Operation Corporate: The Falklands Campaign 1980–1982
NEW NAVAL STRATEGY – NOTT AND ‘THE WAY FORWARD’ – TRIDENT – ARMILLA PATROL – FALKLAND ISLANDS CONFLICT: OPERATION CORPORATE
FIRST SEA LORD Admiral Leach
SECOND SEA LORD Admiral Cassidi
MANPOWER 74,500
MERCANTILE MARINE 3,211 merchant ships
‘Operation Corporate was a brilliant success in which the Royal Navy and Royal Marines played the major part … it was an extraordinary record of achievement at every level of the Naval Service’
(MOD, JULY 1982)
The early 1980s encompassed many changes on the world scene, but the most significant of all for the UK was the conflict in the South Atlantic, fought to recover the Falkland Islands. The Falklands Campaign provided a clear example of the dangers and severe penalties of ignoring warning signs, however minor, distant or remote they might be.
In 1980 President Tito of Yugoslavia died, and within a decade blood would flow all over the former Yugoslavia (just such a scenario had been a standard exercise setting for NATO for many years). In Poland an independent trade union movement named ‘Solidarity’ was formed, which in due course would contribute to the fermentation of ideas and ultimate break-up of the Soviet Union. In the USA Ronald Reagan was elected President and would remain in office to see the end of the Cold War. In the Soviet Union in 1982 Yuri Andropov replaced Leonid Brezhnev as head of the Communist Party.
Soviet troops had invaded Afghanistan on Christmas Day 1979, and by the end of January 1980 (despite condemnation by the President of the USA) there were well over 80,000 Russian forces assisting the Afghan Army in its war against the Mujahideen. The numbers were to rise steadily to over 100,000, but even with their modern weapon systems and control of the cities and main lines of communications they could not wipe out the Mujahideen in their mountain strongholds. The West provided a covert supply of arms and ammunition to the Mujahideen fighters, including Stinger and Blowpipe antiaircraft missiles and Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns.
New Naval Strategy In 1981 the Reagan administration announced a bold new strategy for the US Navy. The strategy involved changing the posture of the Navy from a defensive role, protecting the main SLOCs (sea lines of communication) and carrier battle groups (CBGs) in the Atlantic, assisted by the Royal Navy with its expertise in ASW (anti-submarine warfare), to a more aggressive forward deployment. Under the new forward strategy the US CBGs would be deployed forward into higher-threat areas, from the Norwegian Sea on NATO’s northern flank to the eastern Mediterranean on NATO’s southern flank. The strategy would drive the Soviet Navy back towards its home waters, where it represented less of a direct threat to the mainland of America. The new strategy was reflected in changed naval exercises, and towards the end of 1981 a major British and US naval exercise was conducted in the Norwegian Sea instead of in the Atlantic as usual. Three US carriers and two Royal Navy ASW carrier groups were deployed to the north of Norway, carrying out simulated air strikes in the Barents Sea and on the Kola Peninsula. The new forward strategy would, however, entail a significant shipbuilding effort to expand the US Navy to a force of 600 ships with fifteen CBGs, an increase of two CBGs. The Royal Navy studied the new American naval strategy very closely to evaluate changes for NATO and particularly the naval plans of the UK. Unfortunately political and economic factors were dragging the Royal Navy in the opposite direction.
The UK In the UK the continued severe economic decline forced the newly elected Conservative government under Margaret Thatcher to seek out all possible savings and financial efficiencies. As had happened so often in the past this led the government to look for the apparently easier short-term options, such as cutting the armed forces, and inevitably a defence review was initiated to enable it to find the huge savings it desperately needed.
Consequently the early 1980s saw a great step change in the fortunes of the Royal Navy and marked the final changes from broad capability and size to a highly professional, specialised and versatile Service, though it very nearly did not happen. It was the lessons learnt from the Falklands Campaign in 1982 which were to reverse the drastic cuts of the 1981 defence review.
UK Defence Policy: ‘The Way Forward’ (Cmnd. 8288)
In 1980 the government stated: ‘It is the fundamental duty of Government to ensure the nation’s security and keep it free to pursue, by just and peaceful means, its legitimate interests and activities both at home and abroad. It is a duty which the Government takes very seriously.’1 The statement went on to explain how collective security was entirely dependent on the Atlantic Alliance, which was the cornerstone of Britain’s defence policy, adding; ‘The United Kingdom’s defence resources must be concentrated on our key NATO tasks, but our defence policy should also be designed to help protect, wherever possible, our own and more general Western interests over a wider area, including those outside the NATO area.’ It was ironic that less than two years later the UK would find itself fighting a war on its own, with no single ally, NATO, WEU (Western European Union) or otherwise.
Nuclear Deterrent: Trident In July 1980 the government did announce that it had decided to procure the US Trident long-range nuclear ballistic missile system to replace the Polaris nuclear deterrent system in the 1990s. The previous year the Prime Minister had agreed the replacement with President Carter.
The Trident I (C4) missile had a range of nearly 4,000 nautical miles as against the Polaris’s 2,500 nautical miles. The Trident II (D5) missile had a range of 6,000 nautical miles, and it was decided in March 1982 to procure that system. The blow for the Navy was the decision that the total cost of the new Trident system (£7,500m) was to be contained within the Navy programme. This meant that it would be acquired at the expense of other important items of equipment in the long term costed and approved programme. The decision that the Navy should carry the full cost of the nation’s nuclear deterrent was not well received in some quarters. Some in the Royal Navy had not been totally committed to the Polaris nuclear deterrent system, even when part of the costs were met from other areas of the defence budget.
NATO Increase in Defence Expenditure Earlier in 1977 NATO had decided to increase defence budgets by 3 per cent a year in real terms to compete with the military expansionist policies of the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. From 1979 the UK planned to increase defence spending ‘year on year’ for the next ten years, with the greatest increases being allocated to the equipment programme.
Unfortunately the increased defence spending coincided with a continued severe decline in the British economy. In her first budget in 1980, Mrs Thatcher, the Prime Minister of the newly elected Conservative government, stated that the UK would actually meet the increased NATO commitment of 3 per cent, but that it would not be at all easy. As events were to show, she was not wrong. One of her first decisions was to increase the pay of the armed forces by 32 per cent, which was inevitably well received by the Royal Navy though it greatly increased the pressures on the defence budget.
To meet the now huge pressures on the defence programme the new Defence Secretary, Mr John Nott, was invited to conduct a fundamental review and take a very hard look at the escalating equipment programme.
Command 8288: ‘The Way Forward’ The results of the 1981 defence review were set out in the government’s second defence statement, ‘The United Kingdom Defence Programme: The Way Forward’ (the infamous ‘Cmnd. 8288’) on 25 June 1981. The review did not actually change the defence roles of the United Kingdom, but in their reinstatement emphasis was placed on the roles where ground and air forces, which had cheaper long-term equipment programmes, were the prime components, leaving the Royal Navy to face the main impact of the consequent reductions. The excuse used by Nott to reduce the Royal Navy was that a smaller more specialised and flexible fleet would, he claimed, provide a more effective contribution to NATO!
He also chose to place his faith in the specious and previously dishonoured argument that land-based aircraft could cover all the roles of carrier-based aircraft. It was all very convenient as it pleased the Air Staff and at the same time achieved major savings in the cost of aircraft carriers. It was almost as if he had taken the simplest of approaches, identifying the most expensive single item in the long-term defence programme, other than the deterrent, and then selectively giving prominence to all the arguments against it to make its being cut such an obvious and logical choice.
Cuts in the Fleet The consequences for the future of the Royal Navy were drastic. First the big ships were to go, with the new carrier Invincible (CVS: the new-generation multi-purpose small aircraft carrier) being sold to Australia and the carrier Hermes being phased out. The two remaining amphibious assault ships, Fearless and Intrepid, were to be withdrawn earlier than planned without any replacements. At the same time there was to be a 30 per cent reduction in frigates and destroyers, with the scrapping of all the Rothesay and Leander class frigates. Also the ice patrol ship Endurance was to be withdrawn from Antarctica and scrapped, a decision which was to have an enormous political consequence out of all proportion to any financial savings. There was the added advantage that a much smaller fleet would require many fewer people to man it, with consequent further savings on the manpower bill for the Royal Navy. It was also decided therefore to introduce a phased redundancy programme.
THE FLEET
At the beginning of 1980, despite her economic and industrial decline, the UK still possessed the largest navy of the ‘medium powers’. The strength of the Fleet, as set out in the ‘Statement on the Defence Estimates 1980’ (Cmnd. 7826), included the following:
Major Warships One ASW carrier (Invincible), two ASW/commando carriers (Bulwark and Hermes), two amphibious assault ships (Intrepid and Fearless) and one converted helicopter cruiser (Blake, though she was already laid up and about to be decommissioned).
Escort Ships The escort fleet consisted of sixty-seven frigates and destroyers, namely: five County class guided missile destroyers, one Type 82 destroyer, seven new Type 42 destroyers, twenty-six Leander class frigates, seven Tribal class frigates, eight Rothesay class frigates, eight Type 21 frigates, two new Type 22 frigates and three other older frigates. In addition three new Type 42 destroyers and two new Type 22 frigates had been ordered.
Submarines Four Polaris ballistic missile nuclear submarines (SSBNs) (Repulse, Resolution, Revenge and Renown), twelve nuclear fleet submarines, thirteen conventional Oberon class submarines and three remaining Porpoise class conventional submarines.
Mine Counter-Measures Vessels (MCMVs) Thirty of the old Ton class coastal minesweepers and minehunters, one new Hunt class and five old inshore minesweepers.
Other Vessels In addition there were various patrol craft, survey ships, training and trials ships, a Royal Yacht and a fleet of twenty-one support ships, mostly manned by the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.
Naval Aircraft The Fleet Air Arm consisted of two squadrons of Sea Harriers, six squadrons of Sea King Mk 2 ASW helicopters, eighteen Lynx Mk 2 and twenty-five Wasp ASW helicopter flights, as well as seven Wessex Mk 3 helicopter squadrons for training and commando assault work.
Royal Marines The Royal Marine commando forces were made up of four Commandos, with supporting brigade headquarters, artillery, engineers, logistics and a brigade air squadron. In addition there were the SBS (Special Boat Service) and two raiding squadrons.
Assigned to NATO All the major ships, escorts and submarines, plus three coastal minehunters and ten offshore patrol vessels, were assigned to NATO, whilst all other ships and vessels were under national control, but available for the support of NATO operations. Despite this and its concentration on its prime role of ASW in the North Atlantic, the Royal Navy still possessed a powerful, fairly balanced and relatively flexible fleet capable of projecting power around the world in 1980. But John Nott was about to bring forward radical plans to change all that and drastically cut the Fleet.
FIRST SEA LORD
Admiral Sir Henry Leach Henry Leach was born in 1923 and joined the Royal Navy in 1937. During the war he served in the battleship Rodney and the cruisers Mauritius and Edinburgh. After serving in the destroyer Sardonyx, he joined the flagship of the Home Fleet, the battleship Duke of York, and took part in the Battle of North Cape and the sinking of the German battlecruiser Scharnhorst.
After the war Leach served in destroyers and went on to become a gunnery specialist. He served in the cruiser Newcastle during the Korean War and was on the staff of the Flag Officer Far East Fleet during the Indonesian Confrontation. He commanded the commando carrier Albion before being promoted Rear Admiral in 1971. Three years later he was appointed FOF1 (Flag Officer 1st Flotilla) and led the second out-of-area major group deployment to the Far East in his flagship, the cruiser Blake.
He was promoted Vice Admiral and then in 1976 became VCDS (Vice Chief of the Defence Staff) before being appointed CINCFLEET (Commander in Chief Fleet) as a full admiral.
Leach relieved Admiral Lewin as First Sea Lord in July 1979 and had a very hard time fighting to try and save the Royal Navy from the extremely severe cuts being imposed by the new Conservative government. When Nott relieved Pym as Defence Minister the fight got harder, and although Leach had the full support of the Navy Minister, Keith Speed, he was fighting a losing battle trying to preserve an ‘out-of-area capability’. Keith Speed did his best to protect the Navy but ultimately was sacked.
