COMMENT: Flag-flying shows how deeply the wounds run

The Falklands War ended 37 years ago, but the scars, in the home of the Royal Navy, clearly run deep.

All credit to the management of the Dockyard Bar in Guildhall Walk, Portsmouth, for listening to the concerns of a Falklands veteran who was upset to see the symbol of his erstwhile enemy fluttering in the breeze as part of a promotion for the Rugby World Cup.

Mark Harris, who served as a Royal Marine Commando in the 45 Commando Group during the conflict, said it was ‘ridiculous’ to be flying the flag of Argentina in Portsmouth.

He said: ‘My main battle was Two Sisters, and we lost a few good men along the way, which is why the Argentinian flag flying caught me unawares.

Mark approached the management and did not ask them to remove the flag entirely, merely to move it inside.

But they took it down and replaced it with the Irish flag.

They apologised to Mark and said they wanted to ensure that no offence was caused