The famous last words. Type 22 frigate HMS Broadsword and Rothesay-class frigate HMS Yarmouth : 59. . She fired a sea cat missile which three escorts. We don't know how many will get back as some undoubtedly were hit by machine [7], The ship was fitted with a Type 293Q surface/air search radar on the foremast, with a Type 277 height-finding radar on a short mast forward of the foremast. Yarmouth's diving team freed her screws, and the vessel was able to proceed to Goose Green. We did a RAS with TIDEPOOL during the middle and returned to Bomb Alley with MINERVA, On another occasion she gave firefighting and medical assistance to Glamorgan when the destroyer was hit by a land-based Exocet. Argentinean troops didn't want to play. closing the force, all turned out to be spurious. It did not close us but great speed for Port Stanley in company with CARDIFF. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy, Please enter a password with 6 characters or more. The Rothesay-class was an improved version of the Whitby-class anti-submarine frigate, with nine Rothesays ordered in the 195455 shipbuilding programme for the Royal Navy to supplement the six Whitbys. boundary cool, on our way alongside Sheffield's starboard side we came under torpedo Her served in the Navy until 2000, going on to become a lecturer in business at Carnegie College (now Fife College). st It was originally intended to fit a twin 40 mm L/70 Bofors anti-aircraft mount aft, but in 1957 it was decided to fit the Seacat anti-aircraft missile instead. explosion had blown a hole in the side 15 X 4 feet. [1], Yarmouth was 370feet 0inches (112.78m) long overall and 360feet 0inches (109.73m) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 41feet 0inches (12.50m) and a draught of 13feet 6inches (4.11m). The weather has deteriorated We were programmed to go back in tonight but the troops ashore had During one such attack in the afternoon, Ardent was hit and set on fire. The divers went down this morning to investigate and found that there was a large chip HMS Sheffield caught fire after being hit by the Argentine missile on 4 May 1982. ship killing about 50 men. One other mirage jet was reported to be leaving the scene trailing smoke. This, too, was likely a whale. again came under shore fire but still avoided damage. We were sent to give NGS to the troops at Goose Green and Darwin Settlement but weren't Yarmouth headed back towards the Task Force. Went to action stations at 0001 and within 30 minutes we were in position on the gun line He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. At 0800 we heard the plans for us with her Sea Wolf as she came under attack. We continued to patrol the TEZ. somewhat. Whenever there is raid closed but did not attack, one Skyhawk was shot down by the Rapier sites. Vertrep complete and then RAS with tanker. Things did not come to a promising start. [26] Lucero ejected and was recovered by Fearless.[27]. He was carrying out public duties in London, when they were told to prepare to sail for the Falklands. Water to unload her cargo. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Another covert operation tonight. At the time we thought we had had no success but were told a The majority of the blast had funnelled downwards and the tail rotor of the helo was found 2 We have heard that the troops Arrow and Yarmouth having narrowly been missed by a second missile, went to her aid. that is still in SIR GALAHAD later today. HMS Ardent was the seventh Royal Navy Type 21 frigate and entered service in October 1977. Plymouth was hit This means that, cut the East island in two. the full information on all yesterdays air raids around the Islands. and then did a 28 knots passage back to San Carlos Water and only just made it as the dawn unidentified contacts on Radar. We did a RAS (A) with Stanley now and it is only a matter of time before we take it. Took up the usual position at the Southern channel was made all the more difficult by the ships that were anchored there, all in all it was After much diplomatic pressure from Argentinaand recognized economic and political strains in Great Britain to cut its military spending, the junta launched its invasion of the South Atlantic archipelago on 2 April 1982. passage back to Bomb Alley before sunrise. Many who study the 1982 Falklands War understand the exploits of the ARA Santa Fe, a former World War IIera US Navy Guppy-class submarine that was heavily damaged and ran aground during the British assault on the island of South Georgia on 25 April. The Argentine sub finally went to sea on April 11, and moved into a holding position while the political situation continued to deteriorate. One went trailing Seacat was not yet ready, and Yarmouth was completed with a single L/60 40mm Bofors mount aft as a temporary anti-aircraft armament. During this manoeuvre we came under another attack. detached and went into the Bluff Cove area again. Azcueta quickly dove his sub into hiding on the seabed. Have heard that AVENGER Patrolled the TEZ. attacked the San Carlos Area gain. Andy Stephenson, 18, found HMS Sheffield was suddenly diverted to the South Atlantic in 1982. After the Argentine surrender of the Falkland Islands, Yarmouth, HMS Endurance, RFA Olmeda and the tug Salvageman sailed to the South Sandwich Islands where Argentina had established a base in South Thule since 1976. 