In an ironic twist of fate the nation suddenly found itself in dire need of mounting an out-of-area major naval task force in the spring of 1982. Admiral Leach is credited with being the strong voice which helped persuade Margaret Thatcher to take firm action to recover the Falkland Islands. He then presided over the magnificent achievement of the Royal Navy for its fundamental role in the great success of Operation Corporate. When the war was over he found that he had to fight hard once again to ensure that the ships lost in the conflict were properly replaced. He was well aware that promises made in war can easily be overlooked when the immediate crisis passes. Admiral Fieldhouse relieved him in December 1982.
OPERATIONS AND DEPLOYMENTS, 1980–1982
The Royal Navy continued to deploy forces around the world in the defence of dependent territories as well as in support of various other defence commitments. These included the following:
Gibraltar A frigate or destroyer was permanently held on standby to assist in the defence of Gibraltar, and 650 Royal Navy personnel manned the naval base and assisted in running the dockyard.
Belize A frigate or destroyer, supported by an RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) tanker, was deployed to the Caribbean as the WIGS (West Indies Guardship) and was maintained on call to assist in the defence of Belize at short notice if required. Army and RAF forces were stationed on shore.
The Falkland Islands A detachment of forty Royal Marines provided the garrison on shore to defend the Falklands, and the ice patrol ship Endurance patrolled the waters around South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.
Hong Kong The Royal Navy maintained the Hong Kong Squadron of five converted Ton class MCMVs. In addition there were two Sea Kings and a special Royal Marine raiding unit with raiding craft working in close conjunction with the Royal Hong Kong Police. 42 Commando Royal Marines had been deployed to the colony in the autumn of the previous year but had returned to the UK, and in April 1980 3 Raiding Squadron (3 RSRM) was formed, equipped with Avon Searider rigid inflatable boats (RIBs).
Cyprus Britain continued to provide forces to Cyprus, both to defend the Sovereign Base Area and to contribute to UNFICYP (the United Nations Force in Cyprus). The Royal Marines took their turn to provide regular reinforcements as necessary.
Nuclear Deterrent The Polaris SSBNs of the Resolution class maintained the nation’s ceaseless strategic nuclear deterrent.
Submarine Operations Fleet and patrol submarines continued their vital covert patrols in northern waters, shadowing and monitoring the Soviet Navy. The missions were very dangerous, and a number of ‘incidents’ occurred. Most were not revealed, and the exact details remain highly classified to this day.
Fishery Protection Squadron The Coastal Division of the ‘Fish’ Squadron consisted of eight Ton class MCMVs, and the Offshore Division comprised the new purpose-built Island class patrol vessels. As well as fishery protection the Offshore Division policed the vital oil and gas installations.
The Armilla Patrol, 7 October 1980 Onwards In the Middle East, Iraq, concerned about the radical changes on her border, seized the initiative and launched a full-scale invasion of Iran on 22 September 1980 to take the all-important strategic area of the Shatt al-Arab waterway. Iraqi forces poured over the border and both sides became locked in a grim war of attrition.
The war which developed posed a serious threat to one of the world’s most important oil supply routes through the waters of the Gulf. To protect British and international tankers and shipping in the region during the war the UK decided to introduce defensive patrols in the Gulf of Oman and the Straits of Hormuz. The first patrol, codenamed Armilla Patrol, started on 7 October 1980 and was undertaken by the destroyer Coventry supported by the frigate Naiad, with the frigate Alacrity joining them on 23 October. All three ships had been detached from the group deployment TG (Task Group) 318.0 (see below). At the same time the destroyer Birmingham and the frigate Avenger sailed from the UK to take their turn on the patrol.
The Middle East remained an area of extreme sensitivity with bombings, murders and political assassinations. In Iran, bombs in Tehran killed the President, the Prime Minister, religious leaders and top government officials.
Operation Babylon On 7 June 1981 Israel initiated Operation Babylon, launching an attack by eight F-16s, into Iraq, against the nuclear reactor plant at Osirak. The aim of Operation Babylon was to prevent Iraq from developing a nuclear weapon. It was a daring raid as the facility was heavily defended, following an attack by Iranian Air Force Phantoms the previous year. The attack was a success, and the nuclear plant at Osirak was destroyed. In Egypt President Sadat was assassinated on 6 October.
Group Deployments
The out-of-area group deployment (outside the NATO area) planned for Task Group 317.9 in 1980 was cancelled. The next major group deployment was planned for Task Group 318.0 as a seven-month out-of-area deployment to the Far East.
Task Group 318.0 Task Group 318.0 was led by FOF1, Rear Admiral Jenkins, in his flagship, the guided missile destroyer Antrim. The group included the ships of the 1st Frigate Squadron, Galatea, Alacrity, Naiad and the destroyer Coventry, supported by the RFAS Olwen, Stromness and Blue Rover. It was to be joined by RFA Resource in the Far East.
Departure The group sailed from Portsmouth on 19 May 1980 and headed across the Bay of Biscay for Gibraltar. After four days in Gibraltar it sailed on 27 May for a period of weapon training in the Mediterranean before a port visit to Istanbul.
Ships of Task Group 318.0 follow astern of Antrim in the Mediterranean
(JAR)
Middle East The group departed from Istanbul on 10 June and transited through the Suez Canal four days later. Emerging from the Gulf of Aden, the group sailed south for a six-day visit to Mombasa and then on 30 June headed for Karachi for a brief four-day visit.
The Far East The group departed from Karachi on 14 July and set course due east for Singapore, where it arrived on 25 July. After just three days the group proceeded to Hong Kong for an AMP (assisted maintenance period), followed by weapon training with the US Navy and a short visit to Manila. The group visited Shanghai at the beginning of September and then continued with short visits to Tokyo, Kagoshima and Hong Kong before returning to Singapore on 3 October for an AMP. On departing from Singapore the Task Group participated in the major exercise Beacon Compass, which lasted two weeks.
Armilla Patrol At the beginning of October Coventry and Naiad, supported by RFA Olwen, were in the Gulf, and on 7 October Coventry was ordered to commence the first Armilla Patrol. A week later Alacrity in Hong Kong was detached from the group and ordered to the Gulf at best speed to join Coventry and Naiad for the Armilla Patrol. Alacrity sailed from Hong Kong and after making a fast passage across the Indian Ocean passed through the Straits of Hormuz. On 23 October Alacrity rendezvoused with Coventry and RFA Olwen, and then on 3 November Coventry sailed from the Gulf.
Return Leg On completion of exercise Beacon Compass on 4 November the group visited Bombay for four days. On sailing from Bombay on 10 November it transited through the Straits of Hormuz and joined Alacrity and Naiad in the Gulf. Antrim relieved Alacrity on 12 November to return home with Galatea. The frigates then set course for return direct to the UK, passing through the Suez Canal on 21 November and arriving home on 8 December. The remainder of the group, Antrim and Naiad, with RFA support, carried out a patrol in the Gulf before heading for home, passing through the Suez Canal on 9 December. After calling in at Gibraltar on the way, the group finally arrived in Portsmouth on 19 December, with Naiad having detached earlier in the day to return to Devonport.
Task Group 316.5 Early in September 1980, frigates of the 7th Frigate Squadron, Argonaut, Aurora and Apollo, supported by RFAS Regent and Tidepool, formed Task Group 316.5 and prepared for a deployment to the Mediterranean.
The squadron departed from Devonport on 23 September and, after a short three-day visit to Lisbon, sailed through the Straits of Gibraltar to participate in the major NATO naval exercise Display Determination in the Mediterranean. The exercise terminated on 14 October and the ships dispersed for port visits to Athens, Taranto, Palermo, Naples, Tunis, Algeria and Casablanca. The ships then gathered at Gibraltar on 24 October and three days later sailed for Devonport arriving on 31 October.
Group Deployment 1981 Owing to the need to minimise fuel consumption to ease the enormous pressure on the defence budget, it was decided not to deploy a major naval task group out of area during 1981.2
Task Group 323.1 On 30 March 1981 FOF2, in his flagship, the guided missile destroyer Antrim, sailed from Portsmouth leading Task Group 323.1 for the Mediterranean. The guided missile destroyer London joined the group for the important exercise Springtrain off Gibraltar. The exercise was completed on 16 April and the nine destroyers and frigates of the squadron dispersed.
Exercise Springtrain 82 On 17 March 1982 the ships of the regular Springtrain exercise group sailed from the UK and headed south for the warmer waters of the Mediterranean. In command was Rear Admiral Sandy Woodward, FOF1, flying his flag in the 6,200-ton guided missile destroyer Antrim.
The first week, as they sailed south, was spent in working-up exercises in preparation for the more demanding exercises to come. The ships steamed through the Straits of Gibraltar on 26 March and sailed into the harbour for a period of rest and relaxation in the warmth of the ‘Rock’. On the same day the fleet replenishment ship RFA Fort Austin, under the command of Commodore Dunlop, sailed quietly out of harbour and headed south for the South Atlantic at best speed. The group was also due to join up with other ships which would be taking part in the forthcoming exercises. But it was not to be. On 29 March Admiral Woodward ordered all the ships under his command to report their readiness for war!
THE FALKLAND ISLANDS CONFLICT: OPERATION CORPORATE, 2 APRIL – 14 JUNE 1982
The Falklands crisis came almost out of the blue, and while there had been a few warning signs, very few of them had been serious. It was an indicator of the decline in Britain’s status and position of influence in the world, as well as a consequence of the dramatic run-down of the nation’s naval forces. Argentina would never have dared consider taking any such action when Britain had a world empire with an unchallengeable navy.3
The Lead-Up President Galtieri of Argentina and his Junta were facing an economic, social and political crisis, and were fully aware that they had to do something drastic to have any prospect of saving their regime. With Britain appearing to lose all interest in the Falkland Islands, and running down the very forces that would have been needed to protect them at such a distance from the UK, it seemed that a crusade to recover the islands would be a realistic possibility. Certainly it would be an extremely popular expedition, which would unite the country and divert attention away from the political crisis at home. Planning had been conducted in great secrecy, and even practice amphibious manoeuvres held on 19 March 1982 had escaped attention.
Opening Moves On 9 March the British Embassy was informed that forty-one men would be employed on salvage work on the derelict whaling machinery in South Georgia, for which a contract had been let. The men would sail on board the 3,000-ton naval transport ship Bahia Buen Suceso and work for a number of months in South Georgia. The ship sailed on 11 March and arrived at South Georgia eight days later. When the men landed on 19 March they promptly raised the Argentine flag, and in response Endurance (Captain Nick Barker), with twenty Royal Marines on board, promptly sailed from Port Stanley the next day to investigate. Endurance arrived at South Georgia on 23 March but was ordered not to take any action which could provoke an international incident. She was merely to observe and provide a military presence.
The Argentine Navy Proceeds to Sea The Argentine Navy despatched a corvette to South Georgia on 24 March, and the next day the 6,000-ton naval transport Bahia Paraiso arrived in the area. On 26 March a powerful task group of the Argentine Navy, including the flagship, the aircraft carrier Veintecinco De Mayo and the modern Exocet missile-armed Type 42 destroyers Hercules and Santissima Trinidad as well as the corvettes Drummond and Granville, sailed for unscheduled anti-submarine training exercises with the Uruguayan Navy off the Plate estuary. Rather surprisingly for anti-submarine exercises, the group included the 4,300-ton amphibious landing ship Cabo San Antonio with a marine infantry battalion embarked. Naval Special Forces were also embarked on board the destroyers, and it appears that the Junta had finally made the decision to invade the Falklands on that day, 26 March. Intelligence of the planned invasion did not finally reach the UK until 31 March, though contingency plans were already being considered at high level several days before.
Invasion of the Falklands: Operation Rosario
Argentine Task Forces 20, 40 and 60 On 28 March, just two days after the ‘Springtrain’ ships arrived in Gibraltar, the Argentine task forces sailed for Operation Rosario to take the Falkland Islands. The planned date was 1 April, but because of adverse weather conditions the invasion date was delayed by twenty-four hours (reminiscent of the twenty-four-hour delay to Operation Neptune, the invasion of Europe, due to adverse weather conditions, some thirty-eight years earlier!).
The main invasion force, Task Force 40, headed east for the Falkland Islands, and the smaller task unit, Task Force 60, headed south-east for South Georgia. The powerful covering force, Task Force 20, consisting of the flagship, the aircraft carrier Veintecinco De Mayo, escorted by the destroyers Comodor Py, Hipolito Bouchard, Piedra Buena and Segui, was cruising some 500 miles to the north.
