Falklands War 40 years ago

[syscom3]

On this day 40 years ago. May 26 1982

British troops are poised for a drive across East Falkland Island toward Argentine forces in Stanley despite the loss of two ships in Tuesday's air strikes, Defense Minister John Nott announced. He said that 24 men had been killed aboard the two vessels and that about 25 had been wounded. Addressing a grim House of Commons, Mr. Nott said that the destroyer Coventry had capsized after being bombed and strafed and that the container ship Atlantic Conveyor, being used as a makeshift aircraft carrier, had been crippled by two Exocet missiles.

The first report of key ground contact in the Falkland war was reported by Argentina's military command. It said its forces had engaged British units operating from their beachhead and had shot down two helicopters and damaged two. It was not clear which side had initiated the clash.

Britain assumed a stiffer position on any cease-fire, saying it would no longer accept a mutual withdrawal of forces around the Falklands, but only a pullout of Argentine troops. The United Nations Security Council asked Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar to resume peace efforts, but he called the Council's instructions too vague to be helpful.

The United States has begun supplying Britain with sophisticated missiles, ammunition, and replacements for other war material being rapidly expended in the Falkland Islands against unexpectedly effective Argentine air strikes, Administration officials said today The equipment, being carried by British transports from U.S stockpiles in Europe, ranges from perforated steel planking to be used to construct landing strips on the Falklands for Britain's Sea Harrier jets to the sophisticated and highly accurate Sidewinder AIM-9L air-to-air missile carried by the Harriers. Within weeks after the Falklands crisis erupted, Administration officials told the British that the United States would provide Britain with virtually whatever it needs to carry its Falklands campaign to a successful conclusion.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Members of Support Company HQ, 2 PARA, listening to the BBC World News, Sussex Mountain, Falklands, 22-26 May 1982.

Damn, that dude's phone is huuuuge!

 

[nuuumannn]

Within weeks after the Falklands crisis erupted, Administration officials told the British that the United States would provide Britain with virtually whatever it needs to carry its Falklands campaign to a successful conclusion.

The US also supplied fuel at Ascension to be stored in massive bladders, Perhaps their biggest and most important contribution to the war.

Much is made of the Nine Lima and its use by the Sea Harriers, but the reality was that the majority of the 21 missile kills by the type were made from the rear aspect, which didn't fully utilise the Nine Lima's all aspect seeker head. RAF Harrier GR.3s were wired to carry AIM-9Gs as the intent was that they were originally going to be attrition replacements, but the Sea Harriers successes and lower than expected attrition rates meant they were not solely applied as interceptors.

AGM-45A Shrike missiles were supplied to the RAF and used by a Vulcan (XM597) against Argentine radars at BAM Malvinas, one of which ended up in Brazil. On its last Black Buck raid, the Vulcan had to divert to Rio de Janeiro owing to fuel shortage due to its fuel probe fracturing during IFR. They tried jettisoning the missile but it refused to leave the pylon. On arrival at Galeao, the British told the Brazilians it was a "Sidewinder" to disguise the aircraft's original intent and a part of the condition of the aircraft's release was that the Brazilians keep the "Sidewinder"...

The Brazilian flag and two mission symbols on XM597's nose.

MoF 155

 

[syscom3]

Lieutenant Commander Dante Camilette of the Argentine Marines under arrest, 27 May 1982. He had been found observing British warship movements from a concealed position above San Carlos Water.

 

[syscom3]

Thursday, May 27, 1982

Britain opened an offensive from its beachhead at San Carlos Bay against the Argentine troops in the Falklands, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher announced in the House of Commons. Unofficial reports in London said that paratroopers were moving south toward the Darwin area and that marines were advancing east toward Stanley, the main island settlement.

Argentina reported ground clashes and a series of British air raids on the Falklands and said that one British plane had been shot down.

Argentina denounced Washington for backing Britain in the Falkland conflict, asserting that the United States was encouraging "aggression" and jeopardizing its future relations with Latin America. The attack, made by Foreign Minister Nicanor Costa Mendez at the opening of an emergency meeting of the Organization of American States, was greeted with long applause and a standing ovation by Latin American delegates.

 

[syscom3]

Royal Navy sailors and survivors of the destroyer HMS Sheffield, attacked and eventually sunk by Argentinian forces during the Falklands War, arrive back home on a RAF VC10 aircraft at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on 27th May 1982.

