Falkland Islands Defence Force

Falkland Islands Defence Force
Badge of the Falkland Islands Defence Force
Active	1892–1982 1983 – present
Country	Falkland Islands, United Kingdom
Allegiance	Elizabeth II (United Kingdom)
Type	Military reserve force
Role	Light Role with additional roles
Size	One Company 2 Permanent Staff Personnel ~100 Primary Reserve Personnel ~100 Secondary Reserve Personnel
Garrison/HQ	Port Stanley
Nickname(s)	Falklands Army
Battle honours	Falklands War
Commanders
Commanding Officer	Major Biggs

The Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF) is the locally maintained volunteer defence unit in the Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory. The FIDF works alongside the military units supplied by the United Kingdom to ensure the security of the islands.

The first volunteer unit in the Islands was formed in 1854 during the Crimean War to guard against possible aggression by the Russian Empire. Not given an official title, this unit was sometimes known as the Stanley Volunteers. In 1891, a steamer owned by one of the groups involved in the Chilean Civil War docked at Stanley. Although ostensibly there to carry out repairs to its engines, the presence onboard of 200 armed soldiers was considered a security threat. The Governor, Sir Roger Goldsworthy, therefore ordered that an armed volunteer force be formed. The first draft of men of the Falkland Islands Volunteers were sworn in at a ceremony at Government House in June 1892.

During the First World War, members of the Volunteers were mobilised to man military outposts around the Islands, while 36 Falklanders enlisted in the armed forces. At the end of the war, the Falkland Islands Volunteers was renamed as the Falkland Islands Defence Force. The FIDF was mobilised again during the Second World War, manning defensive outposts around the Islands. At this time, a mounted rifles unit was raised.

On 27 September 1939, thirty-three men arrived from Argentina in a group called the "Tabaris Highlanders." Gathered from the Anglo-Argentine community, they were supposed to defend the islands from a German attack. Six of these volunteers were rejected on medical and other grounds and returned to Buenos Aires almost immediately. The "commanding officer," a Major Morrough, was one of those rejected. The remainder were enrolled in the Falkland Islands Defence Force, with Ronald Campbell made sergeant as commander and Thomas Dawson Sanderson made corporal. Many were rugby players, including Sanderson, who was president of a rugby club.