South Atlantic Medal with rosette named AEM(WL)1 K TRELFA D182408V 815 SQDN. Official alteration of rank and initial of name.
Royal Naval Air 815 Squadron flew Westland Lynxs during the Falklands War aboard many of the ships sent to the war. On one occasion the 815 Squadron Lynx HAS.2s from HMS Coventry (XZ242) and HMS Glasgow (XZ247), each of which was armed with two new, unproven, Sea Skua missiles. The two Lynx, using their radar, released their missiles, causing one Argentine ship to disappear immediately and the other, 'Alferez Sobral', to have its bridge structure severely damaged. The captain and six seamen were killed. This episode marked the first use of sea-skimming missiles in the conflict. Later investigation indicated that there was probably only one ship, which, having sailed from Stanley to search for the crew of an Argentine Grupo 2 Canberra, shot down two days earlier, was attacked by both Lynx.
