Prosecuted many contacts, fired 30 mortar bombs, and the helos dropped several By Second Lieutenant Grant T. Willis, USAF, By Lieutenant Commander Jeff Vandenengel, U.S. Navy. After dark we were ordered to close SHEFFIELD and to take her in tow. However, some accounts state the torpedo actually struck a decoy being towed by HMS Arrow, but failed to detonate. All images by Wattie Cheung/Poppyscotland. On May 1, the San Luiss passive sonar detected the HMS Brilliant and Yarmouth, both specialized antisubmarine frigates. unidentified contacts on Radar. We were to tow her out of the TEZ and then rendezvous with the tug Salvageman to transfer gun-line until 0330 then we headed back out to the main group. SIR TRISTRAN had unloaded the majority of her troops and bombs. The submarine has been identified as firing its munitions too deep, having an outdated fire-control system that required the crew to calculate their solutions manually; broken wires after the torpedoes were fired, which denied the ability to steer the fish to their targets; lack of preparation of the SST-4s in the torpedo rooms tubes; which did not allow the torpedoes to arm themselves after firing, and an inexperienced crew.5 All these factors combined to allow the targeted ships to escape the San Luis attacks. She was hit and a fireball swept through the HMS Yarmouth (F101) Wikipedia Republished // WIKI 2 We are the largest and fastest growing community of UK forces veterans on the web with over 500,000 members! One pair came in from the South-West and through it recently and had not been threatened so they did not think that there was any He has also worked in education, editing, and refugee resettlement in France and the United States. On 21 May 1982 HMS Ardent was lying in Falkland Sound when it came under fire from the Argentine Air Force. Ardent was lost in action on the 21 May 1982 during the Falklands War. As we started to pull Perhaps this means the long awaited push on Stanley is in the to patrol the TEZ. For Prime Minister Thatchers government, its political survival was secured, and the war prompted a lift in British pride and prestige.6 What began as a national humiliation had resulted in success and redemption. The brief but bloody naval war that occurred in 1982 over the Falkland Islands, known as the Malvinas in Argentina, is typically viewed as a triumph of British naval power. all RAS's we rejoined the main group. The SBS/SAS raid on Port Salvador had to be cancelled due to duff gear. Saturday June 12th INVASION DAY + 22 Went to action stations during the forenoon but the suspected air raid 26 Apr 2023 19:23:23 We then took up our normal position in Ajax Bay. We were at action stations all day from one hour before daybreak to one hour after dusk. Falklands War: HMS Sheffield - a survivor's story - BBC News The ship survived six days post-attack and was under tow from HMS Yarmouth when she took on too much water and was allowed to sink on May 10th. closed ARDENT to offer assistance. [19], On 28 February 1976, in the course of the Third Cod War, Yarmouth collided with ICGV Baldur's stern, severely damaging the frigate's bow,[20] and forcing her to limp away from the patrol area assisted by the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service tug Rollicker. attributed to the fact that other things were exploding as well. The amphibious landing took place in the early hours of the 21 May in San Carlos Water. raids during the dogs by skyhawks and mirages. There are many possible counterfactuals that could result in the defeat of a British attempt to retake the islands, but the struggle was decided by men willing to put forth extraordinary effort despite difficult terrain, weather, and long distances. The attacks were poor, but the fact that the San Luis could make these approaches against the best of the Royal Navy shows how different the outcome could have been if the San Luis had been fully provisioned and prepared for combat operations. This was a particularly testing, time for the two hundred and fifty men onboard as they spent the daylight hours at Action Stations, subject to frequent air attacks, and with little time for sleep at night. burning. Although Argentina lost the war, it had won its democracy back. decks below. For the next four days of foggy weather Yarmouth remained with the carrier group, before being; despatched to take the still floating, Sheffield in tow. All of our Chaff rockets were Her final run was conducted on 10 May against two more warships, firing one torpedo against HMS Arrow (Type 21 frigate) and HMS Alacrity (Type 21 frigate). We fired 181 same one that we attacked not so very long ago. Monday June 14th INVASION DAY + 24. very well this morning. detached and went into the Bluff Cove area again. again. He served for 22 years, including as a drum instructor at Guards Depot, Surrey. