Friday, 19 March |
Scrap metal workers arrive at the derelict whaling station at Leith on South Georgia and raise the flag of Argentina. |
Sunday, 21 March |
Endurance, at Stanley, sails for South Georgia with two helicopters and a Royal Marines detachment. |
Monday, 22 March |
The Bahia Buen Suceso leaves Leith harbour; forty-eight scrap metal workers remain behind. |
Wednesday, 24 March |
Royal Marines detachment from Endurance lands to monitor Argentine activity at Leith. |
Thursday, 25 March |
Argentine marines land at Leith from Bahia Paraíso. |
Monday, 29 March |
Replacement for Naval Party 8901 arrives in Stanley. |
Wednesday, 31 March |
Royal Marines detachment disembarks from Endurance at Grytviken, South Georgia. |
Thursday, 1 April |
Naval Party 8901 for the 1981–82 deployment passed operational command to the new Royal Marines detachment; both take up defensive positions in and around Stanley; submarine Splendid leaves from Faslane; orders given for the SBS to mobilise. |
Friday, 2 April |
Argentine invasion of the Falklands begins; after brief resistance Governor Rex Hunt surrenders; the UN condemns the act with Resolution 502; Task Force begins to assemble. |
Saturday, 3 April |
Royal Marines at Grytviken, outnumbered and outgunned, surrender; NP 8901 is flown to Montevideo for repatriation. |
Sunday, 4 April |
Brigadier Thompson briefs his commanding officers at Plymouth; submarine Conqueror leaves Faslane. |
Monday, 5 April |
Task Force sails from Portsmouth with HQ 3 Commando Brigade and elements of 40 and 42 Commando; Naval Party 8901 arrives back in the UK. |
Tuesday, 6 April |
Naval Party 1222, intended for the island’s defence, arrives at Ascension. |
Thursday, 8 April |
Broadsword and Yarmouth depart from Gibraltar. |
Friday, 9 April |
Canberra departs from Portsmouth carrying 3 Para and most of 40 and 42 Commando. |
Saturday, 10 April |
Antrim Group arrives at Ascension. |
Sunday, 11 April |
Antrim Group sails for South Georgia from Ascension with M Company 42 Commando aboard. |
Monday, 12 April |
UK imposes 200-mile Maritime Exclusion Zone around the Falklands. |
Wednesday, 14 April |
Brilliant Group leaves Ascension; Rear Admiral Woodward departs from Ascension aboard Glamorgan, with Alacrity, Broadsword and Yarmouth. |
Friday, 16 April |
Task Force sails from Ascension; Hermes arrives at Ascension; Invincible leaves Ascension; Woodward discusses campaign strategy with Commodore Clapp and Thompson aboard Fearless. |
Saturday, 17 April |
Admiral Fieldhouse, C-in-C Fleet and Major General Moore, Land Forces Commander, fly to Ascension to meet Woodward, Thompson and Clapp aboard Hermes. |
Sunday, 18 April |
Carrier Battle Group leaves Ascension: Hermes, Invincible, Glamorgan, Broadsword, Yarmouth, Alacrity and RFA Olmeda and Resource. |
Tuesday, 20 April |
Canberra and Elk arrive at Ascension; Royal Marines captured at South Georgia arrive in the UK. |
Wednesday, 21 April |
SBS and SAS teams inserted by helicopter on to South Georgia. |
Thursday, 22 April |
SAS team rescued from Fortuna Glacier; two Wessex helicopters crash. |
Friday, 23 April |
M Company 42 Commando lands on South Georgia. |
Sunday, 25 April |
Intrepid, Atlantic Conveyor, and Europic Ferry depart from the UK; Carrier Battle Group joins with Sheffield Group. |
Monday, 26 April |
Argentine forces on South Georgia surrender. |
Tuesday, 27 April |
Cabinet in London gives approval for Operation Sutton; Norland and Sir Bedivere depart from the UK. |
Wednesday, 28 April |
UK declares 200-mile Total Exclusion Zone, now including aircraft and ships of all nations; hospital ship Uganda arrives at Ascension. |
Thursday, 29 April |
Uganda departs from Ascension. |
Friday, 30 April |
UK begins enforcing the Total Exclusion Zone; main Task Group arrives in TEZ. |
Saturday, 1 May |
Vulcan bomber attacks Stanley airport; Sea Harriers also conduct attacks; naval bombardments commence of the same area; SAS and SBS patrols inserted on East and West Falklands; UK government requisitions RMS Queen Elizabeth 2. |
Sunday, 2 May |
