I will be running my first marathon on the 5th July wearing my Royal Navy life jacket from my ship HMS Coventry which was sunk in the Falklands War 33 years ago.This is a tribute to the 19 friends who were killed and to support colleagues and veterans who have suffered with mental health issues since.Remarkably the life jacket light is working,so big thanks to Alan Hough in the Estates Department at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust.I hope to keep it illuminated during the marathon.Race organisers have kindly allowed me to have number 118.HMS Coventry's pennant number was D118.                                                                                                                                                                                          'The Life jacket story'                                                    My life jacket was issued to me when i joined the Type 42 Destroyer HMS Coventry in November 1979.It was used a lot mainly during upper deck seamanship tasks and evolution's.The black and white photograph was taken in 1980 on Coventry in the Far East when i was 18 and we were Replenishing at Sea (RAS).The photograph was sent to my local newspaper and used as part of a 'Local boy makes good'story.Fast forward to 1982 and i was now an Able Seaman in the Operations Branch (Sonar).In April of that year we were on exercises in Gibraltar when the Argentinians invaded the Falkland Islands and the ship was sent as part of the task force to liberate the islands.The conflict started on the 1st May and our luck ran out on the 25th May when the ship was attacked and bombed by two Argentinian jets and capsized within 20 minutes with the loss of 19 men and some 25 others injured.I was below decks and was caught in one of the explosions in the operations room and was helped to escape to the upper deck.My life jacket and survival suit was lost in the badly damaged Operations room.When i reached the upper deck the ship was listing heavily to port and although i never heard the order to abandon ship everyone was preparing to jump over the side.I was able to get a spare life jacket from a locker on the starboard bridge wing.I jumped into the water and swam to the nearest life raft and helped others,we drifted around to the port side and were in danger of getting dragged down with the ship as she was turning over,thankfully small boats from HMS Broadsword who was operating with us and had also been hit, pulled us away to safety.Once on board Broadsword we were given dry clothing, warm drinks and cared for.Some 280 of us survived the attack.We left Broadsword later in the evening and the life jackets were re-issued.We transferred to Royal Fleet Auxiliary  (RFA)Fort Austin,then RFA Stromness which took us to the QE2 at South Georgia and we set off home with other survivors from HMS Ardent and HMS Antelope arriving back in Southampton on the 11th June.The Falkland Islands were liberated on the 14th June.I left the Royal Navy in late 1982 and kept my life jacket and survival suit and they have been gathering dust in my garage ever since.This is the only possession that i have that connects me with the ship and the brave men i had the honour to serve with.33 years later i though it may be good pull out the life jacket again and tell its story,before i forget!

I just hope its not too hot on the day or i might be looking for a water source to jump into!    

Please help me to support our veterans who suffer in silence and keep a light burning brightly in their lives.Many thanks in anticipation of you support.                                                                                                            Mick

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