600 SQUADRON

Padre’s Corner

storms; Will our inward power be strong enough for us to find our way back to straightforwardness?” 2022 feels like it’s been a bit of a bumpy ride, and I don’t know about you but since about 2018 I feel like I’ve been drenched by many metaphorical (and often meteorological) storms. It’s certainly prompted me to be more intentional with my own resilience, rather than trusting to luck. Though my journey will look different to yours; I journal regularly, spend time in silence (call this prayer, reflection, contemplation – whatever you like), and I’m trying to be more honest with a carefully selected group of people that I trust. I guess what I’m trying to say is that we’re not all in the same boat, but we are all in the same storm, and even when the water is not calm, it still reflects the sky. If you’re struggling with your own resilience, if life feels like it’s too much, if you’re questioning your own reason for being – then you’re in good company, because – me too.

If you made it this far then I’ve like to give you a free gift. Did you know that the Padre has free tickets to St Pauls and Westminster abbey? So if you’re looking for something to do on your London Bucket list, trying to keep the kids or in-laws entertained during your Christmas leave, or just fancy gawking at some ancient architecture or perhaps beginning a journey of spiritual resilience and just want to chat it through – drop me an email (matthew.stevens104).

Happy Christmas to you all,

Padre Matt 600 SQN The Revd (Sqn Ldr) Philip Johnson is a reserve padre with 600 Sqn

I was mobilised and deployed to BFSAI on a four-month tour. (FebJun 2022). The Falklands conflict was one of the defining news stories of my teenage years. Longdon, Tumbledown, Goose Green were familiar names. I never imagined that I would ever get to visit these places. This tour coincided with the 40th anniversary commemorations of the conflict and, as a padre, I had a key role to play. Mount Pleasant Complex (about an hour’s drive from Stanley) is a tri-service environment, and the padre works across all services. Some of the commemorations are led by Stanley Cathedral while others are purely military events.

When I arrived on the Island it felt like late summer or early autumn, but the weather soon got much worse. This meant that most of the commemorations were in harsh winter conditions. Even on a bright, clear day the wind chill can make it feel much colder than the thermometer states. The landing day commemoration at San Carlos Bay were conducted in low cloud and light rain. The flypast had to be cancelled and HMS Forth, anchored in the bay, was hidden by cloud for much of the service. After a lunch in the rain a small group moved to Ajax Bay where I dedicated a new memorial at the site of the field hospital. The cloud began to lift and by the end of that service the ship could be seen. Just over a week later the snow fell and the commemoration of the Liberation of Goose Green was held on an exposed hillside overlooking Darwin Sound, in the snow with sub-zero temperatures and a significant wind chill. Just before the service began we had a brief period of horizontal snow/ice-rain making the conditions even more challenging.

The service was followed by refreshments in the Goose Green Community Hall – the same hall that over one hundred villagers had been held hostage in until they were liberated by 2 Para. A week later I had the opportunity to walk the ground of the battle for Darwin and Goose Green with a small contingent of paratroopers which concluded with a short act of remembrance.

Before deployment I read several books about the war but there is something very powerful about walking the battlefields with personnel from the regiments that fought there and lead them in an act of commemoration.

In addition to Goose Green I have also walked Mt Longdon and Wireless Ridge with the Parachute Regiment, Mt Harriet and Two Sisters with the Royal Marines, Mt Tumbledown with the Scots Guards, and Mt William with the Brigade of Gurkhas. In addition to the land battles there are also several memorials to the ships that went down. Whilst deployed I had opportunity to go to sea with HMS Forth and a small contingent of Royal Marines to lay a wreath at sea for the landing craft Foxtrot-4. LCU F4 was one of the landing craft from HMS Fearless. It was attacked by Argentine Skyhawks in Choiseul Sound. All but two of the crew were killed. The damaged craft was taken under tow but after the tow rope snagged in the towing ship’s propellor it was cut loose until the towing ship’s troops had disembarked. When it returned the LCU had disappeared (presumed sunk) without trace. We laid a wreath at sea where LCU Foxtrot-4 had been attacked before sailing to its last known location where a minute’s silence was marked with the Boatswain’s whistle. The sea conditions were rough.

For most of the service prior to the wreath laying we were in a squall with horizontal rain. As the service ended a rainbow filled the sky. The commemoration party were unable to make the initial ship-to-ship transfer as the sea state was too rough so we had to sail to calmer seas before the transfer could be made. HMS Forth continued on its tasking and we returned to port.

This deployment has given me opportunities to get involved with all services and do things beyond the scope of normal RAF Chaplaincy.