Lt Col H Jones VC mbe obe Parachute Regiment Falklands War. During the Falklands War he was in command of 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (2 PARA). During an attack against entrenched Argentinian positions, with his unit pinned down by heavy fire of MAG and FAL, he led a charge against the nearest position.He was killed while doing so but the Argentinian unit surrendered shortly afterwards..For his actions he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the National Army Museum in Chelsea, London, England. Command of 2 PARA passed to Major Chris Keeble, and Jones was buried at Ajax Bay on 30 May near where he died of wounds. After the war his body was exhumed and buried at the Blue Beach War Cemetery in Port San Carlos on 25 October. Few historians have disputed his valour. However, ex-TA Para officer and military theorist Spencer Fitz-Gibbon wrote in 1995 that despite his undoubted courage he did more to hinder than to help 2 Para, losing sight of the overall battle picture and failing to allow his sub-unit commanders to exercise Mission Command, before his fatal attempt to lead A Company forward from the position where they had become bogged down. QUESTION In Rhodesia and our bush war did we have an incident such as this, and would we have let our commander do it alone in spite of our misgivings as to his ability? Was he suicidal or glory seeking or just doing what he felt was the only option under the circumstances?? Please give your valued and experienced comments below, many thanks MW
Posted on: Tue, 27 May 2014 15:12:04 +0000
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