the last soldier injured in the Falklands War is laid to rest |
| 2015-01-25 |
| THE last British soldier injured in the final minutes of the Falklands War was laid to rest in Oxfordshire yesterday. Cowley Mini plant security worker and father-of-three Ian Morton, who died on New Yearâs Eve, was described as an âunsung heroâ as dozens of comrades gathered to pay tribute to him at Banbury Crematorium. The 52-year-old was found dead in his home in Upper Heyford, near Bicester, on January 1, a day after he suffered a heart attack. On the morning of June 14, 1982, he was hit by a grenade and shrapnel in ferocious fighting during the Battle of Mount Tumbledown. Comrades said Mr Morton, a sniper in the Scots Guards, had been in an advanced and exposed position attacking Argentine forces when he was hit and suffered back injuries. It was half an hour before the Argentinians surrendered. His ex-wife Karen, daughter Candice, 30, and sons Robert, 26, and Ross, 21, travelled from Scotland to be at his funeral. Current wife Rebecca and stepdaughter Sasha were also in attendance. Mr Morton was born and raised in Newarthill, near Motherwell, Scotland. Candice said: âI will remember his sense of humour and his stories. The last time I saw him was last year, just a few weeks after the birth of my son Daniel. âHe was so excited to be a grandfather and we had a precious week together. He was supposed to come up and stay at New Year and he did not arrive and I called the police. âHe had been packing his bags to come when he had a heart attack and he just never made it.â Mr Morton had lived in Oxfordshire since 2005 and moved to the Upper Heyford six months ago. He previously lived in Tusmore, near Bicester, after he moved to Oxfordshire from his native Scotland. For the last six months he had worked for security firm Wilson James at the Mini plant in Cowley. He was medically discharged from the army with the rank of Sergeant in 1993 as a result of injuries sustained at Mount Tumbledown. After he returned from the Falklands Mr Morton trained Scots Guards recruits. His funeral cortege was led by motorbike riders from the All Arms Veterans Motorcycle Club and his coffin was draped in a union flag. His platoon commander during the Falklands War, Capt Robert Lawrence, delivered a eulogy at the funeral. Cpt Lawrence was shot in the head during the Battle of Mount Tumbledown. He said: âI will remember him as a human being, not as a soldier, a man who I loved.â Kevin Gorman was one of the young soldiers Mr Morton trained and he travelled from London for the funeral. He: âI call him an unsung hero of the Falklands War. He was extremely brave.â Prime Minister David Cameron said he was saddened to hear of the death. He added: âOur forcesâ contribution to the security and future of the islanders will never be forgotten and my thoughts go out to Mr Mortonâs friends and family at what I know will be a very difficult time for them all.â |
| Posted by:Bright Pebbles |
| #2 Falklands and Grenada were small wars that don't get much attention, which is a real shame. They were both as significant as any single battle during WWII. |
| Posted by: Iblis 2015-01-25 17:49 |
| #1 The National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire, UK "We Will Remember Them" They went with songs to the battle, they were young. Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted, They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables of home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England's foam. ~ Binyon |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2015-01-25 12:36 |