 

[syscom3]

Sunday, May 30, 1982

Men of 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment advance across open country from Teal Inlet towards Estancia House on 30 May 1982.
3 Para had secured Teal Inlet the previous day and now continued their advance on Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands.

The loss of 12 British troops and the wounding of 31 Friday at Goose Green in the Falklands, the biggest battle so far in the war with
Argentina, was announced by the Ministry of Defense in London. The ministry officially confirmed that another British force, operating along the north coast of East Falkland Island had captured without fighting two settlements about 30 miles from Stanley, the islands' capital. A battalion of Royal Marine commandos
reportedly took Douglas and a battalion of paratroopers took Teal Inlet.

Argentina's military asserted that its warplanes attacked and put out of commission a British aircraft carrier, hitting it with bombs
and an Exocet missile. A spokesman said pilots suspected that the carrier Invincible had been hit. In London, the British Ministry of
Defense denied that the carrier had been hit.

 

[syscom3]

May 30 1982

A Rapier FSB 1 surface to air missile battery operator defending task force ships in San Carlos Water keeps watch for Argentine
aircraft, June 1982. Twelve Rapier FSB1 launchers were deployed during the Falklands War but saw very poor performance against
low-flying aircraft flying away from the launcher. Fourteen kills were claimed, but later reports revealed just one confirmed aircraft
was shot down in the whole war.

 

[syscom3]

Tuesday, June 1, 1982

Photograph: British soldiers of 5 Infantry Brigade disembark at a jetty from one of HMS Intrepid's landing craft at San Carlos Water in the Falkland Islands, 1 June 1982.

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Further British advances in the Falklands were reported by military sources in London. They said that Royal Marines and paratroopers had seized vital high ground about 10 miles west of the capital of Stanley after only moderate fighting. The sources disclosed the ouster of Argentine soldiers manning small outposts from the summits of 1,504-foot Mount Kent and adjacent hills, from which Stanley is clearly visible in good weather.

Argentina said fighting was heavy during the British seizure of strategic hilltops west of Stanley.

Argentines are apparently being prepared for a military defeat in the Falklands. The shift was reflected in statements by the government, press and television.

With British troops holding the high ground to the west, a British force reportedly landing on the north shore and the Royal Navy and jets bombarding the Stanley garrison and airfield, the position of the Argentine commander in the Falkland Islands appears to be untenable, defense experts in London said today. There was speculation in London tonight that the commander, General Mario Benjamin Menendez, might be offered the possibility of an "honorable surrender" before the British forces press the final attack against the garrison. Sources at Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's office said that any decision to offer a surrender will be left in the hands of the overall task-force commander, Rear Admiral John Woodward, or one of his ground-force commanders in the area of Stanley, the Falklands capital. However, sources close to the prime minister said there could be no surrender, or cease-fire, unless the Argentines are prepared to lay down all their weapons and be evacuated from the islands.

A United Nations role in the Falklands after the probable collapse of Argentine forces is being considered by Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar, according to his aides. They said he had been exploring what forces might replace the British troops, the creation of a United Nations administration and the conduct of peace negotiations.

 

[nuuumannn]

Argentina's military asserted that its warplanes attacked and put out of commission a British aircraft carrier, hitting it with bombs
and an Exocet missile. A spokesman said pilots suspected that the carrier Invincible had been hit. In London, the British Ministry of
Defense denied that the carrier had been hit.

A rare joint exercise by COAN and FAA units and one of the only times during the war that the two services worked in conjunction with one another, employing Exocet carrying Super Etendards of 3 Escuadrilla and A-4Cs of IV Brigada Aerea. This particular aircraft, A-4C C-322 took part in the raid.

Skyhawk

Argentine A-4 pilots to this day swear they struck the Invincible. 1st​ Lts Alférez Gerardo Isaac in C-318 and Ernesto Ureta in C-321 state with no uncertainty that they hit the carrier that day. Both A-4s were decorated with silhouettes celebrating their mission on their return to base. Sea Harriers intercepted and shot down two A-4s during the raid, their pilots killed.

