HMS Coventry crew remembered at anniversary service

A service is to be held to mark the 30th anniversary of the sinking of HMS Coventry in the Falklands conflict.

Nineteen sailors died and 30 were injured when the vessel was hit by Argentine bombers on 25 May 1982.

The service in Portsmouth will be led by Reverend Martin Kirkbride from Coventry Cathedral, who served in the conflict with the Royal Navy.

The Royal Navy Association holds a service every year on 25 May in Holy Trinity Church in Coventry.

Mr Kirkbride said the service on Friday evening in Portsmouth will be "sombre but not morbid".

"It may surprise people that the thoughts of the crew will also be with the Argentinian people," he said.

"We will be acknowledging in our prayers that there is also pain and loss to many families in Argentina."

HMS Coventry was positioned to lure enemy bombers away from British troops landing in San Carlos Bay.

In 2007, Capt David Hart Dyke talked to the BBC for the first time about his experiences on board the vessel.

He said he knew it was a suicide mission but "realised why we were doing it".

"If necessary we were the sacrifice rather than other ships which were more important. And that's war," he said.

"You've got to take risks to win."