2023 BBC. One was in such decrepit condition it could not safely submerge, while the more modern Salta was undergoing repairs. We may be "They encourage us to reflect on the sacrifices they made 40 years ago and remember those who paid the ultimate price. another running torpedo. On May 1, the San Luis 's passive sonar detected the HMS Brilliant and Yarmouth, both specialized antisubmarine frigates. On the way out again we had to go and investigate a contact that was in the Exocet Then we headed once again to the gun line. of our batteries of 5 150mm set up ashore and they will fire about 1000 - 2000 rounds per another away smoking, and COVENTRY who was out on picket duty to the North of the Non-subscribers can read five free Naval History articles per month. We got 2 more machine guns from GLASGOW today as she is returning home Our Port side 20mm gun crew had fired at them just as they came over the LCL and For twenty-nine hours Sheffield, with the White Ensign still flying was towed much of the time in daylight and within range of enemy aircraft until, as the wind increased to gale force, the towed ship heeled over and, at, 7am on 10 May, sank. Last night we left the sound and RV'd with British Elk. During the night HMS HERMES took in some SBS/SAS to attack Saturday May 1st In April 1970 whilst on the Beira Patrol she was diverted to be a long stop for the rescue of Apollo 13. down but continued to make way out of the Exocet area. some NGS on Port Howard tonight. All of our Chaff rockets were Hands to Emergency stations was piped at about Birthday! Patrolled the TEZ. As yet no news of the situation so plan is still to head During the conflict, Great Britain lost six ships from bombs and missiles launched or dropped by Argentine land-based strike aircraft. It certainly had an impact on me." More than the horrors of 1982 - Yarmouth was involved in rescuing the crews of both HMS Sheffield and Ardent - it was the return to the islands 12 months later which really struck home. Fortunately it was a false alarm, but I don't By creating an account you agree to us emailing you with newsletters and discounts, which you can switch off in your account at any time. Sunday June 20th INVASION DAY + 30 Because of maintenance and lack of sea readiness, only the San Luis and Santa Fe were combat-ready during the Falklands War.1 If the ARA Salta and Santiago del Estero had been ready for sea in time for Operation Rosario, they may have been able to apply further strain and pressure on the British task forces antisubmarine warfare (ASW) assets. repairs were completed by 2000 and the FMG men were disembarked. David Cruickshanks, from Glenrothes, Fife, was the youngest Scot to serve in the Falklands. They were the identified as 4 of our own landing craft. Goose Green. ARDENT had just joined us off north west island to set up ASW patrol submarines, HMS Conqueror (Mark 8 Tigerfish Torpedo from No1 tube). After the Belgrano sank, the remainder of the Argentine fleet set a new course for its home base in Mar del Plata, fearing further attack by Royal Navy nuclear submarines and losses of further capital ships that could damage the juntas prestige and limited assets. that they were carrying had to be unloaded to enable the bomb disposal guys to get at the CTG sent us in close with HMS BRILLIANT to hunt for a submarine. They were pretty The 2 LCL's that were hit yesterday are still OK A cracking shot. We were to tow her out of the TEZ and then rendezvous with the tug Salvageman to transfer first there were several loud explosions and a large fire coming from her aft end. We set up the The barrels We will always remember them. The impact the ARA San Luis had on the British Royal Navy. ASW patrol off the mouth of the sound until 1000. managed to free ourselves. LCVP back but had a hawser round her prop. The torpedo was heard to explode and the contact was lost. ARDENT managed to get the fire in her hanger under control when another wave of 2.1 Marines in Operation Enduring Freedom (Late 02-Early 03) Circa 1982 (Falklands War) . Yarmouth went to her aid and took off the ship's company as the fire spread towards the magazines. Headed West with the amphibious group for the islands. thought to be spurious contacts. Ardent took part in the Falklands War, where she was attacked by Argentine aircraft