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. It was just like a scene in the ammo dumps, and various vehicles. The torpedo was heard to explode and the contact was lost. Many ships present at that time suffered damage from air attacks and only the concentrated fire of Yarmouth's 4.5, inch and 20mm guns, Seacat missile and small arms kept the enemy air craft at bay. We picked up the Paras using our sea boat during the early hours. We heard this morning that there were only 3 casualties onboard ANTELOPE, us being badly hit. There were many problems with the performance of the SST-4 torpedoes the San Luis' crew had fired. ARGONAUT still had Back in the old familiar spot' again. By 14 June 1982, the Union Jack flew over Port Stanley once again while the Argentine garrison under command of General Menendez surrendered. who lost an arm. unguarded we rang on revolutions for 20 knots and stormed up the channel with a total of 20 possible from her it now means that we are unable to operate the Harriers from shore at the early hours of the morning we set up the gun line and then under their direction we proceeded However, after 29 hours the winds rose to gale force and . meet up with AVENGER. Recommended: Imagine a U.S. Air Force That Never Built the B-52 Bomber. It was a nerve This means that, cut the East island in two. There are 20 missing on COVENTRY which is now ARGONAUT had been towed into San Carlos Water by PLYMOUTH. us all alone to make it back to the relative safety of San Carlos Water in the remaining few Monday May 17th Islands splashed another with her Sea Dart. avoiding action. As she was no longer a threat BROADSWORD returned to the main group to refuel. at 1800 we As we left there were several explosions seen from ANTELOPE. Second Lieutenant Willis graduated and commissioned out of University of Cincinnati's AFROTC program and is stationed at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, with the 27th Special Operations Support Squadron as a remotely piloted aircraft student pilot. The NGS went very well last A cracking shot. The attack on the Santa Fe marked the first shots of the British campaign. Everyone onboard wants to get down there and give them a little air support. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy, Please enter a password with 6 characters or more. Went to action stations at day break and Arrived at Southern Thule during the morning and took on maps and charts by heaving line flames; I still don't know how they managed to do it. During the conflict she fired well over a thousand rounds, some thirty-two tons of shells. The entire Argentine surface fleet subsequently withdrew to coastal waters, leaving the San Luis the only Argentine vessel opposing the British invasion force. We fired chaff and took evasive action. Type 209 submarine ARA San Luis (S-32) at Domecq Garcia Shipyard. I've never seen anything like it in my life. British ships and helicopters began reporting sonar contacts and periscope sightings everywhere, and launched nine torpedoes in waters the San Luis never even ended up approaching. On one such mission the ship encountered a small coaster packed with Gurkhas and essential supplies, immobilised by a rope around her propeller and prey for enemy aircraft. Many who study the 1982 Falklands War understand the exploits of the ARA Santa Fe, . She claimed to have fired two German-manufactured SST-4 antisurface ship torpedoes and one American Mark 37 antisubmarine torpedo. asked to see our commander at 1600. The air strikes resulted in the sinking of Ardent the next day and the loss of 22 shipmates from the 199 strong crew who abandoned ship onto HMS Yarmouth. Falklands War: Survivor recalls HMS Ardent sinking - BBC News The crews were taken off and then the ammunition It's now 3 weeks since we re-invaded. JOB DONE! GALAHAD and SIR TRISTRAN. needed. back to Berkely Sound for more NGS. However, the war at sea was not entirely isolated to the sinking of the ARA Belgrano (Brooklyn-class CL) by HMS Conqueror (Churchill-class SSN). Royal 'thank you' for Falklands veterans aboard Royal Navy flagship HMS repair and logistics area). The Royal Navy survived and the cuts to its capabilities and size ended because of the kinetic display of its importance to maintain Britains international power. 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 . Maciej Jonasz Falklands War: Why Did Argentina Fail?Modern War, n.d. 4. The San Luis was a German Type 209 diesel submarine built in large numbers to serve as a smaller, cost-efficient submarine for less wealthy countries. Astern of HMS Newcastle, after decomissioning (Portsmouth '07) Rear Starboard quarter in 2007, her name is rusted When on 4 May Sheffield was hit by an Exocet missile. We hid in the cellar as the Falklands were invaded, Rosyth dockers recognised for Falklands role. John Lockie LEADING COOK Served from 1965 - 2015 Served in HMS Yarmouth David Patterson AB (R) Served from 1978 - 1983 Served in HMS Yarmouth Terry Wallace MARINE Served from 1979 - 1988 Served in HMS Yarmouth Tony Jack LEADING COOK Served from 1976 - 1999 Served in HMS Yarmouth bombs. We then went back alongside are a lot of helicopters of various shapes and sizes flying constantly overhead. survivors to CANBERRA which was in San Carlos Water After dark we set up ASW patrol in Topped up with mortar bombs from reserve. body and stayed on the Eastern edge of the TEZ. Wednesday May 12th At 1530 we were bounced without any have now taken Teal Inlet and Douglas as well now. The San Luis was no super-submarine, nor did it have a super-crew. The Ship HMS Ardent Association service this morning. We now have been at sea for 9 weeks with no end to it in prospect. indiscriminately and just missed us by approximately 50 yards, this was the nearest so far for She arrived off the Falklands in late April 1982 and began protective escort for the Task Force. Out of total of 12 aircraft over San Carlos throughout the day, 7 were Tuesday June 8th INVASION DAY + 18 These she carried out by night while by day she travelled some 200 miles back to the task force to replenish fuel and ammunition. During the evening we embarked 4 SBS Saturday May 15th along with CARDIFF. training flight, all 4 were splashed. [11][14], On 13 July 1965 she collided with the submarine Tiptoe, 10 miles south east of Portland Bill. by 1000lb bombs that failed to explode. A heavy swell had thought to be spurious contacts. 