Conqueror sinks the cruiser General Belgrano. |
Tuesday, 4 May |
Black Buck 2 raid against Stanley airport; Sheffield struck by Exocet missile; Sea Harrier shot down over Goose Green. |
Wednesday, 5 May |
Eight RAF Harriers arrive at Ascension. |
Thursday, 6 May |
Argonaut Group leaves Ascension; 2 Para arrives at Ascension. |
Friday, 7 May |
Norland arrives at Ascension; most of Amphibious Task Group departs. |
Saturday, 8 May |
First of refuelled air drops flown to the Task Force. |
Monday, 10 May |
Sheffield, heavily damaged six days previously, sinks while under tow; Bristol Group leaves UK; Nimrods begin work in support of the Task Force. |
Wednesday, 12 May |
Queen Elizabeth 2 departs from Southampton with most of 5 Infantry Brigade aboard; Glasgow damaged by Argentine aircraft; Cardiff leaves Gibraltar; 3 Commando Brigade HQ issues Operational Order for the landings in San Carlos Water. |
Friday, 14–Saturday 15 May |
SAS raid against airstrip at Pebble Island. |
Wednesday, 19 May |
Cabinet gives approval for amphibious landings; Sea King carrying SAS crashes into the sea during cross-decking. |
Thursday, 20 May |
Sea King lands in Chile; crew turn themselves in to authorities and are repatriated. |
Friday, 21 May |
3 Commando Brigade executes landings in San Carlos Water; Ardent sunk. |
Saturday, 22 May |
3 Commando Brigade all ashore; Brigade Maintenance Area established at Ajax Bay. |
Sunday, 23 May |
Antelope sunk. |
Monday, 24 May |
Sir Galahad, Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram are bombed in San Carlos Water, but the bombs fail to explode in all cases. |
Tuesday, 25 May |
Coventry and Atlantic Conveyor hit by Exocet missiles, the former sinking. |
Wednesday, 26 May |
2 Para leaves Sussex Mountain for advance on Goose Green. |
Thursday, 27 May |
3 Para and 45 Commando tab and yomp, respectively, from San Carlos Water; SAS patrol flies to Mount Kent; Queen Elizabeth 2, Canberra and Norland rendezvous at South Georgia; 5 Infantry Brigade begins cross-decking on to troopships. |
Friday, 28 May |
2 Para engages Argentine defenders at Darwin and Goose Green. |
Saturday, 29 May |
Major Keeble accepts Argentine surrender of 1,100 troops at Goose Green; Atlantic Conveyor sinks under tow. |
Sunday, 30 May |
Major General Moore arrives off the Falklands. |
Monday, 31 May |
42 Commando move by air to Mount Kent; Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre defeat Argentine troops at Top Malo House; 3 Para arrives at Douglas settlement; 45 Commando arrives at Teal Inlet settlement; Black Buck 5 raid strikes radar position in Stanley. |
Tuesday, 1 June |
5 Infantry Brigade begin disembarking in San Carlos Water; 3 Commando Brigade forward base established at Teal Inlet in preparation for major engagements; 3 Para and 42 and 45 Commando begin patrolling areas in vicinity of planned objectives. |
Wednesday, 2 June |
2 Para fly to Bluff Cove. |
Thursday, 3 June |
Black Buck 6 raid conducted against runway at Stanley. |
Saturday, 5 June |
Scots Guards embark in Sir Tristram for Bluff Cove. |
Sunday, 6 June |
Welsh Guards embark in Fearless for Fitzroy but the ship is ordered not to sail; Scots Guards land at Bluff Cove; 5 Infantry Brigade establishes forward base there. |
Tuesday, 8 June |
Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram hit by bombs in Port Pleasant; LCU Foxtrot Four sunk by Argentine aircraft in Choiseul Sound; Plymouth damaged by unexploded bomb; Moore explains plans for offensive against Stanley. |
Friday, 11 June |
Major assaults on the outer ring of Argentine defences around Stanley: 42 Commando at Mount Harriet, 3 Para at Mount Longdon, and 45 Commando at Two Sisters. |
Saturday, 12 June |
By sunrise all attacks have succeeded; Glamorgan struck by land-based Exocet missile; Black Buck 7 raid conducted against radar installation at Stanley. |
Sunday, 13 June |
2 Para attack Wireless Ridge; Scots Guards attack Mount Longdon; Gurkhas occupy Mount William. |
Monday, 14 June |
By early morning all assaults successful; Argentine forces surrender. |