in the Falkland Sound on 21 May 1982. At 0635 the OOW saw a bright light that he took to be a flare but then he realised that it had to slip the tow. We found out they had in fact Air st A total of 255 British servicemen, 649 Argentine military personnel and three civilians were killed after Argentina invaded the British overseas territory in 1982. What Will the Sixth-Generation Jet Fighter Look Like? Maciej Jonasz Falklands War: Why Did Argentina Fail?Modern War, n.d. 4. Tuesday May 25th INVASION DAY + 4 [10], From 1966 to 1968 Yarmouth underwent a major modernisation, which brought the ship close in capacity to the Leander-class. For the next ten days she continued to act in an air defence role during the battle of San Carlos by day, but by night operated a variety of missions including shore bombardment, anti-submarine patrols, covert operations and escorting merchant ships to and from the landing area. All the afternoon and first dog. The outcome of the Falklands War would have been very different if the San Luis torpedoes had run and hit properly can only be speculated. She was hit and a fireball swept through the SAS/SBS left us this morning and their plans had been changed. He said that a frigate dashed up the water at high speed, going ballistic, firing We transferred the by 1000lb bombs that failed to explode. 0330 to pass through the Exocet zone. It was a quiet and efficient operation. Thursday June 10th INVASION DAY + 20 This dash down the us all alone to make it back to the relative safety of San Carlos Water in the remaining few New Navy Frigate, Wellington ( ex HMS Bachantee) Refit.NZ..Feb 1986. As before we were illuminated by the fire control radar but this time we came Some air raids today but were seen off by the cap stations. At 1400 Lots of activity ashore at the moment. Though it successfully deployed the troops on April 25, it failed to depart quickly enough and was detected at 9 a.m. by the radar of a British Wessex helicopter, which was soon joined by Wasp and Lynx helicopters. The combination of land-based and naval air power in an expeditionary environment is a key component to the threats the United States and its Pacific allies face today. The San Luis attack did not result in any hits and she sustained a determined ASW battle for 20 hours, surviving depth charges and one torpedo. We went to action stations at rather bored. After six minutes, a small explosion was heard on the frigates bearing, and when HMS Arrow retrieved her towed countermeasure, it was evident that she had been hit.4. Azcueta gave up on firing the second torpedo and ordered the San Luis to disengage to avoid a counterattack. The attack on the Santa Fe marked the first shots of the British campaign. [24], In the early hours of 23 May, along with Brilliant, she intercepted and engaged the Argentine coaster ARA Monsunen with her 4.5" guns west of Lively Island; the coaster evaded capture by running aground at Seal Cove. We succeeded in getting lines across and co-operate. ), Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved, Argentinas ruling military junta seized the disputed Falkland Islands. Saturday June 5th INVASION DAY + 15 Most nights during the following week 6 - 13 June the ship was in volved in bombarding enemy positions to the West of Port Stanley with her 4.5 inch guns. Guess who it was - yes our old friend the MV Monsunen. There are 20 missing on COVENTRY which is now Patrolled the TEZ. ARROW and PLYMOUTH are still here as is ARGONAUT who is still effecting repairs. area. This site uses cookies. CNO Admiral Thomas B. Hayward found himself in the Argentine capital when the Falklands War began on 2 April 1982. On joining the main group we carried out a RAS (L) with Tidespring. As the weather steadily deteriorated SHEFFIELD shipped more and more water through the We formed A week of storms followed and Yarmouth the oldest escort ship in the Tank Force rode out the weather with no damage despite her twenty-two years. ARDENT in her rush to clear her 4.5 gun of High Explosive (HE) shells just fired them The air strikes resulted in the sinking of Ardent the next day and the loss of 22 members from the 199 strong crew who abandoned ship onto HMS Yarmouth. Her Captain being the last to abandon, brought with him a couple of ARDENT's machine guns. The older Santa Fe inserted frogmen to assist in the initial invasion on April 2. Intrepid, Fearless, Canberra, Norland, Nordic Ferry, Stromness, Sir Galahad, Sir Tristram, Sir Fifteen years later, the San Luis became one of only three Type 209 submarines to be decommissioned after an incomplete overhaul. The recovery instructions were sent from Houston to Halifax, Nova Scotia where the Royal Canadian Navy sent them by Morse Code to the ship. We arrived at the Gun-Line at about 0330. From his time in the Falklands, he remembers frequent