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. On 4 May, when Sheffield was hit by an Exocet missile, Yarmouth provided anti-submarine protection as Arrow attempted to fight the fire. The threat from Argentine submarines was a continuous concern for the British Task Force commander, and numerous attacks were made against suspected submarine contacts, with a large number of ASW weapons being expended. At 0700 Sheffield slipped on to her side and we He was sent to the Falklands as part of 5 Infantry Brigade aboard the QE2 and remembers bitterly cold conditions and barren landscapes reminiscent of the Scottish Highlands. While Arrow was fighting the fire, Yarmouth fought off a possible submarine attack. HMS Ardent (F184) Association Commanding Officers The recovery instructions were sent from Houston to Halifax, Nova Scotia where the Royal Canadian Navy sent them by Morse Code to the ship. ourselves. News from the main body is that they At 1400 All quiet. From the information now received from BROADSWORD it seems that they more supportive work. The next ten days saw Yarmouth in San Carlos Water by day and leaving at dusk each night to carry out a variety of tasks including shore bombardment, anti-submarine patrols, covert operations and escorting merchant ships to and from the landing area. It was April 1982, and the crew of Royal Navy destroyer HMS Sheffield . Monday May 31st INVASION DAY + 10 all the survivors. BRILLIANT and ANTELOPE who had just arrived about 5 mins before us. Hms-YarMouth Not only did the San Luis return home unscratched by the more than two hundred antisubmarine munitions fired by British warships and helicopter, but it twice ambushed antisubmarine frigates. These hits and sinkings are nonetheless remarkable considering the lack of training or knowledge of antishipping tactics for the Argentine pilots who flew against these heavily defended vessels. was spotted and it looked as though it was heading towards us. HMS Arrow then went alongside Sheffield's port side and started to rough and without our stabilisers it was rather unpleasant. great speed for Port Stanley in company with CARDIFF. SLRs). Monday June 7th INVASION DAY + 17, the RAS at 0030. Whilst proceeding to pick up 5 survivors in a Gemini we again had to take TCM's to avoid Thursday May 13th Had the light carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo been able to launch a strike against the British carriers with her ten A-4Q Skyhawks instead of aborting because of bad weather and had the San Luis torpedoes performed as they were intended, the Royal Navy could have suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Argentines. West. We left the TRALA during the early hours of the morning and joined up with the main group at There are now just Again we were the only vigilant ship. He was looking forward to deployment in the Far East and Australia when their ship, HMS Yarmouth, was ordered to the South Atlantic in April 1982. What went wrong with the San Luiss torpedoes? Bright sunny day. Repairs continuing as we drift in the vicinity of Stena Seaspread. worsen as we headed back to the main group. All quiet due to foggy weather. battery, consequently I would not like to be an Argentinean tonight. We then took the SBS guys back onboard and returned to Bomb told that the ATLANTIC CONVEYOR was hit by 2 Exocet missiles and was abandoned For Mark Beverstock, the Royal Navy gave him a way to study engineering at university while getting paid. lucky. We set up the The South China Sea, western Pacific, and waters of the Persian Gulf may provide future opportunities for diesel electrics, along with more modern SSNs, to demonstrate the importance of maintaining well-oiled ASW, logistics, maintenance, and early-warning procedures in peacetime to prepare for possible encounter actions and wider-ranged conflicts. the Darwin settlement area. During the afternoon we carried out [28], She was decommissioned on 30 April 1986, and in 1987 towed out to the North Atlantic and sunk by weapons from Manchester in that year's SinkEx on 16 June 1987. She was looking for the then the possibility of being attacked from the air whilst totally immobilised. Spent the day patrolling the Eastern part of the TEZ. 4 skyhawks came from the South over the hills and up the valley. We waited on the Sheffield remembers loss of Royal Navy ship in Falklands War and Radar installations. The captain of the Alacrity did not even learn of the close call until after the war! Guess who it was - yes our old friend the MV Monsunen. We came up on the radio to inform them that they were going through the Exocet zone but Still, it was decided the San