Lieutenant-Colonel ‘H’ Jones was the last commanding officer to be killed in battle, became a legendary figure when he decided to lead an assault against an Argentine machinegun position that had brought the Battle of Goose Green to a temporary halt in the Falklands war in May 1982

Goose Green was to be the first ground operation of the Falklands conflict and victory was seen back in London as vital if the Argentine illegal occupiers of the South Atlantic islands were to be defeated

The soldiers of the 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment were pinned down by the Argentine machinegunners. Colonel Jones, with members of his tactical headquarters behind him, charged towards the nearest enemy trench, armed with a sub-machinegun.

But he was fatally exposed to other Argentine trenches, and he was shot Although wounded, he picked himself up and carried on attacking but he was hit again. The call went out, “Sunray’s down”, a reference to the falling of the commanding officer.

He died before his men could reach him to evacuate him to safety The citation for his posthumous Victoria Cross said he had shown a “devastating display of courage”. His personal intervention undermined the Argentine troops and the Paras were able to relaunch the attack, and the Battle of Goose Green was won

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