 

[nuuumannn]

4 June 1982, Avro Vulcan B.2 XM597 operating on a SEAD operation against Argentine radar defences at BAM Malvinas diverted to Rio de Janeiro after its refueling probe broke during a routine fueling operation on its way back to Widewawake airfield, Ascension Island. The following comes from an article I wrote, with the assistance of Flt Lt Dave Castle, XM597's Nav Radar operator during the Black Buck raids, whom I interviewed some years back.

Black Buck 6 the night before: This time four AGM-45A Shrike ARMs were carried; each under-wing pylon was fitted with a cradle to carry two missiles each. Two of the missiles were optimised for attacking Westinghouse TPS-43 radars, with the other two programmed for targets of opportunity, such as the Sky Guard fire control radars aiding the Oerlikon Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA).

During this raid, the Argentine radar operators were alerted to the presence of the Vulcan, and they switched off their search radars when the aircraft was on approach to the islands. After 'loitering' overhead for forty minutes unsuccessfully attempting to entice the TPS-43 into action, Sqn Ldr MacDougall decided to take a risk by descending from the safe altitude of 16,000 feet to within range of the Oerlikon AAA. This ploy worked and the Vulcan was illuminated by a Sky Guard unit. Two Shrikes were fired, and the radar was destroyed. Four Argentine radar operators were killed.

After further unsuccessful taunting of the TPS-43 into activity, XM597 then made a hasty departure for the refuelling point that would take the aircraft home, as its fuel situation was critical. An RAF Nimrod supplied guidance for rendezvous with the Victor tanker for the last refuelling before reaching Ascension Island. On the first prod of the Vulcan's probe into the Victor's trailing basket, a loud bang was heard from the cockpit and fuel sprayed all over the windshield until dispersed by the slipstream. The tip of the probe had fractured, preventing further reception of fuel by the Vulcan.

The hapless crew found themselves in dire straits, as there wasn't enough aboard for the journey back to Ascension. Realising their predicament, Flg Off Chris Lackman did some hasty calculations and recommended that they fly at an altitude of 43,000 feet for more economic fuel consumption by the thirsty Olympus engines.

Flt Lt Castle recalled:

"…There were no pre-arranged or recognised diversions and the crew's brief was to ditch the aircraft should the final refuelling RV fail. Reluctant to ditch XM597 in the South Atlantic the crew elected to climb to 43 000ft for best range/endurance performance and headed west towards South America (and Brazil). Before entering Brazilian airspace, the unused Shrikes had to be jettisoned to prevent any potential embarrassment to the British Government and Brazilian authorities should land-fall be made. Unfortunately, one missile 'hung up', which was to create additional problems later. Before the aircraft could resume heading for the Brazilian coast, the Vulcan was then turned onto a southerly heading to avoid a small fishing fleet, exacerbating further the fuel dilemma."

"After de-pressurising at 43,000ft and jettisoning secret documents and film through the crew escape hatch, XM597 then descended to around 20,000ft. Fortunately, XM597 was able to unwittingly evade a pair of Força Aérea Brasileira F-5s that had been scrambled to intercept it."

A serious problem arose when sensitive documents were put in a canvas hold-all and hurled out the underside door; on closing, the door refused to seal, preventing full pressurization of the cabin and forcing the occupants to breathe pure oxygen. This had the effect of making the crew's voices (in the words of Sqn Ldr McDougall) "…sound like Donald Ducks!", which made communication with Brazilian Air Traffic Controllers considerably difficult! Contact was made with Rio de Janeiro 250 nautical miles out on a VHF distress frequency.

"With insufficient fuel for a procedural instrument approach into Rio's Galeão International Airport, XM597 was flown to the overhead where it commenced a spiral descent and visual approach. The aircraft was landed with only 2,000 lbs of fuel remaining in the tanks, insufficient for a missed approach procedure and visual circuit in a Vulcan."

On landing at Galeão Airport, the wayward Vulcan was immediately impounded by the Brazilian authorities. The crew was given the option to leave, but they decided to remain, although they were not allowed to leave the airbase without escort, as they had no passports or documentation with them.

The next day, news of the Vulcan's internment in Brazil had reached the front page of newspapers around the world, causing much embarrassment to the British government as the aircraft was still carrying live ammunition; the Shrike missile that refused to jettison from its pylon. On landing, the aircrew hung their anoraks over the missile to shield it from press photographers, who appeared en-masse shortly after the aircraft's arrival.