The Invasion Force Task Force 40 was the main amphibious assault force, consisting of the large landing ship (tanks) Cabo San Antonio, with 2nd Marine Infantry Battalion embarked. Other troops, including Special Forces, were embarked in the ice breaker Almirante Irizar, escorted by the powerful Type 42 destroyers Santissima Trinidad and Hercules and the corvettes Drummond and Granville. Also attached to Task Force 40 was the diesel-electric submarine Santa Fe. Sailing south-east was Task Force 60, comprising one corvette, the Guerrico, supported by a naval supply ship and heading for a rendezvous with the naval transport ship the Bahia Paraiso.
The Invasion of East Falkland, 2 April 1982 Task Force 40 arrived off the coast of East Falkland during the night of 1 April. The Argentine Special Forces unit of seventy men on board the Santissima Trinidad was put ashore by boat transfer five miles south of Port Stanley and set off north, in two separate units, one to attack Government House and one to attack the Royal Marine barracks at Moody Brook to the west of Port Stanley. At the same time frogmen had come ashore from the submarine Santa Fe to secure the airfield, and having achieved that they moved on swiftly to occupy the eastern point of the narrows leading into Port Stanley. A small garrison of forty Royal Marines, which was rotated each year, defended the Falklands, and fortuitously the new garrison had just arrived on 30 March, on board the research ship John Biscoe. Instead of leaving the following day the outgoing garrison was retained by the governor, thus doubling the size of the Royal Marine force defending the islands. The Royal Marines manned various observation posts and stationed themselves so as to best defend Port Stanley.
Just after six on the morning of 2 April the first Argentine Special Forces unit attacked Moody Barracks, opening fire with small arms and grenades. Fortunately the barracks were empty. Ten minutes later the second unit attacked Government House, but the Argentine officer in charge was shot dead and his men retreated under fire. A three-hour gun battle then ensued, and although casualties were mounting on the Argentine side, many more Argentine troops were pouring ashore from the Cabo San Antonio. The amphibious armoured carriers formed up into columns and advanced on Port Stanley but were checked when they ran into a Royal Marine ambush. The Royal Marines scored direct hits on the leading vehicles with rockets and Carl Gustav anti-tank weapons. The sheer numbers of Argentine soldiers returning fire forced the Royal Marines to fall back. Throughout the engagement more troops were coming ashore by helicopter and landing craft, forcing the Royal Marines back.
Having captured and secured the airfield, Argentine C-130 Hercules transport aircraft started to arrive bringing more troops and equipment. Eventually the Royal Marine officer in command, Major Norman, advised the Governor, Rex Hunt, that in view of the overwhelming numbers of Argentine troops surrounding Port Stanley and Government House, further resistance would serve little purpose and would endanger the lives of the civilian population. After negotiating terms the Governor surrendered. It is greatly to the credit of the Royal Marines that, despite being hopelessly outnumbered, they had resisted for so long without sustaining a single casualty and also that no civilian had been injured. The occupying forces hoisted Argentine flags everywhere, disarmed the Royal Marines and forced them to lie down for the cameras. That evening the Governor and Royal Marines were flown out to Argentina and then on to the UK, where they arrived on 5 April. Meanwhile the Argentine occupying forces set about securing and fortifying the islands. Reinforcements were flown in and eventually some 13,000 Argentine troops were deployed to defend the Falklands against recapture.
Invasion of South Georgia, 3 April
The very small Royal Marine detachment at Grytviken, South Georgia, became aware of the Argentine invasion and prepared their defences as best they could for the inevitable arrival of Argentine forces. Task Force 60 duly arrived off South Georgia late on 2 April in stormy weather, and the Bahia Paraiso entered Cumberland Bay. Endurance, which had originally been sailing to Port Stanley, reversed course and headed for Grytviken to assist the Royal Marine detachment but she was still some way off to the north-west.
The Bahia Paraiso The Argentinians on board Bahia Paraiso demanded that the Royal Marines surrender and started landing troops by helicopter. The Royal Marines refused and opened fire, shooting down one of the helicopters and damaging the second, with heavy casualties. The Argentinians returned fire, and the damaged helicopter managed to land reinforcements at a healthy distance from the Royal Marines’ deadly fire. Endurance, which had been closing South Georgia at full speed, launched one of its two Wasp helicopters as soon as it was in range, to observe and report on the battle ashore.
The Guerrico At this stage the powerfully armed Guerrico, with Exocet missiles and 100mm, 40mm and 20mm guns, entered the bay and opened fire at almost point-blank range with her 40mm guns. In the restricted waters of the bay there was little room for the Guerrico to manoeuvre as she came under heavy return fire from the Royal Marines. At close range the Royal Marines scored many hits with rockets and heavy anti-tank rounds from the Carl Gustav launcher, as well as raking the decks with rifle and machine gun fire. The Guerrico, with over 1,000 bullet holes in her, steamed back out to sea to open the range and engage with her 100mm main armament. Fortunately the main gun had been damaged by rocket fire and was not able to engage accurately. There then followed a stand-off, with the Royal Marines heavily outnumbered and surrounded but the Argentinians not able to press home their attacks. Eventually, following negotiations, the Royal Marines surrendered and were taken aboard the Bahia Paraiso, which then sailed for Argentina.
The Wasp helicopter from Endurance returned on board but the ship was not equipped to tackle Task Force 60. Endurance could do nothing and eventually had to head north to rendezvous with the support ship RFA Fort Austin.
The ‘Task Force’: Task Force 317
Preparations When the news of the invasion broke in the UK there was an uproar of protest throughout the country. The Royal Navy had already set swift action in hand, and on 1 April the aircraft carriers had been put on alert to be ready to proceed to sea within forty-eight hours.
View of the First Sea Lord Reputedly, the Prime Minister had sought the counsel of her key ministers at a meeting in 10 Downing Street on the evening of 31 March. The First Sea Lord, Admiral Leach, had just returned from an engagement, and even though he was still in uniform he had gone straight across to ‘No 10’ as he was fully aware that the Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Lewin, was out of the country at the time. When the Prime Minister was informed that the First Sea Lord had arrived she invited him to join the discussion on the options that could be taken if the Falkland Islands were invaded. He is said to have briefed the Prime Minister that he could mobilise a task force by the weekend and that, in his opinion, if there was an Argentine invasion the Navy could ‘and should be used’. It is thought that his confident and uncompromising views helped to strengthen the Prime Minister in her resolve to take a firm line over any Argentine attack. The Fleet was then put on standby. The ‘Springtrain’ group of ships in Gibraltar had already been charged with preparing for war, and in the UK the dockyards were set to work to repair, mend, supply, store, ammunition and refuel as many ships as possible with utmost speed for operations in the South Atlantic.
Submarines On 1 April two nuclear-powered fleet submarines, having embarked torpedoes, covertly put to sea and headed south at speed: Splendid (Commander Lane-Nott) from Faslane and Spartan (Commander Taylor) from Gibraltar. The nuclear-powered fleet submarine Conqueror (Commander Wreford-Brown) sailed from Faslane three days later and also headed fast for the South Atlantic.
The Submarine HMS Superb The SSN (nuclear fleet submarine) Superb (Commander Perowne) had previously been operating with the ‘Springtrain’ group and had been in Gibraltar towards the end of March when she was ordered to put to sea immediately for a secret mission. Her hurried, early sailing did not go unnoticed and, according to intelligence channels, was reported to President Galtieri. The Daily Telegraph reported that Superb had gone down to the Falklands.
US intelligence sources later considered that the threat of Superb had persuaded President Galtieri to bring forward his invasion plans. Had the invasion taken place later in the year, as was thought to have been originally planned, when the hostile winter weather conditions had set in and Britain had decommissioned her two aircraft carriers, then the result of Operation Corporate could have been very different indeed.
In fact Superb had been sailed to head in the opposite direction and investigate two Soviet Victor class nuclear fleet submarines detected in the Western Approaches. At the time Superb was commanded by Commander James Perowne, who was later to serve as a senior admiral with the US Naval Staff. It was when he was serving as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic that he was able to substantiate the intelligence story of the part his submarine had played in the ultimate success of Operation Corporate.4
Gibraltar Rear Admiral Woodward in his flagship, Antrim, ordered the seven frigates and destroyers of his task group that were designated to sail south to take on board as many supplies, stores, spares, fuel and ammunition as possible from the ships due to return to the UK. Fortunately there were ships of different classes in both groups to cover most requirements. The group sailed from Gibraltar and continued VERTREPS (transfers by helicopter, known as ‘vertical replenishment’) as they headed out into the Atlantic and set course south. At that stage the group consisted of the County class guided missile destroyers Antrim (Captain Young) and Glamorgan (Captain Barrow), the new Type 42 destroyers Coventry (Captain Hart-Dyke), Glasgow (Captain Hoddinot) and Sheffield (Captain Salt), and the frigates Arrow (Commander Bootherstone), Plymouth (Captain Pentreath) and Brilliant (Captain Coward). The first surface ship to head south, RFA Fort Austin (Commodore Dunlop), was well ahead of the group.
The ‘Task Force’ On 3 April the Prime Minister announced to Parliament that a‘Task Force’ (Task Force 317) under the command of Admiral Fieldhouse, the Commander in Chief Fleet, from his headquarters at Northwood outside London, was to be sent to the South Atlantic to recover the Falkland Islands. Two days later on the morning of 5 April the aircraft carrier Invincible (Captain Jeremy Black), closely followed by Hermes (Captain Lyn Middleton), sailed out of Portsmouth harbour to the rapturous applause of huge crowds, bands playing ‘We are Sailing’ and the attention of the world’s press. The fact that the carriers had sailed on time on the 5 April represented an absolutely amazing achievement by the naval services. The air groups had been hurriedly improvised to provide a total of twenty Sea Harriers, with 800 NAS in Hermes and 801 NAS in Invincible. Spare aircraft from training and trials had been used to make up the complements of the squadrons.
The frigates Alacrity (Commander Craig) and Antelope (Commander Tobin) sailed from Devonport and escorted the LSLs (landing ships, logistic) RFAS Sir Geraint (Captain Lawrence), Sir Galahad (Captain Roberts), Sir Lancelot (Captain Purtcher-Wydenbruck) and Sir Percivale (Captain Pitt) south. The LSLs had embarked Royal Marines, stores, weapons and ammunition.
The frigates Broadsword (Captain Canning) and Yarmouth (Commander Morton) had sailed from Gibraltar on 5 April and set a course towards the eastern Mediterranean en route for the Canal and the Gulf, but after twelve hours steaming it was realised that they would be needed and they were recalled to Gibraltar to prepare for deployment to the South Atlantic.
On 6 April the amphibious assault ship Fearless (Captain Larken) sailed from Portsmouth laden with vehicles, three Sea King helicopters of 846 NAS (Naval Air Squadron) and heavy equipment for 3 Commando Brigade. The next day the last of the first wave of ships, the fleet replenishment ship RFA Stromness (Captain Dickinson), sailed fully stored and with 350 Royal Marines on board.
Follow-On Ships After the first wave of ships had set off for the South Atlantic the dockyards set to work to prepare ships in refit and repair, and to bring forward ships from the Standby Squadron. At the same time the many merchant ships being commandeered to support the campaign, known as STUFT (ships taken up from trade), were being adapted and converted for deployment south. More famous were the passenger liners, such as the Queen Elizabeth II (Captain Jackson), the Canberra (Captain Scott-Masson) and the Uganda (Captain Clark); all were all rapidly converted to troop ships. In Portsmouth dockyard the assault ship Intrepid (Captain Dingemans) was very quickly overhauled, restored and recommissioned in just twenty-two days. On 26 April Intrepid sailed from the UK and headed south at full speed.
Ascension Island Ascension Island was situated 3,700 nautical miles from the UK and 3,300 from the Falkland Islands, and thus nearly midway between the two, and with its airfield (at Wideawake) and its naval base it had been selected as the forwarding operating base (FOB) for the Task Force. On 2 April RAF C-130 Hercules transport aircraft started to fly stores, personnel and equipment down to Ascension Island to prepare the base to receive the Task Force.
