What is FIAC

[Michael Dobbs]

At our recent joint meeting with the Falklan Islands Philatelic Study Group one of their members was asking if anyine know what the above initials stood for.  They formed part of a unit datestamp with what looked like a designation above the date being removed and the letters HQ FIAC appeared below the date (1983).

We think they start as HQ Falkland Islands ............

The only relevant full title for such initials I can find on the web is Fast Inshore Attack Craft which I do not think fits the bill.  We are looking at a particular Falkland Island unit.

Anyone out there knows the answer ??  ???

Thanks, Mike

[Susan McEwen]

Just a guess:
Falkland Islands Auxiliary Corps

?????????

reagrds Susan

[Michael Dobbs]

Thanks for your guess Susan, but sorry I coudn't find any such unit on the web, so its back to the drawing board !

Mike  ;)

[Peter Harvey]

HI Mike,

Following the war in 1982 there would have been significant military activity throughout the Islands, both with growth of the base at Port Stanley and the need to accommodate the huge numbers of military and civilian MOD personnel arriving, into the then Stanley airfield.

As a guess I would suggest that this may simply be HQ Falkland Islands Accommodation, AC being the typical abbreviation used throughout the forces for accommodation.

There likely would have been a HQ for accommodation to manage the influx, purchase of civilian property, development of the tented and container encampment as the base built up around Stanley at the time.

Forgetting all of the above it could be Fast Inshore Attack Craft and associated with the Royal Marines, however the inshore vessels used at that time were not that fast, so I would go with the former.

Regards

Pete