One of the conditions of the release of the aircraft and its crew was that it was not to take any further part in Operation Corporate; the Brazilians also stipulated that the Shrike missile was to remain in Brazil. Initially, the Brazilians incorrectly identified it as a "Sidewinder", and to hide the aircraft's true operational role, the British crew played along with this. One Brazilian newspaper article reporting the incident showed a photograph of the Vulcan with the weapon on the pylon circled and identified in the caption as a "míssil ar-ar Sidewinder".

The aircraft and crew remained with their Brazilian hosts for seven days before returning to Ascension on 9 June, the Shrike missile staying behind as requested. Three days later XM597 departed Wideawake Airfield for RAF Waddington, its brief part in the Falklands War over. For his sterling leadership during the Black Buck raids, Sqn Ldr MacDougall was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

XM597's nose with the two Shrike missile mission symbols and the Brazilian flag.

MoF 155

 

[Admiral Beez]

IA Pucara in British colours.

 

[syscom3]

June 13 1982

The Battle of Mount Tumbledown begins. The British launched an assault on Mount Tumbledown, one of the highest points near the town of Stanley, the capital, and succeeded over the night and next morning in driving Argentinian forces from the mountain.

Britain's success in retaking the Falklands has been assured by the weekend's fighting, according to Defense Secretary John Nott. But he said that a light cruiser carrying a crew of 471 had been hit by Argentine fire, killing nine British sailors and injuring 17. Nonetheless, he reported that the ship was still fit for battle.

Argentina said its warplanes had attacked British positions on a mountain west of Stanley. The military command said the attack occurred as British forces in the area were regrouping for a second assault on the Falkland capital.

Photo credit, IWM

 

[EwenS]

June 13 1982
Britain's success in retaking the Falklands has been assured by the weekend's fighting, according to Defense Secretary John Nott. But he said that a light cruiser carrying a crew of 471 had been hit by Argentine fire, killing nine British sailors and injuring 17. Nonetheless, he reported that the ship was still fit for battle.

That was the County class Guided Missile Destroyer Glamorgan. Hit by an Exocet from an improvised shore based launcher. Total death toll was eventually 14 plus more wounded.

THE FALKLANDS CONFLICT, APRIL - JUNE 1982

Damage to the port side and helicopter hangar of the destroyer HMS GLAMORGAN caused by an Argentine MM.40 land based Exocet missile. The missile was launched from a mobile launcher near Port Stanley, some 18 miles away, on 12 June 1982.

www.iwm.org.uk

HMS Glamorgan (D19) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[MikeMeech]

That was the County class Guided Missile Destroyer Glamorgan. Hit by an Exocet from an improvised shore based launcher. Total death toll was eventually 14 plus more wounded.

THE FALKLANDS CONFLICT, APRIL - JUNE 1982

Damage to the port side and helicopter hangar of the destroyer HMS GLAMORGAN caused by an Argentine MM.40 land based Exocet missile. The missile was launched from a mobile launcher near Port Stanley, some 18 miles away, on 12 June 1982.

www.iwm.org.uk

HMS Glamorgan (D19) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Hi

Image of HMS Glamorgan under repair at Portsmouth during Navy Days later in 1982. Many ships that had served in the Falklands were present in various stages of repair/refit and upgrading. Also HMS Invincible, fitted with Phalanx system, and HMS Hermes (both not sunk or seriously damaged). Members of the public on board looking round.

Mike

 

[nuuumannn]

The Glamorgan "The Glamorous Organ" was struck by an MM.38 ship launched Exocet on a truck mounted launcher, which was known as the ITB. The launcher in particular came from the ARA Segui, formerly the Sumner Class destroyer USS Hank, the Argentine FRAM II converted destroyers had four launchers each and Segui's were delivered to the islands aboard a C-130 and put on a truck.

USS Hank - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

What's interesting about the Glamorgan being hit is that damage would have most likely been much worse and could have resulted in the loss of the ship if it weren't for the quick thinking of her captain, who ordered the firing of a Sea Cat SAM once the missile had been spotted by HMS Avenger. The Sea Cat struck the approaching Exocet and deflected it upwards, which meant it hit the ship's hangar, rather than its hull. True story...