Passage to Ascension Island Once clear of the Channel the various groups of ships headed south at their best cruising speed, using the valuable time to restore the large quantities of hastily stocked supplies, provisions, spares, fuel, equipment and ammunition. At the same time the opportunity was taken to make plans and preparations as well as exercise equipment and drills. There was a feeling that high-level political discussions and negotiations would resolve the situation long before the Task Force arrived off the Falkland Islands.
Diplomatic Negotiations and the United Nations There were a great many who hoped and assumed that, with the UK refusing to accept the Argentine invasion of the Falklands and sending a much publicised task force south, a diplomatic solution would be found to resolve the crisis. An intense round of negotiations was embarked on and various plans and formulas put forward at all levels. A resolution of the United Nations Security Council (Resolution 502) on 3 April demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities and an immediate withdrawal of Argentine forces from the Falkland Islands. The United Nations also directed Argentina and the UK to seek a diplomatic solution to the crisis by peaceful means. On 10 April the EEC (European Economic Community) introduced trade sanctions against Argentina. Both sides exerted much pressure on the Americans, who found themselves in a difficult position, being intent on preserving good relations with both key allies. Some plans offered glimmers of hope but in the end were not fully acceptable to both sides. All the time the intense round of negotiations was taking place, the various task units were making their way steadily south and time was running out.
Arrival at Ascension Island A small task group (Task Group 317.9) consisting of Antrim, supported by Plymouth and RFA Tidespring (Captain Redmond), was detached and sent on ahead at speed, arriving at Ascension Island on 10 April. After embarking equipment and men the group left the next day, heading south at speed for a rendezvous with Endurance (Captain Barker). Glamorgan, flying the flag of Admiral Woodward, and the rest of his group (Task Group 317.8) arrived the next day at Ascension Island and set to work embarking more stores, spares and ammunition. From then on a constant stream of ships and vessels arrived at Ascension Island and were quickly readied for the final leg south.
Hermes sails for the South Atlantic
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The Recapture of South Georgia, Operation Paraquet, 25 April
The Antrim group (TG 317.9), under the command of Captain Brian Young, steamed fast towards South Georgia after leaving Ascension Island. Whilst diplomacy continued, no final decisions were made, but gradually it became evident that an acceptable political solution was not going to be found to the crisis and it became necessary to decide on action. On 20 April, when Antrim was less than 200 miles from South Georgia, the government authorised TG 317.9 to proceed with Operation Paraquet, the recapture of South Georgia.
Rescue on the Fortuna Glacier, 21 April At first light the next day Antrim launched SAS (Special Air Service) and SBS reconnaissance teams by helicopter to land on the Fortuna Glacier overlooking Grytviken and Leith. Three Wessex helicopters from Antrim and Tidespring arrived above the glacier in a driving snowstorm but managed, with great difficulty, to land the twenty men and their equipment and return to their ships. The weather deteriorated to blizzard conditions during the night and it became necessary to rescue the reconnaissance teams. The three helicopters returned to the glacier the next day and embarked their men in driving snow but, in attempting to take off in blind ‘white-out’ conditions, two of the helicopters careered on to their sides and had to be abandoned. The third helicopter, after landing its load, returned to attempt a rescue of the other crews stranded on the glacier. After numerous attempts, and in appalling conditions, a rescue was finally effected which saved the lives of the men, as they would not have survived a further night on the glacier. For his extreme bravery in rescuing all the remaining crews and flying a heavily overloaded helicopter in such conditions the pilot, Lieutenant Commander Ian Stanley was awarded the DSO (Distinguished Service Order). To replace the lost helicopters Brilliant, with two Lynx helicopters, was detached from the main Task Group (TG 317.8) to head south and join the group off South Georgia, subsequently arriving on 24 April.
The Submarine Santa Fe The following day Gemini boats landed parties of SAS and SBS covertly from Antrim and Endurance in positions around Grytviken and Leith. The group was informed that an Argentine submarine, the Santa Fe, was in the area of South Georgia and so, after sailing away from the islands, ASW helicopters were launched. The Santa Fe landed twenty Argentine marines at Grytviken and then proceeded back out to sea on the surface, when she was spotted by Antrim’s Wessex helicopter. The helicopter, piloted again by Lieutenant Commander Stanley, attacked with depth charges (it was the first attack on a submarine by a British naval aircraft since World War II), one exploding close alongside the port casing and causing enough damage to prevent the submarine from diving. The submarine reversed course and tried to escape back in to the harbour but was then attacked by helicopters from Plymouth and Endurance. The Santa Fe fought back but was struck by missiles and strafed by machine guns. Eventually on fire and listing heavily, the submarine came alongside a pier so that the crew could escape.
Plymouth opens fire
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The Recapture of Grytviken At this stage Captain Young decided to press on and launched an assault on Grytviken. Plymouth opened fire with her main armament of 4.5in guns, clearing the landing area and then blasting Argentine troops and other targets to cover the landing party.
The first wave of assault troops were landed by helicopter and, though heavily outnumbered, stormed into Grytviken. It was not long before the Argentine forces surrendered.
The Recapture of Leith Plymouth and Endurance then sailed into Stromness Bay to engage the detachment of Argentine marines ashore there in Leith. The Argentine Commander, Lieutenant Commander Astiz, tried to persuade the Captain of Endurance to land by helicopter on the local football pitch, which they had packed with explosives, to accept the Argentine surrender! Fortunately Captain Barker of Endurance came ashore by boat and took the surrender peacefully.
At 1730 on 25 April Captain Young sent a signal: ‘Be pleased to inform her Majesty that the WHITE ENSIGN flies alongside the Union Flag at Grytviken. Argentina was not immediately aware of the surrender and a squadron of Canberra bombers took off from Tierra del Fuego on 26 April to attack TG 317.9. On arrival off South Georgia the ships were spotted, but the weather had clamped down, preventing a bombing attack and forcing the aircraft to return to base. The 137 Argentine troops and the fifty-one scrap metal workers were rounded up and, after clearing the many booby trap mines, working with Royal Marines, were taken off South Georgia and embarked on board RFA Tidespring.
The Total Exclusion Zone (TEZ) The main Task Group (TG 317.8) had sailed from Ascension Island during the recapture of South Georgia. The ships of the Task Group were closed up in ‘defence watches’ with an ASW screen of three Sea King Mk 5 helicopters out ahead. The Sea King Mk 5s were to fly 2,253 sorties, an indication of their extremely good reliability record. A Boeing 707 of the Argentine Air Force sighted the Task Force on 21 April. It was quickly intercepted, but not shot down, by two Sea Harriers from 800 NAS. Argentine 707s continued to shadow the Task Force but were careful to remain well out of range. With the Argentine forces aware of the precise location of the Task Force, Nimrod surveillance patrols were flown from Ascension Island to detect any Argentine moves to attack the Task Force.
On 7 April the UK had announced a 200-mile maritime exclusion zone around the Falklands, effective from 12 April. Calculating that the Task Force would be in position to enforce any exclusion zone from 28 April, the UK informed the Argentine government that a 200-mile ‘total exclusion zone’ (TEZ) would be imposed from 30 April and that any Argentine ships or aircraft, civilian or military, would be liable to attack within that zone.5 On 29 April Brilliant and Plymouth rejoined the group, and in the evening of the next day ships of the Task Force started to patrol inside the TEZ. The carriers were deployed some way to the east of the Falklands, out in the South Atlantic and well ‘down-threat’. Additional ships were on their way to reinforce the Task Force, with the frigates Argonaut (Captain Layman) and Ardent (Commander West) arriving at Ascension Island with RFAS Regent (Captain Logan) and Plumleaf (Captain Wallace) on 29 April.
Harriers strike Port Stanley
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Operation Black Buck, 1 May
As the Task Force entered the TEZ, two Vulcan bombers, supported by eleven Victor tankers, took off from Ascension Island and headed south-west. The RAF were keen to demonstrate their contribution to the UK’s ability to project power in the South Atlantic by launching Operation Black Buck, the longest bombing mission ever flown by any air force at that time. One of the Vulcans had to turn back, but in the very early hours of 1 May the remaining bomber took the Argentinians by surprise and dropped its load of twenty-one 1,000lb bombs across the Port Stanley airfield. As the Argentine gunners opened fire the Vulcan was already streaking away out of range and heading back to Ascension Island. As the bomber had completed a 7,860-mile trip, achieved total surprise and bombed the airfield with precision it was certainly a great achievement by the RAF. Although the damage to the airfield was not great, the attack had a significant psychological impact on the Argentinians.
Harrier Strike, 1 May Just before dawn on 1 May Hermes launched her twelve Sea Harriers of 800 NAS, which sped in to attack Port Stanley and Goose Green carrying twelve 1,000lb bombs and twelve cluster bombs. Coming in low and fast, the Sea Harriers carried out their attacks under heavy fire. Having caused a certain amount of damage and casualties the Harriers then turned and headed back out to Hermes, the rearmost aircraft being hit but managing nevertheless to keep in the air. The Harriers landed back on deck with the BBC reporter Brian Hanrahan who had been told not to report actual numbers, making his famous comment ‘I counted them all out and I counted them all back!’
Argentine Air Attacks Meanwhile the Harriers of 801 NAS were maintaining protective CAPs (combat air patrols) above the Task Force and were engaged by incoming raids of attacking aircraft. Only by violent manoeuvres, releasing chaff and applying their air brakes did the Harriers manage to evade the Argentine missile attacks. Several waves of attacks were fought off, but the enemy aircraft had managed to establish the position of the aircraft carriers.
Later in the afternoon a large force of forty-six enemy aircraft (A-4s, Canberras and Mirage Daggers) took off to attack the Task Force. As the aircraft approached the Task Force more Harriers were launched and the CAPs were vectored in to intercept the enemy bombers and turn them away. A Sea Harrier from 801 NAS shot down a Mirage with a Sidewinder missile, which was the first ‘kill’ by a Sea Harrier, and another Mirage, damaged by a Sidewinder missile, was shot down as it tried to land at Port Stanley. In further engagements a Canberra and a Dagger were shot down.
During the air battles Glamorgan, supported by the frigates Arrow and Alacrity, had closed Port Stanley and carried out a shore bombardment of the airfield with her main armament. In that position she was attacked by four Daggers, but survived with 500lb bombs bursting on both sides of her quarterdeck. Arrow also came under attack and suffered some damage and casualties. This was the first air attack on Royal Navy ships since World War II. The ships then returned to complete their shore bombardment.
By evening the Task Force had survived the onslaught of the Argentine Air Force, but the next day it would face the Argentine Navy.
The Sinking of the General Belgrano, 2 May
Disposition of Argentine Task Forces The next day, 2 May, the bulk of the Argentine Navy forming Task Force 79, commanded by Admiral Lombardo, the Fleet Commander, was at sea, heading for the Falklands. The strategy of the Argentine Navy was to split the Fleet into four separate task groups, which would close on the Falklands to deliver a series of blows. The two main task groups were to execute a classic ‘pincer’ manoeuvre, with one to the north of the Falklands and one to the south to close and attack the Royal Navy Task Force. The manoeuvre was referred to as ‘Lombardo’s Fork’.
Task Group 79.1 to the North-West The most powerful force, which was to the north, TG 79.1, consisted of the fleet flagship, the carrier Veintecinco De Mayo, escorted by the powerful modern Type 42 destroyers, and was closing for a dawn strike with her Skyhawk jets to destroy the Hermes and Invincible. Further to the north was TG 79.4, of three Exocet-armed fast corvettes, Drummond, Granville and the damaged Guerrico. TG 79.4 had been sighted the previous day by the SSN Splendid, providing important intelligence of the buildup of Argentine naval forces.6
Task Group 79.3 to the South Some 300 miles to the southeast of Port Stanley, and much closer to the UK Task Force, was the powerful TG 79.3, commanded by Captain Bonzo, consisting of the big 11,000-ton, 6in-gun cruiser General Belgrano, escorted by Exocet-armed destroyers. TG 79.3 was heading east, outside the southern edge of the TEZ.
Contact At 1130 on 1 May a tracker aircraft from the Argentine aircraft carrier spotted the Task Force and began shadowing it. At this stage Admiral Woodward was aware of the Argentine dispositions but his submarines to the north, under the control of Northwood, had not managed to make contact with the Argentine carrier group, TG 79.1. Admiral Lombardo, being informed of the exact position of the Task Force, headed south-east. He prepared his Skyhawks for an attack at first light, but as the wind was light and the Skyhawks were heavy, being fully loaded with bombs and maximum fuel, he held back from launching them. Admiral Woodward meanwhile had been heading south-east to increase the distance from the Argentine carrier. Two Argentine Exocet-armed Super Etendards of the Argentine Navy took off to attack the Task Force but their attempt at in-flight refuelling failed and they had to return to base.
