STB032 This is stunning Buckingham collectors official limited Royal Navy first day cover hand signed by Falklands veteran commander Sandy Woodard where the signature rests perfectly accompanying the special hand commemorative franks. This comes with full lifetime COA as the signing has been officially certified by the publishers with full hallmarking and authenticity of the series numbered ONE of the signed series of 100 further detailed on reverse (see image 2) in absolute brand new mint condition. You wont source better. This was carried onto HMS Trafalgar too and carries the official franks for the voyage for the souvenir from the signing.
Admiral Sir John Forster "Sandy" Woodward, GBE, KCB (1 May 1932 4 August 2013) was a senior Royal Navy officer who commanded the Task Force of the Falklands War.
In 1982, he commanded HMS Hermes aircraft carrier group, Task Group 317.8, in the Falklands War. The Commander-in-Chief Fleet Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse, served as the Task Force commander, CTF-317. The task group containing the amphibious ships which launched the invasion TG 317.0 was commanded by Commodore Michael Clapp, with Task Group 317.1 being the landing force itself. He worked out the timetable for the campaign, starting from the end and working to the start. Knowing that the Argentine forces had to be defeated before the Southern Hemisphere winter made conditions too bad, he set a latest date by which the land forces had to be ashore, that in turn set a latest date by which control of the air had to be achieved, and so on. Possibly the best known single incident was the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano. He knew that General Belgrano, and particularly her Exocet-armed escorts, were a threat to the task force and he ordered that she be sunk.
Admiral Sir George Zambellas credited "Woodward's inspirational leadership and tactical acumen ... [as] a major factor in shaping the success of the British forces in the South Atlantic". Woodward was knighted for his services in the conflict. He wrote a book entitled One Hundred Days, co-authored by Patrick Robinson, describing his Falklands experiences