Portsmouth unite to mark the end of the Falklands War

The Falklands flag was due to be raised in Portsmouth’s Guildhall Square this morning.

Civic leaders and the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Councillor Ken Ellcome, were joined by veterans from the conflict to mark the event.

The ceremony was due to take place from 9.55am until 10.15am and The News was broadcasting the event live on its Facebook page.

Britain accepted Argentina’s surrender on June 14, 1982, following a bloody two months of fighting.

Starting on April 2, 1982, the war cost the lives of 255 British service personnel, who died in the successful defence of the islands.

It also left 649 Argentine soldiers dead.

The conflict erupted after Argentina seized the island – overwhelming the small British garrisons at Port Stanley and in South Georgia.

Argentina claimed that the islands belonged to them, despite being under British rule for about 150 years.

In response to the invasion then-prime minster Margaret Thatcher deployed one of the largest British armadas to retake the islands more than 8,000 miles away.