As Admiral Woodward made ground to the south-east he became increasingly concerned by the threat from the Belgrano Task Group (TG 79.3) on the southern edge of the TEZ, which was being tracked by the submarine Conqueror.
The Belgrano group was only 300 miles away from the Task Force and, although it was heading slowly west at the time, could easily turn north-east during the night and be in a position to attack the Task Force with Exocets and the cruiser’s fifteen big 6in guns in the morning. Furthermore the Belgrano group was close to the comparatively shallow water of the Burdwood Bank, where it would be relatively easy to shake off any submarines and extremely difficult for Conqueror to operate. The group represented a clear and present danger to the Task Force. Aware of his vulnerability to the pincer attack, Admiral Woodward recognised the necessity of neutralising the southern threat whilst he had a chance of doing so.
The fleet submarine Conqueror
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Rules of Engagement Owing to the strict rules of engagement, however, Admiral Woodward needed authority to engage the Belgrano group, as it was thirty miles outside the southern limit of the TEZ. The Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Lewin, took up his request for a change to his rules of engagement and raised it with the Cabinet. Finally the rules were amended to authorise Conqueror to engage the cruiser, and accordingly she closed in on the Belgrano group, which was zig-zagging in a defensive manoeuvre against any possible submarine attack.
The Sinking Commander Wreford-Brown, the commander of the Conqueror, manoeuvred his submarine with great skill. The cruiser was sailing on a defensive course and closely screened by her two destroyer escorts. Eventually Conqueror was in a position 1,400 yards on the cruiser’s port bow and Commander Wreford-Brown fired a salvo of three old Mk 8 torpedoes. Two torpedoes struck the General Belgrano and she sank very rapidly, in under fifteen minutes, with the loss of 321 of her crew. The destroyers then hunted for the submarine, dropping patterns of depth charges, and although some were close, Conqueror was able to escape.
The sinking of the General Belgrano was undoubtedly a turning point in the war, and although it caused a tragic loss of life it was a tactical masterstroke from which the Argentine Navy was never to recover. Woodward’s position remained extremely tenuous but at least there were now fewer of the many cards stacked against him. The Argentine fleet was effectively paralysed by the shock and took no further part in the war, but Woodward still faced the full force and violence of the Argentine Air Force as well as the Argentine Naval Air Arm, and he did not have to wait long for their response.
There were conspiracy theorists who claimed that the sinking of the Belgrano was deliberately contrived by the British in order to scupper peace negotiations, which were still going on at the time.7 Such claims do not take into account the realities of the situation. The British Task Force, nearly 8,000 miles from UK with very slender resources, particularly in surveillance assets, and in hostile weather with winter fast approaching, was under serious threat from surface, sub-surface and air attack. It was in a fairly desperate situation, facing an extremely difficult task, and had to take every chance it possibly could. The government, having put the Task Force in that difficult situation, decided to support it and acquiesced with the requested change in the rules of engagement.
Success with Sea Skua Missiles That night a Sea King helicopter investigated an unidentified ship to the north of the Falklands and came under fire. Immediately two Lynx helicopters armed with Sea Skua missiles were scrambled from Coventry and Glasgow. On closing the ship the first Lynx came under heavy fire but managed to launch both its missiles. The radar-guided missiles both struck the target, which blew up and sank. Half an hour later the second Lynx came under fire from another unidentified ship and responded with her two Sea Skua missiles, one of which hit the target, destroying the bridge structure. The target turned out to be the 700-ton corvette Alferez Sobral. The corvette was severely damaged by the attack, and the Captain and seven of his crew were killed. Nevertheless the ship remained afloat and two days later just managed to make port.
The Sinking of HMS Sheffield, 4–11 May
Withdrawal of the Argentine Fleet On 3 May the wind was too strong for the Argentine carrier to operate her aircraft, and when news of the sinking of the Belgrano was received, the fleet was ordered home. The fleet duly turned west and headed back to the coast of Argentina, where it would be in shallow water safe from attack by nuclear submarines.
Position of the Task Force During the night the Task Force sailed west towards the Falklands, and in the morning of 4 May an RAF Vulcan bomber attack was carried out on Port Stanley airfield. By the middle of the morning the Task Force was approximately a hundred miles to the east of the islands. Regular CAPs were flown and the Task Force was protected by a picket line of three modern Type 42 anti-aircraft destroyers, Sheffield, Glasgow and Coventry, deployed ‘up-threat’ twenty miles to the west of the group.
Super Etendard Attack Just after midday a Neptune reconnaissance aircraft of the Argentine Naval Air Arm picked up and reported a number of large radar contacts to the east of the Falklands, evidently the three destroyers on the picket line. Thirty minutes later a pair of Exocet-armed Super Etendards of the Argentine Naval Air Arm took off from their base at Rio Grande. They refuelled after 130 miles and pressed on due east with their radars switched off to avoid giving any warning of their approach. As they closed their targets, the picket line destroyers, the Super Etendards flew very close to the sea so that they would be below radar coverage from the Task Force. Glasgow, to the south, only became aware of a possible attack when the aircraft were just twenty-five miles away, and a CAP was ordered to investigate. Meanwhile Sheffield was using her satellite communications system and had her ‘air-guard’ warning radar switched off to avoid interfering with her satellite transmissions. Sheffield immediately terminated her satellite transmissions and picked up the Super Etendards, which had climbed to 120 feet to make target acquisition height and switched on their Agave radars to lock on their AM-39 Exocet missiles. The Super Etendards then dropped back to sea level and at a range of twelve miles launched their missiles before peeling off in opposite directions to escape back west.
HMS Sheffield is Struck, 1414 on 4 May The Exocet missiles took about one minute flying at six feet above the water to reach their target, Sheffield. One missile struck the destroyer amidships on the starboard side whilst the other missed and flew on before ditching into the sea close to Yarmouth. It was assessed that the 370lb warhead failed to explode but the kinetic energy ignited the rest of the missile’s fuel, causing an intense conflagration throughout the centre of the ship and killing twenty-one men.
The ship’s company fought valiantly to stop the raging fires and save the ship, but without power, communications, water and pumps it was a desperate battle which they had little chance of winning. Helicopters and ships from the Task Force rendered immediate assistance. Arrow came alongside on the port side and provided fire-fighters and equipment.
Yarmouth came close alongside on the damaged starboard side to help but a short while later had to break away when a torpedo track was reported. After four hours of desperate fire-fighting the Captain, Captain Sam Salt, realised that the fires were reaching the Sea Dart missile magazine and ordered the ship’s company to abandon ship.
HMS Sheffield Sinks, 11 May The ship remained afloat, drifting for several days, and an attempt was made to tow her out of the TEZ in heavy seas, but early in the morning of 11 May she rolled over and sank. Sheffield was the first Royal Navy warship to be lost to air attack since World War II.
Reinforcements To replace Sheffield, the Type 42 destroyer Exeter (Captain Balfour), off Belize, was ordered south to join the Task Force on 5 May. On 10 May a further group sailed from Portsmouth and Devonport for the South Atlantic. The group consisted of the 6,000-ton Type 82 destroyer Bristol (Captain Grose), two Type 21 frigates, Avenger (Captain White) and Active (Commander Canter), and three Leander frigates, Minerva (Commander Johnston), Penelope (Commander Rickard) and Andromeda (Captain Weatherall) supported by the fleet tanker RFA Olna (Captain Bailey). The Type 42 destroyer, Cardiff (Captain Harris), on her way home from the Gulf, was ordered to store in Gibraltar and then head out and join the group en route to the Falklands.
Arrow on the port side of the stricken Sheffield
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The fires on board Sheffield rage out of control
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Loss of the First Sea Harrier Whilst the fires were raging in Sheffield in the afternoon of 4 May, three Sea Harriers from 800 NAS were carrying out a strike on enemy aircraft based at Goose Green. As the Harriers came in low to attack, the second Harrier was hit by anti-aircraft fire and burst into flames, crashing into the ground and killing the pilot, Lieutenant Nick Taylor. The remaining Harriers dropped their bombs and returned safely to Hermes.
Capture of the Narwal, 9 May The weather deteriorated and the next few days were subject to very low cloud, fog and poor visibility, which severely handicapped operations on both sides. On 9 May the 1,400-ton Argentine vessel Narwal, which had been spying on the Task Force and reporting movements, was attacked and damaged by a CAP, and then captured by an SBS unit which abseiled on to the deck from a Sea King 4. When the Narwal was captured, a prize crew from Invincible took over the vessel, which later sank. Later on the same day Coventry shot down an Argentine helicopter over Port Stanley with a Sea Dart missile.
22/42 Combo Admiral Woodward introduced a new defence tactic by pairing ships with different missile systems, predominantly by combining a Type 22 frigate carrying a short-range Sea Wolf missile system with a Type 42 destroyer equipped with a longer-range Sea Dart missile system. The term ‘22/42 Combo’ was used to describe the new defence tactic, which proved to be an effective measure with the ships providing mutual anti-aircraft support.
Falkland Sound, 10–11 May In the afternoon of 10 May Admiral Woodward detached the Type 21 frigates Arrow and Alacrity to explore the Falklands, Arrow to investigate the north coast and Alacrity to explore Falkland Sound. During the night Alacrity made the dangerous passage through the Sound from south to north. Fortunately she did not run into any mines, but at about 0100 an unlit ship was detected underway close to Swan Island. The ship was the Isla de los Estados, and Alacrity opened fire with her main armament. After scoring a number of direct hits with high-explosive shells the ship, which was carrying nearly 90,000 gallons of highly inflammable aviation fuel, blew up in a massive fireball. Alacrity completed her exploration of the Sound and exited to the north to meet up with Arrow, and both ships then headed east at speed to rejoin the Task Force. As they sailed east an Argentine submarine, the San Luis, attacked them firing a torpedo at a range of 5,000 yards. A small explosion was heard but it was not until Arrow retrieved her towed torpedo decoy that she discovered it was badly damaged. When the Commander of the San Luis reported his attack, the Argentine press hyped the story as a successful attack on Invincible by torpedoes which failed to explode.
First Sea Wolf Kills, 12 May On 12 May an Argentine Skyhawk was shot down over Goose Green by gunfire. A little later in the day a‘22/42 Combo’ of Brilliant and Glasgow was close into Port Stanley when a force of three Skyhawks attacked the ships, coming in low. Brilliant fired three Sea Wolf missiles in rapid succession, shooting down two Skyhawks, and the third, flying just above the waves, crashed into the sea whilst manoeuvring to evade the third Sea Wolf missile (these were the first ‘kills’ by Sea Wolf missiles). During the engagement Glasgow was struck by a 1,000lb bomb, which fortunately failed to explode.
The weather deteriorated and hampered flying operations
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Raid on Pebble Island, 15 May After dark on 14 May Hermes, escorted by Broadsword and Glamorgan, left the Task Force and closed to the north of East Falkland. Shortly before midnight, when she was in range, Hermes flew off four Sea Kings with a raiding force of forty-five SAS men. The men landed on the north coast of Pebble Island and crossed the three miles to the Argentine airfield undetected. The SAS then attached demolition charges to eleven aircraft, fuel and ammunition dumps and the centre of the runway. When the charges were detonated the Argentine troops were roused and opened fire as well as setting off defensive mines. Glamorgan then carried out a shore bombardment to cover the SAS troops, who escaped back to the north of the island, where they were rescued and brought back to Hermes. It was a very successful raid and only two minor casualties were sustained.
The Landings at San Carlos: Operation Sutton, 21 May
By 16 May the units of the Amphibious Task Group had all arrived in position well to the north-east of the Falkland Islands and joined elements of the Task Force. The Amphibious Task Group (Task Group 317.0), under the command of Commodore Mike Clapp, included the LPD assault ships (landing platform (dock)) Fearless and Intrepid and fifteen RFA vessels and STUFT, escorted by Antrim, Plymouth, Ardent and Argonaut.
