OVER several weeks, leading up to and culminating in the Falklands Service Of Remembrance on June 14, there have been many television programmes about the Falklands War commemorating the ships lost, heroic battles fought, casualties, both British and Argentinian, and everything one would expect to see about that most British of responses to an invader of British territory.

With one glaring exception. The loss of SS Atlantic Conveyor and 12 men, including her skipper Captain Ian North, never gets other than the most cursory of mentions. Her loss, to an Exocet missile, was just as terrifying for her crew as the sinkings of the Royal Navy ships which were bombed and/or exoceted during those eventful days of May/June 1982.

I know this to be so because Atlantic Conveyor's 3rd engineer officer on her final voyage is a personal friend and he still suffers, and receives treatment for post traumatic stress disorder from the events of that night.

No programme about this event, has yet been made.

Fortunately, my friend's, and the Merchant Navy's contribution to the liberation of the Falklands, is recognised by the Falklands Government as he was invited to attend their Liberation Day Commemoration Service in the company of HRH Prince Edward and many representatives of HM Government, past and present, this week.

Maybe some day a television producer may also recognise the part played by Atlantic Conveyor, and her crew, in the Falklands War and make a programme about her.

It would certainly alert people to the importance of the Merchant Navy in time of war.

Philip Roe, Ex-MN engineer officer, Roman Avenue South, Stamford Bridge.