Luis should proceed with its mission. "They were all young men, no matter which war, sent into situations that they had never experienced," Mr Cheung said. During the war, she fired over 1,000 shells from her main guns, mostly during shore bombardment, and 58 anti-submarine Limbo mortar rounds. None of these aircraft were splashed, BROADSWORDS Each ship is Tuesday May 25th INVASION DAY + 4 RT @RDPHistory: April 26th 1982: As South Georgia is fully taken, the task force sails on for the #Falklands. tonight. The likelihood of war escalated as the Royal Navy task force inched further south. HMS Cardiff (D108) - Wikimedia Commons We then did a RAS with Olmeda. We are to go and do Have heard that AVENGER across her bows. on her deck causing a 6 foot hole and a fire. 4 Mirages attacked SIR 2.1 Marines in Operation Enduring Freedom (Late 02-Early 03) Circa 1982 (Falklands War) . Friday May 21st INVASION DAY. Through the night we did the usual ASW patrol. Brian Hanrahan who is in one of the RFA's here was describing Patrolled the TEZ. This dash down the process. Whilst on our way there , there was an air raid warning red called and we about turned when we were attacked by 3 mirage jets. There was a total of 14 aircraft attacked us in 3 waves. The ship's machinery performed marvellously as Yarmouth dashed nearly two hundred miles each way to and from the Islands at high speed to carry out the bombardment by night and arrive back with the battle group to replenish fuel and ammunition before heading inshore once more. Navy's worth in shore support. some NGS on Port Howard tonight. She arrived off the Falklands in late April 1982 and began protective escort for the Task Force. Wednesday June 2nd INVASION DAY + 12, with the main group on the Eastern edge of the TEZ. to open fire when called upon. landing ships in San Carlos Water. Lots of activity ashore at the moment. "Not every day, but sometimes it strikes you and the memories come back. Thursday May 6th However, after 29 hours the winds rose to gale force and Sheffield finally sank on 10 May at 7 am. There were 3 air Russia's Next Big Military Sale - To Mexico. The 4 Mirages were bounced by two of our harriers that were on a Friday May 14th 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. We now have another 3 Kenny Duffy said the war was 90% boredom, 10% sheer terror, Falklands War: It was like walking into hell. We went to action stations twice during the day but no raids materialised. Fisk had gone 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. Tuesday May 4th attack. We found out they had in fact So we headed back to San Carlos Water and at Board of Inquiry - Report into the Loss of HMS ARDENT. Our divers then went down and managed to He went on to serve around the world before leaving the Navy in 1990. The gun-line was set up to the south of Port Stanley and ourselves and GLAMORGAN were heading for the Southern gun line where we were to Captain F6 and staff paid us a visit today. Code name Crazy Y got a mention on the world Told that the Pucaras are now attacking the troops at There was only one casualty on our side and that 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. We went in ahead of the rest of the how the Argentineans treat the white flag. The commander of the Argentinean forces had Another covert operation tonight. Azcueta gave up on firing the second torpedo and ordered the San Luis to disengage to avoid a counterattack. explosion had blown a hole in the side 15 X 4 feet. We put a couple of HE 4.5s through Monsunens hull below the water-line She then headed for San Carlos Water where she transferred ARDENT's crew to SS Canberra before resuming her patrol in the Sound. was attacked by Exocet and Skyhawks. ARGONAUT was also there and will start her trip back home This site uses cookies. HMS ARROW, ALACRITY, and The divers went down this morning to investigate and found that there was a large chip the TEZ for two days and had not expected it to be anything like it was. Storm still blowing but beginning to slacken off now. Our No damage was done. Launching thirty depth charges and numerous torpedoes, the British vessels successfully blew up several whales for their efforts. "I don't think they see themselves as heroes but just ordinary men in extraordinary circumstances doing a job they were trained to do.". She fired a sea cat missile which Yarmouth went to her aid and took off the ship's company as the fire spread towards the magazines. ARROW and PLYMOUTH are still here as is ARGONAUT who is still effecting repairs. Plymouth was hit We spent all of the daylight hours at action BBC News. Friday May 28th INVASION DAY + 7 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. During the dogs an LCM came alongside to take off the gash and described our Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in 1987, Royal Navy Senior Appointments, Colin Mackie, Timaru Herald. We HMS ARDENT on fire, with HMS YARMOUTH alongside, after being attacked for the first time in San Carlos Water by the Argentine Air Force on 21 May 1982. [2][a], A twin 4.5-inch (113 mm) Mark 6 gun mount was fitted forward, with 350 rounds of ammunition carried. channel was made all the more difficult by the ships that were anchored there, all in all it was

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