The next day was Argentina’s ‘Navy Day, and the Task Force braced itself for an attack by Exocet-armed Super Etendards. Constant CAPs by Harriers were maintained over the Task Force throughout the day. A Super Etendard raid was launched, but as the Argentine Neptune reconnaissance aircraft were unserviceable no hard information was available to the pilots. When the Super Etendards climbed to search for targets they failed to find any and returned to base. In the late afternoon the converted ‘roll on/roll off’ ship Atlantic Conveyor arrived in the area with much needed transport helicopters and fourteen Harriers, including RAF GR3 Harriers. The Harriers of 809 NAS were transferred to Hermes, but the helicopters were retained on board to await the arrival of their ground crews embarked in the Europic Ferry.
Fearless and Invincible refuel
(NN)
That evening the two groups (Task Groups 317.8 and 317.0) finally rendezvoused some 300 miles east-north-east of the Falklands, making an armada of some thirty-two ships gathered together in close company. The next day, 19 May, the amphibious group carried out a series of transfers to ensure that all the right forces were embarked in the correct ships.
Approach By dark in the evening of 20 May the amphibious group, heavily protected by screening warships, moved into position to the north of the Falklands and prepared to move in for the landings. The landing force commander was Brigadier Julian Thompson, embarked in the LPD Fearless, with his staff, Brigade HQ and 40 Commando. 45 Commando was embarked in RFAS Stromness and Fort Austin. Half an hour before midnight the amphibious group divided into three columns. The LPDs Fearless and Intrepid were in the first column, escorted by Yarmouth. Plymouth led the next group of Canberra, Norland and RFA Stromness. The third wave included the six LSLs and Europic Ferry, escorted by Broadsword and Argonaut. The three columns followed Antrim and Ardent, which were some way ahead, on a course south-west into Falkland Sound to execute Operation Sutton – the amphibious landings. Fortunately it was a dark night and good progress was made. SBS teams were landed to take care of the Argentinians on the headland at Fanning Head overlooking the approach to San Carlos Bay.
The Landings Ardent, commanded by Commander Alan West, entered the Sound at 2000, and sped south at thirty knots to provide gunfire support for a diversionary raid by the SAS. The first column sailed into the Sound shortly before midnight and anchored at the entrance to San Carlos Water. Commodore Clapp, the Commander of the Amphibious Task Group, wanted a 4.5in gun frigate available in San Carlos ‘for local and instant Naval Gunfire Support’, so Plymouth led the way in, prepared to assist the attack on Fanning Head close by if necessary. She was followed by the landing craft and eventually the rest of the Amphibious Task Group including Canberra, a very prominent all-white target. Just two and half hours later they were landing their troops as the second wave was entering the narrows. Although the sky was clearing, the amphibious group was not spotted by the Argentinians. The landings progressed very well, and by 0900 on 21 May the landing areas were well secured and the first phase of troops were all safely ashore. The destroyers and frigates positioned themselves in a ‘gun-line’ across the entrance to San Carlos. It was not until 1000 that an Argentine reconnaissance aircraft spotted the landings and reported them.
The First Air Attacks Within little more than five minutes an Argentine naval Macchi MB339 swooped into the bay, flying low across the water, and fired rockets and 30mm cannon at Argonaut, causing damage to the upper works and several casualties.
A quarter of an hour later a pair of Pucaras dived into attack but were beaten off by Ardent. Half an hour later six Dagger fighter-bombers arrived and attacked low in formations of three aircraft. The ships in the Sound opened fire and a Seacat missile brought down one Dagger. In the next attack two 1,000lb bombs narrowly missed Broadsword, but the 30mm cannon ripped into the ship, wounding fourteen men. At the same time a Dagger managed to bomb Antrim with a 1,000lb bomb, which tore through the centre of the ship, setting it on fire, but fortunately failed to explode. One Dagger attacked RFA Fort Austin but was destroyed by a Sea Wolf missile from Broadsword before it could release its bombs. Broadsword herself was strafed and just managed to escape several near misses from 1,000lb bombs.
Follow-On Air Attacks There was a short lull whilst the Daggers returned to base and briefed on the dispositions of the British forces and ships. The landings went on feverishly, consolidating the position ashore and establishing antiaircraft defences during the lull. At about 1045 three Pucaras jumped Ardent but three Sea Harriers of 801 NAS were vectored on to the Pucaras, shooting one down and chasing the remaining pair.
Cross-deck transfers to ensure that the right forces were in the correct ships
(DC)
Fearless in San Carlos Bay
(RNM)
’First Light San Carlos Water’: SS Canberra lies quietly to anchor. Having disembarked 40 Commando the helicopters begin lifting supplies ashore
(DH)
’Time to go amigo!’ Lieut. Commander Sharky Ward holds back to allow his victim to eject safely, which he did
(DH)
’First Contact’: Argonaut is attacked on 21 May off Fanning Head
(DH)
Air attacks in San Carlos Bay
(DC)
’Splash one Dagger’: Broadsword’s Sea Wolf downs one Argentine Air Force Dagger. Damaged Argonaut in the foreground with Antrim in the background
(DH)
Next to attack Ardent was a Skyhawk A-4B, coming in from dead ahead and so low that she hit the 992 radar. Immediately a Sea Harrier CAP was vectored on to the attack. As the two Sea Harriers closed in they engaged four Skyhawks. The Sea Harriers each fired Sidewinder missiles, both scoring direct hits, shooting down two Skyhawks and breaking up the raid.
HMS Argonaut No sooner had the raid been broken up than another six Skyhawks screamed in to attack from the north, pouncing on Argonaut. The frigate was momentarily lost in clouds of smoke and spray as bombs exploded close alongside, whilst two 1,000lb bombs hit the frigate and penetrated deep inside. One bomb hit a magazine and set off Seacat missiles whilst another in the engine room severed all power and steering apparatus. Only by swiftly letting go the anchor was the frigate saved from colliding with Fanning Head. A CAP by a Sea Harrier from 800 NAS in turn attacked the Skyhawks, and a Sidewinder missile destroyed one Skyhawk.
During the afternoon successive raids of Mirages, Skyhawks and Daggers swept down on the ships in the Sound and San Carlos Bay. The ships had little warning as the Fleet lacked adequate AEW (airborne early warning) and the ship’s radars were ‘boxed in’ by the surrounding high ground. The Argentine pilots pressed home repeated raids with much courage. Fortunately most of the attacks were concentrated on the defending frigates and destroyers rather than the more vulnerable STUFT and large amphibious shipping in San Carlos Water, which would have presented much bigger and easier targets. A considerable barrage of missiles and antiaircraft fire was put up from the ships, and it was difficult to credit individual ships with aircraft shot down. 30mm cannon shells from the attacking aircraft hit many of the ships. Most of the Argentine pilots came in so low that their bombs did not have sufficient time to arm before striking their targets and so failed to explode on impact.
’Vengeance is ours’: two SHARS of 801 NAS bounce Ardent’s attackers as they flee. All three were splashed
(DH)
BAe Sea Harrier FRS.1
Naval VTOL/STOVL Jet Fighter
The Sea Harrier (SHAR) enabled the Royal Navy to maintain an airborne air-defence and strike capability after the demise of the big fixed-wing aircraft carriers in 1978. The fighters very quickly proved themselves during the Falklands Conflict, where they were a great success, defending the Task Force and destroying thirty-one Argentine aircraft.
First flight: |
20 August 1978 |
Entered service: |
April 1980 |
Withdrawn from service: |
March 2006 |
Span: |
7.7m |
Length: |
14.5m |
Powerplant: |
Single 21,500lb Pegasus 104 vectored thrust turbofan |
Max speed: |
740mph |
Armament: |
Twin 30mm cannon with 5 pylons carrying an 8,000lb mix of weapons |
Crew: |
1 pilot |
Number produced: |
57, followed by 18 FA.2 variant |
’He isn’t heavy’: Surgeon Commander Rick Jolly clutches a survivor from the burning Ardent as both are winched to safety by a Wessex 5 of 845 NAS
(DH)
Loss of HMS Ardent, 22 May Ardent was isolated to the south and, being under the flight path of incoming raids, came under repeated attacks and sustained substantial damage. A formation of three Skyhawk A-4Qs attacked in quick succession, scoring three hits with 500lb bombs, two exploding in the hangar area and igniting fires and the third lodging in a machinery room. At the same time, to the north, a raid of three Daggers was completely destroyed by two Sea Harriers of 801 NAS with their Sidewinder missiles.
Ardent on fire and listing heavily to starboard, with Yarmouth alongside
(NN)
Back with Ardent yet another formation of three Skyhawks came in to attack, dropping their bombs on the frigate, which was already on fire. At least three bombs hit and two exploded. The Skyhawks did not escape as a 800 NAS CAP caught them and all were shot down.
By this time Ardent was seriously damaged, listing to starboard with raging fires, and so, having dropped anchor, Yarmouth came alongside her to evacuate the surviving ship’s company, including thirty-seven wounded men. Twenty-two officers and men of Ardent were already dead. Yarmouth then pulled away, abandoning the blazing frigate, which later sank during the night with just the top of the main mast remaining visible, sticking out of the water.
In the course of the day the Argentinians claimed to have launched sixty-three bombing raids. It was also calculated that as many as fifteen of their aircraft had probably been destroyed on that first day. Eventually, as the dark descended, the air raids ceased and the battered escorts could concentrate on putting out fires, pumping out water, defusing unexploded bombs and making emergency repairs. It had been an exhausting day but at least the landings had been carried out successfully and the forces were well established, with 3,000 men securely ashore. It was considered too dangerous to leave the vulnerable Canberra and the rest of the STUFT in the enclosed bay, so it was decided to evacuate them that night, and at 2230 they sailed from San Carlos Water, escorted by the damaged Antrim.
The Loss of HMS Antelope, 23 May During the remainder of 22 May there were only sporadic attacks and incidents, including a Sea Harrier attack on a patrol craft, the Rio Iguazu, which was heavily damaged and beached. The next day, however, after a brief respite, saw a resumption of heavy air attacks. The first raid of four Skyhawks came in to attack shortly after midday and singled out Antelope and Broadsword. One Skyhawk scored a direct hit with a 1,000lb bomb on Antelope which failed to explode. The pilot had flown so low that he hit the mast at almost the same moment as his aircraft was blown apart by a Sea Wolf missile. Seconds later another raid arrived and a Skyhawk scored a direct hit with another 1,000lb bomb on Antelope’s port side.
Antelope blows up in San Carlos Water
(Martin Cleaver, Associated Press)
Antelope under attack
(DC)
Ongoing Air Attacks Yet another formation of Skyhawks came in to attack Broadsword, Antelope and Yarmouth from a different direction, but all the bombs missed their targets. Several raids from formations of Daggers came in to attack the escorts. They came under heavy fire, with an 800 NAS CAP managing to shoot down one Dagger with a Sidewinder missile. Super Etendards were launched to attack but failed to find suitable targets and returned to base.
Once again the raids ceased as the daylight disappeared and the opportunity was taken to try and defuse the bombs lodged in Antelope. At 1715 the bomb in a machinery compartment exploded, and although the ship’s company attempted to fight the fire, which had become a raging inferno, it was decided to abandon the ship. Only ten minutes after the last man was evacuated, the Seacat and torpedo magazine blew up, destroying the ship.
Heavy Air Attacks, 24 May At dawn on 24 May Coventry and Broadsword had sailed to the north of West Falkland to establish a forward ‘22/42 Combo’ picket to break up incoming air raids. The Argentinians, however, had decided to try different tactics, with raids coming in up Falkland Sound from the south. The first raid of five Skyhawk A-4Bs took the Task Group by surprise and scored direct hits with 1,000 bombs on RFAS Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad and Sir Bedivere. Two bombs failed to explode but ignited fires, whilst a third bomb penetrated right through Sir Bedivere before exploding. As the ships’ companies attempted to fight the fires another raid of four Daggers swung in to attack, but this time they were met by a barrage of anti-aircraft fire. The Daggers pressed home their attacks, bombing and shooting up Fearless, Sir Galahad, Fort Austin, Norland and Stromness.
All four Daggers were badly damaged but managed to make it back to base. A Sea Harrier CAP from 800 NAS attacked a raid by four Daggers from the north and shot down three of the enemy aircraft.
