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NAVY NEWS, JUNE 2011
Trophy lives In early 1982 a longstanding difference of opinion between Great Britain and Argentina over the ownership of the Falkland Islands and other South Atlantic territories resulted in Argentine forces landing on South Georgia and, on April 2, the Falkland Islands. This was condemned by the United Nations and signalled the start of Operation Corporate, the British military operation to recapture the invaded islands. The next day Rear Admiral Woodward – the Task Force Commander – sailed south from Gibraltar with five destroyers, three frigates and two RFAs. Within a week the carriers Hermes and Invincible and assault ships Intrepid and Fearless had left Portsmouth, the latter two ships carrying Commodore Amphibious Warfare, Cdre Clapp and Brigadier Thompson’s 3 Commando Brigade, 40, 42 and 45 Commandos and 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment – the 2nd Battalion of which was to join later. By April 12 the number of ships heading south was deemed to be sufficient to declare and maintain a 200 mile Total Exclusion Zone around the Falklands. Three days later Admiral
Woodward shifted his flag to Hermes which then became the Task Force Flagship. South Georgia was recaptured on April 26 and six days later the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine Conqueror. On May 4 Argentine Super Etandard aircraft attacked the Task Force with Exocet missiles, one hitting the destroyer Sheffield and leading to her eventual loss. While HMS Alacrity’s night transit of Falkland Sound on May 11 confirmed that mines had not been laid, later air attacks by the enemy were to lead – directly or indirectly – to the sinkings of the frigates Ardent and Antelope, the destroyer Coventry, the requisitioned merchant vessel Atlantic Conveyor and the landing ship RFA Sir Galahad; several ships also sustained varying degrees of damage from air raids. In spite of these losses maritime superiority had been established and allowed the successful landing of Royal Marine and Army units. Control of the land forces lay with Major General Moore RM in HMS Fearless and by the end of May Darwin and Goose Green had been recaptured. As Mount Harriet, Two
Sisters and Mount Longdon had been taken by 42 Commando, 45 Commando and 3 Para on June 12 the final assault on enemy forces was clearly imminent. With Port Stanley taken by 3 Commando and 5 Infantry Brigades, 2 Para having seized Windy Hill, the Scots Guards taking Tumbledown Hill and Mount William falling to the Gurkhas Major General Moore was able to accept the surrender of Argentine Forces on June 14. The campaign cost 255 British lives; it involved over a 100 warships and requisitioned merchantmen and 13 Fleet Air Arm squadrons, and the Naval Review reported that it was characterised by “a mixture of well-practised procedures and hectic improvisation that were, in the light of history, nothing new to the Royal Navy.” To mark the anniversary of this successful operation, this month’s selected Trophy – No 7,298 – is a silver-plated statue of Hermes, the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology. It was presented to the aircraft carrier Hermes shortly after her entry into service in 1959, some 23 years before she played the leading role in a war over 8,000 miles distant from the United Kingdom.
Diary dates JUNE June 4, Saturday: Collingwood Open Day, www.royal-navy.mod.uk/cwd/ openday/index.htm June 18-19, Saturday and Sunday: Sultan Show, www.sultan.org.uk June 25, Saturday: Armed Forces Day, www.armedforcesday.org.uk: Events around the country, and main event in Edinburgh JULY July 1-2, Friday and Saturday: South Coast Proms, www.southcoastproms. com July 9, Saturday: Yeovilton Air Day, http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operationsand-support/establishments/navalbases-and-air-stations/rnas-yeovilton/ rnas-yeovilton-air-day-2009/ July 20, Wednesday: Culdrose Air Day
Assignments Cdre Christopher J Hockley to be promoted Rear Admiral and to be Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland and Flag Officer Reserve Forces from September 9. Brig David A Hook to be promoted Major General and to be Director Force Reintegration HQ ISAF Afghanistan from October 26. Cdre Clive C C Johnstone to be promoted Rear Admiral and to be Flag Officer Sea Training from July 12.
Sports lottery April 16: £5,000 – AB1 G A Harmer; £1,500 – Mne B J West; £500 – AB1 T V Frederick. April 23: VW Polo – PO F A Linn; £1,500 – Lt J K Griggs; £500 – AB1 P S Acres. April 30: £5,000 – AB1 J S Orme; £1,500 – PO L M Skinner; £500 – AB1 M J Lycett. May 7: £5,000 – LMA R Jefferies; £1,500 – Cpl G S McCrae; £500 – AB1 J S Regnard. May 14 : £5,000 – PO P E Garland; £1,500 – Mne R P J Maltby; £500 – CPO R J Schofield.
Entries for the Deaths column and Swap Drafts in July’s Noticeboard must be received by June 13
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