Same here - I was involved in running the event in 1982 while holding at some early stage of training - manned a checkpoint somewhere near Okehampton. We travelled in uniform and in service vehicles, as we did in those days, and all along the motorways we were greeted with horns and waving motorists. It seemed the general public thought that anyone in the military heading towards the south west must to be off to retake the Falklands!