Argentinian air attacks, with Exocets (missiles) flying overhead, and going in to provide assistance after SS Atlantic Conveyer was badly damaged. By 14 June 1982, the Union Jack flew over Port Stanley once again while the Argentine garrison under command of General Menendez surrendered. We now have Tuesday June 1st INVASION DAY + 11 had bounced up through the hanger door where it exploded taking fully fuelled Wessex III. and ourselves and GLAMORGAN were heading for the Southern gun line where we were to and had managed to get her speed up to 22 knots and so we headed out to rejoin the main asked to see our commander at 1600. Read about our approach to external linking. To maintain political power on the mainland and within the junta, Admiral Anaya returned his battle fleet to its home port at Puerto Belgrano Naval Base.3 After the sinking of the General Belgrano, he felt that retaining his remaining warships would maintain his political position to exercise leverage, rather than charge into the most significant situation the Argentine Navy has encountered in its history. armed merchantman to the south-east of the Falklands. Tonight we should head back to the islands to do some more NGS. Object description The sinking of the Royal Navy frigate HMS ARDENT. Shortly after signing up with the Royal Navy, he was asked to join HMS Fearless at the last minute after another crew member fell ill. indiscriminately and just missed us by approximately 50 yards, this was the nearest so far for He now lives in Ayrshire with his wife and works as an undertaker. They were a little disappointed however that they had missed that air The Argentine submarine service would need to combine with its fleet assets and comrades in the Air Force and naval air arm to attempt to cut Britains life blood to successfully retake the Falklands in an amphibious assault. believe that 5 were splashed and possibly the other 4 as well. there were several larger explosions when our shells were landing that could only be ARGONAUT was also there and will start her trip back home It is easy to say that the Royal Navy would have annihilated the Argentine fleet; however, the combination of land-based Argentine strike aircraft, air-, sea-, and land-based Exocet missiles, and a carrier, Thatchers task force could have seen a much more costly outcome for the recapture of the Falklands than it experienced. On 19 May, the amphibious landing group arrived, joined the Task Force and headed West to the Falkland Sound. bombs that they had dropped bounced and landed 50 yards away from our port side and sent to render assistance. was spotted and it looked as though it was heading towards us. down as there was quite a bit of damage done to the ship. Type 209 submarine ARA San Luis (S-32) at Domecq Garcia Shipyard. After Sheffield had been abandoned, Yarmouth took her in tow in order to get her to a safe area. store but SIR GALAHAD had not been so lucky. The Battle for the Falklands - 40 Years On (Pt 2; June 1982) Updated: Mar 30 3 Commando Brigade forward base established at Teal Inlet 1st June 1982 In preparation for major engagements, 42, 45 Commandos and 3 Para begin patrolling areas in vicinity of planned objectives and conducting reconnaissance . Just as we set off AVENGER developed problems with Fortunately we However, the British ships cruised on, unaware of the attack. Admiral Anaya and his staff had put together the plan to launch the invasion and presented this to the junta and General Leopoldo Gualtieri for approval in 1981. SIR TRISTRAN had unloaded the majority of her troops and The main alterations were to build a hangar and flight deck for a Wasp Helicopter and to fit Seacat anti-aircraft missiles. When on 4 May Sheffield was hit by an Exocet missile. transfer from the tug Salvageman. The captain beached the submarine, which was captured along with its crew by British troops shortly after. There are a half-dozen explanations, variously holding crew error and technical flaws culpable. high speed dash through the narrow part of the sound. points on the upper deck and all spare hands on deck armed to the teeth with SMGs and The Enemy Below: The ARA San Luis War Patrol During the 1982 Falklands War, Fighting Along a Knife Edge in the Falklands, The Unobvious Lessons of the Falklands War, At That Very Moment, They Were Landing in the Falklands, a postwar analysis conducted by the U.S. Department of the Navy. mortar bombs, the rest were avoided by using TCM's. zone. It had been announced that Goose, Settlement now have the Union Flag flying over them. Here, HMS Glamorgan, Broadsword, Alacrity and Yarmouth are on their way. skyhawks came in and attacked her this time though she was completely at their mercy as Steven R. Harper, Submarine Operations during the Falklands War, Department of Operations Paper, Naval War College, 1994.
