Portsmouth Falklands veteran’s doorstep ceremony in honour of fallen heroes on Remembrance Sunday

In his role as standard bearer for the Royal Naval Association Portsmouth branch, Clive Price Nartland Sutton, 71, would ordinarily have taken his place at the commemorative ceremony at Guildhall Square.

Unable to do so due to Covid restrictions, Clive was determined that he will remember the fallen as he took a moment of reflection and dipped the branch’s flag in his Stamshaw Road street in North End.

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Clive, who served as a canteen assistant aboard HMS Arrow during the conflict, said: ‘It is vital we remember those who gave their lives for us. They made the ultimate sacrifice.

‘I will particularly remember the 250 lads who secured the freedom of the Falklands but who didn’t come back with me from the conflict.’

HMS Arrow became the longest serving ship during the war after taking part part in the Battle of San Carlos Bay from May 21 to May 25,1982.

Clive added: ‘The bay became known as Bomb Alley due to the amount of artillery we were subject to. HMS Arrow was a frigate and her role was to provide gun fire protection for the carriers in the fleet.’

As he dipped the flag, at the forefront of Clive’s mind was his father, Maurice Sutton, who served in the RAF during WW2.

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He said: ‘I’m very sad we can’t have our normal commemoration. I feel for those people who are no longer with us – especially my father who fought in the Second World War. I am very proud to be standard bearer and whenever I do it I think ‘this is for you dad’.

‘People like my father should never be forgotten – they risked their lives for our freedom and democracy.’

Clive was joined by thousands of the city’s residents who took their own moment of reflection on doorsteps and in front gardens as part of The News’s Stand Out for Heroes initiative.

During the first lockdown, Clive also paraded the branch’s flag outside his house to mark D-Day and VE Day.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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