During the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, Pat Whitney helped to evacuate 52 children from occupied Port Stanley, defying Argentine attempts to stop them.

Later the former Chief of Police, the late Terry Peck, asked Whitney to smuggle him out of town to avoid arrest by the Argentine authorities. With supplies including a 9mm pistol and ammunition hidden inside his inflated spare wheel, Whitney left Stanley with Peck following on a stolen motorcycle.

At the end of May Whitney drove west with others from North Camp to help 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment move supplies, equipment and men in preparation for their battle at Mount Longdon. He was one of nine Falkland Islanders who took part in the battle itself, bringing mortar ammunition forward, and evacuating casualties. The area was mined, and they were frequently attacked with mortar and artillery fire, spending much of the night on the mortar position and tending to wounded men at the forward helicopter site.

He received a Commander-in-Chief’s Commendation for his courage and contribution to the liberation of the Falklands. The citation read: “Travelling across the most appalling terrain, without lights, he drove one of the only three Land Rovers which arrived successfully at the mortar lines. At times under enemy fire, Mr Whitney remained resolved to continue showing tremendous steadfastness in dangerous and unfamiliar circumstances.”

Patrick George Whitney, known as Pat, was born in 1946 at Port Stanley, the second son of Frederick and Kitty Whitney. They lived at the remote settlement of Hill Cove, then Roy Cove and Dunbar on West Falkland, where Whitney was educated during the occasional visits of a Falkland Island government travelling teacher.

In 1966 he was married to Brenda Duncan. Living in Stanley, he joined the Falkland Island Defence Force and in September 1966 he helped to detain 19 armed Argentinians who had landed a hijacked DC4 aircraft on Stanley racecourse and taken several islanders hostage.

Whitney excelled at many different jobs: making roads, driving heavy plant and latterly as a sheep and poultry farmer. He was a famously effective bouncer at dances and the May Ball. He still holds the Falklands record for peat cutting; cross marking and cutting 117 yards in one day despite taking a lunch break. He saved time by cutting 30 sods to the yard rather than the usual 64. He was also the first person to win the Johnny Walker darts cup three times.

In the summer of 1973-74, with two other Falkland men, he built a new slipway, generator shed and boat shed for the British Antarctic Survey station at Signy Island.

In 1987 he married Daniela Clarke and moved in 1989 to farm at Green Patch, where he recently won the prize for the finest bale of wool in the Falklands. He was also a renowned shearer and expert butcher.

In February 2006, despite a deep-seated fear of water prompted by a childhood accident, he helped to rescue a group of tourists whose boat had capsized in heavy surf off Long Island. For this, Whitney was invited to Government House to receive a Royal Humane Society award.

He is survived by his wife, Daniela, two sons from his first marriage and a daughter from his second.

Pat Whitney, Falkland Islander decorated for service in the campaign of 1982, was born on January 4, 1946. He died in a shooting accident on June 18, 2008, aged 62