At the same time a raid of three Skyhawk A-4Cs came in from the south and attacked Fearless and other amphibious shipping. The attack was carried out under intense antiaircraft fire, and all Skyhawks missed their targets. All three aircraft were badly shot up, and only one managed to struggle back to base. No further raids were mounted that day, and the ships could continue to fight fires, defuse unexploded bombs and make emergency repairs, with Sir Galahad being beached.
Argentine air and naval air forces had sustained very heavy losses, and even those that had managed to return to base were mostly damaged and out of action. The Task Force was immensely lucky that so many of the bombs had failed to explode owing to the height at which they were released. The bombs had a small propeller fuse, which had to rotate a set number of times before the bomb armed. This time delay was to protect the pilot from his own bomb exploding too soon underneath him. Because the Argentine pilots were courageously dropping their bombs at the very last minute, after pressing home their attacks to ensure hits at the closest range, the bombs did not have time to arm. Unfortunately the BBC World Service decided to announce that information, which was invaluable to the Argentinians and seriously endangered men of the Task Force.
The attacking aircraft had a major advantage over the CAP as they did not have to use their radars, which would have been detected, as they approached over West Falkland. Flying low, they could navigate easily, and they knew that their main targets were going to be in San Carlos. This meant that only short-range anti-aircraft weapons could be used.
The helicopters continued to operate despite the raids, withdrawing into the valleys on either side of San Carlos Water while the air raids passed through. Antelope continued to burn in San Carlos Bay.
Bombs land close alongside RFA Stromness (Stromness had 200 tons of ammunition in her forward hold)
(NN)
A Sea Harrier CAP from 800 NAS attacks a raid of Daggers
(DC)
‘Veintecinco de Mayo’: Argentine National Day, 25 May
The Task Force braced itself for major attacks on 25 May, the Argentine National Day, and TG 317.8, the Carrier Battle Group, closed East Falkland during the night to be in a position closer to Port Stanley. From this position Sea Harriers could quickly react to incoming raids and spend more time on task. The depleted air assets available to the Argentine high command reduced their options, and only twenty-two air raids, with a maximum of six aircraft in any one raid, were planned for that day.
The Sinking of HMS Coventry The first raid dived in at 0830, and a Sea Dart missile from Coventry shot down one of the Skyhawks. Several more raids were mounted by Daggers and Skyhawks, with Yarmouth managing to shoot down a Skyhawk A-4C before it could release its bombs against Fearless. A little while later a further attack by three Skyhawks was engaged by Coventry, with one being shot down with a Sea Dart and a second being severely damaged but managing to struggle back to base.
Antelope burns in San Carlos Bay
(NN)
Coventry listing to port
(NN)
In the early afternoon a raid of six Skyhawk A-4Bs closed the Falklands to the north and was monitored. A CAP was preparing to intercept but the ‘22/42 Combo’, which was working well, was tracking the raid and ordered the CAP to disengage. The leading pair of A-4Bs zoomed in on the ‘Combo’, which prepared to engage them. Despite the heavy anti-aircraft fire the Skyhawks pressed home their attack and scored a direct hit on Broadsword with a 1,000lb bomb, which penetrated right through the ship but failed to explode.
As two more Skyhawks roared in to attack, Coventry tried to engage with her Sea Dart but the system failed to acquire either of the incoming aircraft. The system may have been confused by having two separate targets in such close proximity to each other. Coventry then desperately tried to manoeuvre so that Broadsword could engage with her Sea Wolf system, but as the two ships turned at speed Coventry passed in front of Broadsword, obscuring her Sea Wolf weapon system. Three bombs tore into Coventry and exploded, killing nineteen of her men. The ship heeled over with smoke pouring from her. In less than ten minutes Coventry was on her beam end. The ship had to be abandoned, and shortly afterwards she rolled over and sank.
The Sinking of the Atlantic Conveyor Argentine reconnaissance picked up the Carrier Battle Group, which was only some sixty miles to the north-east of East Falkland, and later in the afternoon it was decided to attack it with Exocet missiles. Two Exocet-armed Super Etendards were launched and flew to an in-flight refuelling point 120 miles to the north of the Falklands. The aircraft then altered course south-east to close the Task Group from an unexpected direction. As they approached to within forty miles of the group they transmitted briefly on their Agave radar and picked up a large radar echo which they assumed to be from one of the two carriers. The Agave transmissions were detected and identified by the group, which immediately took defensive action.
At 1538 both Super Etendard pilots launched their Exocet missiles at the same large radar contact on their screens. The group detected the launch and ships immediately turned towards the threat to present minimum radar profiles and fired Chaff patterns to decoy the missiles away from them.
One Exocet was successfully deflected away but the second struck the Atlantic Conveyor, which had been turning hard to port. The missile penetrated the port quarter ten feet above the waterline and ignited a raging fire. ‘Only twenty minutes after being hit it was clear that our ship was doomed and all our attempts to quell the fires were to no avail.’8 The master, Captain Ian North, and the Senior Naval Officer, Captain Mike Layard, agreed there was no chance of saving the ship, and as the fires rapidly approached the magazines orders were given to abandon ship. Twelve men including the master perished. Although the ship remained afloat for several days she was a burned-out wreck and nothing could be salvaged from her. Lost with the Atlantic Conveyor were three valuable Chinook helicopters and six Wessex 5 helicopters, which meant that progress across East Falkland would have to be by foot.
Royal Marines advance across West Falkland towards Port Stanley
(NN)
Star shell being fired by naval guns at night
(DC)
It had been a desperate day, but on land there were now 5,500 troops well established with some 5,000 tons of ammunition and equipment. Brigadier Thompson decided there was no time to lose and on 26 May gave orders for the advance across West Falkland. The amphibious group still came under air attack but at a much-reduced intensity so that unloading operations were able to continue with minimum disruption. Several attacks were carried out on shore positions, causing some casualties.
The Advance
The break-out from the beachhead at San Carlos started on 27 May, with 45 Commando and 3 Para setting out due east to advance on Teal Inlet.
Goose Green 2 Para meanwhile advanced on Darwin and were undetected as they prepared to attack Argentine forces at Goose Green. Unfortunately the BBC World Service announced the impending attack on Goose Green, and during the night Argentine reinforcements were flown in from Port Stanley. Sea Harriers attacked Goose Green in the morning and one was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, but bad visibility prevented more sorties, and 2 Para, with only three 105mm guns, had to attack the Argentine garrison at Goose Green without the benefit of air support. Arrow however provided NGS (naval gunfire support) and fired twenty-two rounds of starshell and 135 rounds of 4.5in, which were placed with great accuracy from a range of over ten miles.
The NGS had a devastating effect on the Argentine defenders. In the opinion of 3 Commando Brigade staff officers, the accurate NGS was the decisive factor in the rapid advance of the Paras.9 At one stage shells were arriving only fifty metres in front of the advancing troops. However, Arrow had to withdraw to be back in San Carlos, two hours away, by daylight.
It was a very hard-fought battle during the course of which the commanding officer of 2 Para, Lieutenant Colonel H Jones, was killed (he was posthumously awarded a Victoria Cross). Reinforcements were flown in by Sea Kings and eventually the Argentinians capitulated on 29 May.
The British forces were further reinforced by the arrival of the Queen Elizabeth II with the Guards and the Gurkhas of 5th Infantry Brigade. The marines and soldiers advancing across East Falkland continued to make good if slow progress. All the while the naval forces continued to bombard Argentine positions in range of the sea and to use Sea Harriers to mount strikes on targets inland.
The Last AM.39 Exocet Attack, 30 May Whilst the campaign advanced steadily on shore, the Argentinians remained determined to sink one of the carriers. On 30 May a raid was planned using two Super Etendards, one armed with the last remaining AM.39 Exocet missile. They were to be supported by four Skyhawks armed with three 500lb bombs each. The plan was to use in-flight refuelling to fly some hundred miles south of the Falklands to a position below the Task Group and then turn north and attack from the south. The aircraft flew out to a position 300 miles to the south-east of Port Stanley and then, undetected, they turned north to commence their run-in, flying very low below the group’s radar cover. When they were close in, the Super Etendards climbed, making height for a quick burst transmission on their Agave radars. The Task Group detected the transmission and the action warning of ‘Handbrake!’ was immediately given. The lead Super Etendard fired its Exocet at a range of twenty-one miles and the ships of the Task Group immediately took evasive action.
Whilst the Super Etendards headed for home, the Skyhawks followed the Exocet missile in towards the Task Force. Exeter engaged the incoming Skyhawks with Sea Dart missiles, shooting down one as the remaining three pressed on to attack the frigate Avenger ahead of them. Avenger shot down one Skyhawk but the other two released their bombs, which fell all round the frigate, two very close on either side of the bow, but miraculously with no direct hit. The Skyhawks turned to port and headed south-west to escape. The Exocet missile meanwhile disappeared, though Avenger claimed to have shot it down with a 4.5in shell.
The surviving Skyhawk pilots claimed they had hit Invincible, which had also, supposedly, been struck by the Exocet missile and was on fire. The Argentine media made it front-page headline news, with lurid artists’ impressions of the burning Invincible!
Although Argentine attacks on the forces at sea had gradually reduced and more ships had arrived to reinforce the Task Force, the land campaign slogged slowly on with no sign of the Argentinians surrendering as Paras, Guards and Royal Marines slowly and determinedly closed in on Port Stanley.
On 7 June two unarmed Learjets approached at 40,000 feet on a high-altitude reconnaissance mission. Exeter acquired them, and when they came within range, engaged with Sea Dart missiles. One Learjet was shot down, which crashed over Pebble Island, killing all five of its crew.10 The second Learjet was not re-engaged but was deliberately allowed to return to report that San Carlos remained well defended.
The Attack at Bluff Cove, 8 June In an attempt to speed up the capture of Port Stanley the Welsh Guards were embarked in the LSLs Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram and sailed round at night to the east coast close to Fitzroy, some miles to the south of Port Stanley. The LSLs were spotted and the Argentine Air Force planned to attack them, as they appeared to be undefended. Raids were also mounted against the ships in Falkland Sound.
Plymouth had gone out from San Carlos into the open Sound to bombard Argentine spotters on Mount Rosalie, on West Falkland, which had a clear view of the mouth of San Carlos Water. Just after midday five Daggers, on their way to Fitzroy, spotted Plymouth and dived down to attack her.
RFA Sir Galahad on fire at Bluff Cove
(NN)
Four 1,000 lb bombs hit the frigate, although two of the Daggers were shot down (one by Seacat missile and one by 20mm Oerlikon). Three bombs caused considerable damage without detonating, but the fourth hit a depth charge, which exploded with the bomb, causing a major fire. Many rounds of 30mm cannon shell also hit Plymouth.
As the remaining Daggers were escaping to the west, five Skyhawks were flying round the south coast of East Falkland and up the coast towards Fitzroy. One of the aircraft spotted the two LSLs in Fitzroy Cove, and the leader then led the Skyhawks in to attack from the sea at low level. The LSLs were taken completely by surprise and had no time to prepare any defence. Being at anchor, they were sitting ducks, and each was hit by at least two 500lb bombs, as well as being strafed by 20mm cannon fire. Not all the bombs exploded but both ships were set on fire, with heavy casualties. The Master of Sir Galahad immediately gave the order to abandon ship. Sir Tristram was not quite so badly damaged but eventually she had to be abandoned as well. Fifty men were killed and another fifty-seven were wounded, many being badly burned. 8 June was a tragic day for the Task Force.
Exocet Strike on HMS Glamorgan, 12 June By 11 June the Royal Marines and Paras were attacking the Argentine forces in the hills around Port Stanley. As the land forces closed in, the naval bombardment of the Argentine defenders was intensified. The pattern of operations was for bombarding ships to close the land and open fire at night, withdrawing before daylight. On 12 June Glamorgan and Yarmouth had been providing naval gunfire support and shelling Argentine positions on Two Sisters, Mount Harriet and Mount Tumbledown. Avenger had been shelling Mount Longdon. After firing 428 high-explosive shells Glamorgan and Yarmouth turned east and commenced their withdrawal shortly after 0200.
