Editing History of the Falkland Islands (section)

===Second World War===

The [[Falkland Islands Defence Force]] was called out to man gun positions and signalling posts around Stanley as soon as word was received of Britain's declaration of war on 3 September 1939. Mounted patrols were carried out in the Camp, and coast-watching stations were created around the islands to guard against the approach of enemy ships and the landing of enemy forces. The Falkland Islanders experienced much the same kind of war-time privations and restrictions as the British population, including black-outs, travel restrictions, and rationing.<ref name="FIMNT - WW2">{{cite web|title=Falkland Islands Museum & National Trust Website -World War 2|url=http://www.falklands-museum.com/index.php/history/world-war-2|publisher=Falkland Islands Museum & National Trust|access-date=9 August 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013130223/http://www.falklands-museum.com/index.php/history/world-war-2|archive-date=13 October 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In December 1939, in the immediate aftermath of the [[Battle of the River Plate]], {{sclass2|County|cruiser|0}} heavy cruiser {{HMS|Cumberland|C57|6}}, which had been self-refitting in the Falkland Islands at the time of the battle, steamed to join {{HMS|Ajax|22|6}} and {{HMS|Achilles|70|6}} at the mouth of the River Plate, trapping the {{ship|German cruiser|Admiral Graf Spee}}. Convinced by British [[propaganda]] and false intelligence that a major naval task force awaited his ship and short of ammunition, Captain [[Hans Langsdorff|Langsdorf]] of ''Admiral Graf Spee'' chose instead to [[Scuttling|scuttle]] the ship rather than face the Royal Navy.<ref name="FIMNT - WW2"/>

[[Operation Tabarin]], an expedition to the Antarctic, was mounted from the islands during the war. The purpose of the expedition was to assert Britain's claims on the continent, as well as gather scientific data. Operation Tabarin was later replaced by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey, which was later renamed the [[British Antarctic Survey]].<ref name="FIMNT - WW2"/>

In 1942, in response to the Japanese entry into the war, additional forces were sent to the islands to strengthen their defence against invasion. The largest component of these additional forces was a battalion of the [[West Yorkshire Regiment]]. In 1944, as a result of the reduced threat of invasion from Japan, the West Yorks were replaced by a smaller contingent of the [[Royal Scots]].<ref name="FIMNT - WW2"/>

Over the whole war more than 150 Falkland Islanders out of a population of only 2,300 volunteered for the British armed forces - 6.5% of the entire population - 24 of whom did not return. In July 1944, all volunteers were given the right to be identified by a "Falkland Islands" [[shoulder-flash]].<ref name="FIMNT - WW2"/> In addition to these contributions to the British war-effort, the Falkland Islands also donated five [[Supermarine Spitfire]]s to the British [[Royal Air Force]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Falklands donated three aircraft to WW1 effort, and the five Spitfires in WW2|url=http://en.mercopress.com/2012/08/28/falklands-donated-three-aircraft-to-ww1-effort-and-the-five-spitfires-in-ww2|access-date=9 August 2013|newspaper=Mercopress|date=28 August 2012}}</ref>