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The Falkland Islands Defence ForceAn article by Russell Phillips

In 1854, during the Crimean War, a volunteer unit as

!ormed in the "al#land Islands to guard against Russianinvasion$ %his unit as commonly #non as the &tanley'olunteers, but had no o!!icial title$ In 18(1 a Chilean

steamer, ith )** armed men aboard, called at PortWilliam !or repairs$ %he presence o! so many armed

men as considered to be a threat to the islands, and so

the governor, &ir Roger +oldsorthy, !ormed the"al#land Islands 'olunteers, ith an initial strength o!

- men, to provide the islands ith an indigenousde!ence !orce$ %he men o! the unit ere sorn in at a

ceremony at +overnment .ouse in /une 18()$

0uring the "irst World War, the islands ere placed ona ar !ooting, and the 'olunteers ere stationed in

outposts around &tanley, the capital$ It as one o! theseoutposts that !irst spotted the smo#e o! the +erman ast

Asia &2uadron as it headed !or the "al#lands$ %he

outpost provided in!ormation on the movement o! the+erman ships be!ore and a!ter the subse2uent 3attle o!

the "al#land Islands$ %he 'olunteers ere stood donin 1(1(, and later the same year, the name o! the !orce as changed to the "al#land Islands 0e!ence

"orce "I0"$

0uring the &econd World War, the "I0" as stationed in outposts throughout the islands$ In 1(4),they ere 6oined by a battalion o! the 11th West 7or#shire Regiment, stationed in &tanley$ %he

islands sa no action during the ar, although Port &tanley as an important staging post !or the

Royal avy A badly damaged .9& :eter repaired to Port &tanley a!ter the 3attle o! the RiverPlate$

A Royal 9arine presence as established in the islands in 1(5)$ "olloing this, the "I0" adopted

Royal 9arine drill, trained ith the 9arines, and adopted a dress uni!orm similar to that o! the9arines$

In 1(;;, )* armed l Condor nationalists Argentinian revolutionaries hi6ac#ed a 0C

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About Russell Phillips3orn and brought up in a mining village in &outh 7or#shire, RussellPhillips has lived and or#ed in &outh 7or#shire, incolnshire,

Cumbria and &ta!!ordshire$ .e rites boo#s and articles about military

technology and history$ .is articles have been published in 9iniatureWargames, Wargames Illustrated, and the &ociety o! %entieth Century

WargamersD /ournal$ Russell has been intervieed !or the Americanedition o! %he 'oice o! Russia$ .e currently lives in &to#e