Navy landing craft wrapped in Pride colours to mark progress

ROYAL Navy landing craft which was used in the Falklands War is being wrapped in Pride colours to mark the 25th anniversary of the lifting of the ban on gay people serving in the UK armed forces.

- BEN MITCHELL

Members of the public will be able view and take trips onboard Landing Craft Foxtrot 8 (F8) which is based at Portsmouth Historic Quarter.

It has become the first war vessel in British history to be wrapped in the Pride rainbow colours with the aim of “celebrating progress” and recognising the experiences of LGBTQ+ personnel during the time of the ban and up to the current day.

The project to put the colourful vinyl wrap on the F8 has been organised with the charity Fighting with Pride ahead of Portsmouth hosting UK Pride on June 7.

Until January 2000, LGBTQ+ people were banned from serving and faced dishonourable discharge, loss of medals, surveillance and interrogation which caused veterans to become criminalised because of their sexuality.

Veteran Roly Woods, a former sub-lieutenant in the Royal Navy who served on HMS Leeds Castle during the Falklands War, said that he had chosen to lie when challenged by his commanding officer about his relationship with another man.