New Post War Picture of the LCVP **UPDATE FEB 23: ANOTHER POST WAR PICTURE FOUND**
A previously unseen picture of the LCVP surfaced in this Facebook group (picture is the 38th of that large collection) called 'Falklands History, The Facts', showing two British soldiers posing next to it. It is undoubtedly our LCVP in question, showing the 'double panel' distinctive feature discussed in the main article. [The picture disappeared from the collection, coincidentally, Ricky D. Phillips is one of the administrators of that group]
The distinctive beret of the second soldier is a Tam o' Shanter, used only by a limited number of Scottish regiments. One of those regiments were the Queen's Own Highlanders who arrived on July 1st, 1982. They were too late to participate in combat, so they ended up relieving the troops that fought on Operation Corporate. I asked in several Facebook QO HLDR groups, and one of the Sergeants of D Company helped me to obtain precise information:
"[We arrived on]1 Jul to 20 Jul 82. We were sent to take West Falkland but the garrison there surrendered before we got there so we ended up being the 'clean up' garrison who reburied the dead (both sides) and cleared as much of the debris of war that we could until Dec 82, when we were relieved by the Royal Hampshire Regiment [1 R HAMPS].
Soldier at rear of photo is nicknamed 'Geordie' and the front soldier is called Sammy. Location confirmed as East Beach by Stanley Airport. i.e. if you look at Whalebone Cove then go NORTH there is a very wide beach (called Yorke Bay) which is where Sammy recalls there being the LCVP and a destroyed Panhard armoured vehicle. Locals in the Falklands have confirmed it and the vehicle are no longer there but unsure when they were removed/scrapped. This is all we can recall - sorry. [Picture was taken in] Mid July, 1982."
From this picture and the information kindly provided, we can say a couple of things:
The double panel is present and the lack of ID number match with the one pictured in The First Casualty. If its LCVP #9 with the ID number erased, or a third landing craft previously unaccounted for, it's subject to further investigation.
It clearly shows that there's no damage or reparation signs on its side (that's the side that was supposedly shot at), and that 'welded and soldered patch' claimed by Phillips is just a structural feature of the boat.
UPDATE FEB 23:
I found another picture of the LCVP in the Facebook Group called "Comando Xma Brigada" (picture number 30 of the 'Moody Brook' album), uploaded in May 2012. The boat is clearly more weathered, suggesting it's from a few years after the war. The wider shot also permits to situate the LCVP in the vicinity of Moody Brook, as some islanders like Taff Davies and Gavin Short have commented in reaction to my posts in Facebook Groups.
I asked my contact in the QO HLDR about the discrepancy with his account:
"The Jocks said they were certain it was York Bay but that could be Moody Brooke in the background left side.. after 40 years all our memories are going I think. Could it have been moved for target practice or to tidy up the barracks area?"
Despite the location issue, the conclusions still stand: there's no sign of impact, the craft is the same pictured in The First Casualty, and the 'patch' is an integral structural feature.