The daughter of a Falklands War hero who was killed during the bombing of the Sir Galahad almost 40 years ago says she is grateful to the Council’s Armed Forces Veterans Service, and to the Valley Veterans group, for the constant support they give her.
The Armed Forces Veterans Service not only offers confidential support and guidance to veterans living in the County Borough, but also to their families. Military families often travel with their loved ones, settling into communities at home and overseas. Many have also lost loved ones who have been killed in active service.
Katie Gibby, who lives in Rhondda, was just five months when her father Mark Gibby, of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, went off to war. He never returned home. He was one of the 48 men, most of them Welsh Guards, killed when Argentine jets attacked the ship on June 8, 1982.
Although she has no personal memories of her father, Katie, a mother-of-two, has suffered with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and is grateful to the support she receives. She would also one day love to visit the Falkland Islands herself, to pay her last respects.
Katie Gibby, aged 39, said: “I have always been passionate about anything associated with the Armed Forces and I am so proud of my father, who gave his life for his country and for the people of the Falkland Islands on that fateful day. He was only 22-years-old.
“All of my life I have gone through a rollercoaster of emotions and grief, even though I didn’t really know my father – it is a different type of grieving. But the Valley Veterans and the Council’s Armed Forces Veterans Service have been a huge support to me.
“Paul Bromwell, of the Valley Veterans, was a friend of my father, and that is a great comfort to me to hear his stories and recollections of him. The Valley Veterans are not just a support group, we are a family. Once you are part of a veterans’ family, you are part of a family for life.
“Even though I am not a veteran myself, just a family member, the Armed Forces Veterans Service, is always there to offer me support when I need it. It is there for so many people, many who would be lost without its guidance.
“It is my dream to one day go to the Falkland Islands, to visit the place where my father lost his life. When I was growing up, I felt very angry that my father was suddenly taken away from me forever, thousands of miles away from home. Visiting the Falklands would give me closure after so many years.
“Now I am an adult and a parent myself, I can see that he gave his life in the pursuit of the freedom of so many people. I am so proud of Guardsman Mark Gibby and the great sacrifice he made.”
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Deputy Leader and Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Maureen Webber, said: “Our Armed Forces Veterans Service is there for anyone associated with our Armed Forces, past and present. Military life can also be a very stressful time for family members, with long separations, frequent moves and inconsistent training schedules.
“It can also be a source of psychological stress for children, with multiple deployments, frequent moves and having a parent injured or die is a reality for many children in military families. Children also often have to deal with the upheaval of moving home and school, leaving their friends and familiar surroundings behind.
“Our Armed Forces Veterans Service is there to offer support and guidance to anyone who might need it an any time in their lives.”
Guardsman Mark Gibby sailed from Southampton on May 12, 1982, weeks after his 22nd birthday, arriving in the Falklands on May 25, A total of 48 men aboard the Sir Galahad died in Bluff Cove on Tuesday, June 8, 1982, 32 of whom were Welsh Guards. Many more were injured. The destruction of the Sir Galahad by Skyhawk jets came just six days before the end of the Falklands War.
Combat Stress – 0800 138 1619
Help For Heroes – 0300 303 9888
SSAFA – 0800 260 6767
The Council’s Armed Forces Veterans Service offers a wide range of assistance on subjects such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Housing, Adult Social Care, Benefits, Finances and Employment.
Providing FREE, impartial and dedicated information, advice and support, members of the Armed Forces, past and present, can speak to dedicated officers in strict confidence. Call 07747 485 619 or by email: VeteranService@rctcbc.gov.uk
Posted on 28/09/2021