Major-General Arthur Denaro Explains ‘Not as Duty Only’
On Saturday May 16th, Major-General Arthur Denaro, honoured the Friends of St. Thomas a Becket Church, Huntington, by giving the third talk of the season, ‘Not as Duty Only’.
Major-General Denaro talked of his life from being a young soldier rising to being the Commander of the Irish Hussars, in which he led his troops into battle in their Challenger tanks during the liberation of Kuwait in 1990/91. He spoke most movingly as he and his troops prepared themselves to go into battle for the first time, in Challenger tanks and facing death the next day. The audience watched images of the tanks at war, some in flames and the oil fields on fire. He spoke of the injuries the soldiers received and how they attempted to surmount these, through their bravery and duty. It left the audience humbled and most moved.
But General Denaro also brought in many amusing anecdotes and talked of his time when he served in Libya, Germany and Southern Oman. He went on to become Chief of Staff of UN Forces during the war in former Yugoslavia, Commandant of Sandhurst and then became Middle East Adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence until 2003.
This was one of the finest talks The Friends have heard and Arthur and Maggi Denaro joined everyone for drinks and canapés, most generously given by Friends, in the marquee outside the church, which continued until much later in the evening.