When Glamorgan was approximately seventeen miles south-west of Port Stanley, a small contact approaching fast from well astern was detected on her radar. It was assumed to be a shell but it continued beyond the range of any gun and was quickly identified by Avenger as an Exocet missile (a ground-launched Exocet missile dismounted from a frigate and fired from the back of a lorry). Glamorgan held fire until the missile was within one mile and then launched a Seacat, which burst close to the Exocet, deflecting its flight but not sufficiently to cause it to miss Glamorgan. It hit the upper deck and tore into the hangar before exploding. The explosion ignited the aviation fuel, creating a fireball which devastated the stern of the ship. Fires raged in the galley, hangar and after machinery spaces. Thirteen men were killed and fourteen wounded. Listing heavily, and with smoke pouring from her, the ship managed to make eighteen knots and continued on course to rejoin the Task Group. By 1100 the next day Glamorgan had rejoined the group and brought her fires under control.
Ashore the Paras and Royal Marines were pressing home their attacks and by 0800 had secured all their objectives on the high ground overlooking Port Stanley. Later that morning an air raid of seven Skyhawk A-4Bs flew up the east coast of East Falkland and then turned in to attack the tactical headquarters of 3 Commando Brigade, Royal Marines on Mount Kent. Fortunately most of the bombs dropped failed to explode, though two helicopters were wrecked. Three of the Skyhawks were severely damaged by anti-aircraft fire but managed to return to their base.
Aircraft Attrition By 14 June the Argentinians had very few serviceable aircraft left: they had lost seventy and many more were severely damaged. It showed the courage of the Argentine pilots that they had continued to fly missions in the face of such a high attrition rate. Losses for the Task Force were thirty-four aircraft, twenty-four being helicopters (including the ten which were lost on board Atlantic Conveyor). The air battles also demonstrated the success of Sidewinder and Sea Dart missile systems, which had accounted for twenty-four aircraft between them. The reliability, availability and operational effectiveness of the Harriers had also been very clearly demonstrated. Meanwhile the ships of the Task Force continued to patrol the waters around the islands, fully ready to repulse any further air attacks.
The Final Advance and Cease-Fire, 14 June
In the late evening of 13 June the British forces commenced a heavy artillery and mortar barrage, supplemented by naval gunfire support. At approximately 2200 two major assaults were launched, supported by covering fire from frigates, close to the coast. 2 Para, supported by Yarmouth and Ambuscade (Commander Mosse), advanced to capture the western part of Wireless Ridge, whilst the Scots Guards advanced to take Mount Tumbledown, to be followed by the Gurkhas in their assault on Mount William. Active supported the assault on Mount Tumbledown firing starshell as well as high-explosive shells. The Argentine forces put up a determined resistance, and it was not until the early hours of the morning of 14 June that they were finally dislodged from Mount Tumbledown.
The British forces were now in possession of all the high ground overlooking Port Stanley, with the exception of Sapper Hill. Naval helicopters were then used to transport assault teams from 40 Commando to attack the hill. At that stage the Argentine forces were completely surrounded and General Menendez was negotiating for a cease-fire. At 1105 white flags were flying over Port Stanley and the fighting ceased. There was no guarantee that the Junta would accept the cease-fire, and constant vigilance was required in case of any further attacks from the mainland.
The Task Force off the Falkland Islands, led by Andromeda
(NN)
Operations were still required to mop up outlying Argentine positions on West Falkland and other islands. There was also the enormous logistics challenge of processing 10,254 prisoners, caringfor the many wounded on both sides and starting the long slow work of clearing up. The weather deteriorated rapidly, impeding transport and replenishment, and there were many other matters to be dealt with including the problems of large quantities of landmines and other unexploded ordnance.
Invincible arrives home in Portsmouth on 17 September
(NN)
Hermes sails into Portsmouth harbour on 21 July
(NN)
Operation Keyhole 19–20 June The very last operation of the Falklands Campaign was Operation Keyhole, the recapture of Southern Thule. On 15 June Yarmouth was ordered to detach from the Task Force and proceed to South Georgia to rendezvous with Endurance. Yarmouth, supported by the tanker RFA Olmeda, sailed south-east into heavy seas and arrived at Grytviken on 17 June. The Task Unit, under the command of Captain Barker of Endurance, embarked two rifle troops of 42 Commando and with six helicopters between them sailed for South Thule, 450 miles south-east of South Georgia.
HMS Invincible
Invincible Class Aircraft Carrier
The Invincible class VSTOL (vertical short take off and landing) light aircraft carriers, designed for ASW in the North Atlantic, arrived just in time to enable the Royal Navy to retain a crucial element of organic air power, in both air-defence and strike. Invincible played a key role in the Falklands Campaign and with her sister ships provided the backbone of the surface fleet, operating all over the world for more than three decades.
Launched: |
3 May 1977 |
Commissioned: |
11 July 1980 |
Displacement: |
20,000 tonnes |
Length: |
210m |
Propulsion: |
COGAG 4 Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines, 2 shafts |
Armament: |
Sea Dart missiles, |
Typical air group: |
6 Harrier GR7, |
Complement: |
682 plus 366 air group plus up to 600 Royal Marines |
No. in class: |
3: Invincible, Illustrious and Ark Royal |
Arriving off South Thule two days later, Endurance used her helicopters to land sections of Royal Marines, whilst flights were made by other helicopters to confuse the Argentinians. In the morning of 20 June Yarmouth was ordered to conduct a gunfire demonstration as the Royal Marines advanced on the Argentine positions. Fortunately, as the Royal Marines prepared to advance and Yarmouth prepared to open fire, the Argentinians decided to surrender. The very last act of the campaign was for the Royal Marines to hoist the Union Jack over South Thule. It was both right and appropriate that the Royal Marines should play the first and last part in the Falklands War.
The Happy Return On 17 June General Galtieri and the Junta resigned. Then on 21 June General Bignone, the new interim President of Argentina, finally ratified the ceasefire negotiated on 14 June and the threat of hostilities was at last lifted. The British government decided nevertheless that it would retain sufficient forces in the area to safeguard the Falkland Islands for the time being.
It was then time for all those ships not involved in the logistics and recovery work in the Falkland Islands to make the welcome passage back to the United Kingdom. One of the first ships to return home was the Queen Elizabeth II, transporting the survivors of Ardent, Antelope and Coventry. She arrived back in the Solent on 11 June and was greeted by HM Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother on board the Royal Yacht. A gun salute was fired by Lowestoft. The rest of the ships arrived back to rapturous welcomes and celebrations in Devonport, Portsmouth, Portland, Faslane and Rosyth from 21 June onwards. In the South Atlantic, Rear Admiral Reffell relieved Rear Admiral Woodward on 1 July, and Hermes then returned to Portsmouth on 21 July.
Change of Command The brand new carrier Illustrious, completed well ahead of time by Swan Hunters on Tyneside, quickly completed her sea trials and, commanded by Captain Jock Slater, sailed south. She arrived in the South Atlantic on 27 August and the following day relieved Invincible (Captain Jeremy Black) to return to Portsmouth.
Invincible Returns Home On being relieved Invincible, escorted by Bristol, set course for the UK. Both ships finally arrived in Portsmouth on 17 September.
In Conclusion
Operation Corporate and the retaking of the Falkland Islands constituted the biggest naval campaign of the eighties. It was a relatively short, sharp, unexpected conflict fought nearly 8,000 miles away and the Royal Navy bore the brunt of it. It was ‘short’ in the sense that there were only seventy-four days from the Argentinean invasion to their subsequent capitulation. It was ‘sharp’ because British forces suffered over 1,000 casualties (Argentina’s exact casualties are unknown, but the total number was certainly more than double the number of British casualties and well exceeded the Falklands Islands’ population of 1,800). Over 57,000 tons of shipping were sunk. The British Task Force lost six major ships, including two modern Type 42 destroyers and two Type 21 frigates, and had ten others severely damaged. The Argentineans lost well over a hundred aircraft, and the cost to the British taxpayer has been estimated at over £2 billion.
The conflict was remarkable in many ways, a war which was certainly not anticipated and for which the Royal Navy was not well prepared owing to severe cuts in the defence budget and changes in government defence policy. At the time the Royal Navy was fully committed to NATO in an ASW role in the North Atlantic. The Fleet was reliant on land-based air cover, the last fleet carrier, Ark Royal, having been scrapped just two years earlier. Then suddenly the Navy found itself fighting a war in the distant South Atlantic facing air, surface and sub-surface threats with no allies and no land-based air cover. Of necessity it became an excellent proving ground for the Sea Harrier.
‘Operation CORPORATE became necessary because deterrence failed, but in its execution it represented a triumph of military capability backed by resolute political will. The difficulties of short notice, extreme range and appalling weather under which this operation was mounted were all overcome by a single factor, the quality of our people.’ Falklands despatch by John Fieldhouse, Commander in Chief Fleet.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Operation Agila In January 1980 Britain despatched forces to Rhodesia to monitor the cease-fire prior to elections. Royal Marines and naval personnel were included as well as naval doctors and medical assistants. The forces were withdrawn on 15 March.
Bahamas On 12 May 1980 Cuban MiG fighter aircraft attacked the Bahamian Defence Force ship Flamingo, which was attempting to arrest Cuban fishing vessels fishing illegally. The Bahamian government appealed to the UK and the frigate Eskimo, with RFA Black Rover, sailed immediately from St Vincent. By the time they arrived the Flamingo had already sunk but they were able to rescue the crew.
Operation Titan In June 1980, units of 42 Commando flew out to the New Hebrides to assist French troops with Operation ‘Titan’. The forces restored order during the runup to Independence, and the Commander in Chief Fleet’s band flew out to perform during the celebrations on 10 July. The Royal Marines remained until 19 August.
Fastnet Race Disaster In August 1980 the Fastnet Race in the Atlantic was devastated by a hurricane, with many yachts swamped and sunk. The frigate Broadsword was quickly on the scene and was able to supervise and co-ordinate all the difficult rescue operations.
Hurricane ‘Allen’ When Hurricane ‘Allen’ struck St Lucia and the Cayman Islands on 5 August 1980 the destroyer Glasgow and the frigate Scylla were quickly in the area, providing emergency relief aid.
Algeria On 24 June 1981, Algerian gunboats stopped a Shell tanker off Oran in the Mediterranean. The gunboats were attempting to divert the tanker, which appealed for help. The frigate Dido was ordered to the area at full speed to assist. As she closed the area the gunboats broke off and the incident was cleared up.
Operation Lesser Renewed violence in the Lebanon in June 1982 led to the UK launching Operation Lesser to protect and evacuate British nationals. The frigate Leander was detached from NAVOCFORMED (the Naval On Call Force Mediterranean) on 14 June and sent east to stand by off Akrotiri. mv Royal Prince with Royal Marines and naval personnel on board was sent in to Jounich to evacuate British nationals. The evacuation was completed by 24 June.
PERSONNEL MATTERS
The Redundancy Programme The infamous 1981 defence review, Cmnd. 8288 (‘The Way Forward’), set out reductions in the manpower of all three armed services. The Royal Navy was to be reduced to 46,000 by 1990, in proportion to the reductions in the Fleet. Although it was not specifically mentioned, there was fear for the future of the Royal Marine Corps, with the decision to phase out and not replace the main amphibious ships. A redundancy programme was needed to remove such a large number of personnel, and the first phase of 500 redundancies was carried out before the Falklands Campaign took place. After the completion of Operation Corporate all plans were placed on hold, pending a fundamental re-evaluation of defence policy.
Recruiting Officer recruiting was becoming a problem, owing primarily to the publicity given to manpower cuts and redundancies. Studies were underway to consider the structure of the officer corps. Rating recruiting was very strong, with only 4,000 being accepted from the 30,761 applicants in 1982. The only problem was over a slight lack of sufficient high-calibre candidates for Artificer places.
New Open Engagement A new Open Engagement (contract of service) was introduced in September 1982, the aim being to simplify the nine different forms of engagement and encourage more senior rates to sign on for a full twenty-two-year pensionable engagement. There was also a revised bonus scheme, with an Open Engagement Bonus replacing the previous committal pay. The new scheme entailed ratings being paid £1,000 on completion of four and a half years’ service and the same amount after seven and a half years’ service for all those who had not given notice.
White Ensign Association Throughout the Falklands Campaign many people contributed and did their bit to help. Looking back through the records of the White Ensign Association it is noted that the Association also played its part in assisting all those involved. The Association organised life insurance for those sailing to the South Atlantic and also provided much help to the dependants of those killed or crippled during the campaign.