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Battle
Atlas of the Falklands War 1982
BRITISH
AND ARGENTINE UNITS TAKING PART (Parts
7-16)
Part 12.
MERCHANT NAVY SHIPS
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Vital Need for
Merchant Ships - Up to the surrender in mid-June, 40
merchantmen totalling over 500,000 grt reached the South
Atlantic. Without them, the war would not have been won as
the Royal Fleet Auxiliary lacked the ships to transport the
land forces and then support them and the warships 8,000
miles from home.
Chartered (Ch) when available
......
requisitioned (Req) when
under contract ........
the Ships Taken Up From Trade
(Stuft) from Britain's dwindling merchant fleet were
rapidly converted to their military role in naval and
civilian dockyards, but mainly Devonport and Portsmouth.
All received:
Minimum naval communications
and
some Satnav (SN) and
Satcom (SC) equipment,
Most were fitted for RAS,
Many with one or two helipads (H or 2H) and
Some with extra accommodation and light AA weapons.
Crew of
tug "Yorkshireman" at South Georgia (Courtesy - United
Towing Ltd)
Soon loaded, most sailed with
Naval Parties embarked for ciphering, RAS, vertrep and
other duties. Taking only those ships which arrived on
station before the end of the war, their main military
roles, starting with the troop and equipment transports
were:
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| Transports
reaching
TEZ
mid-May with 3 Cdo Bde and more
aircraft |
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"Canberra" |
44,800
grt |
Req/2H |
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"Elk" |
5,500
grt |
Req |
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"Europic
Ferry" |
4,200
grt |
Req/SN/SC |
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"Norland" |
13,000
grt |
Req/2H/SN/SC |
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"ATLANTIC
CONVEYOR" - aircraft and helicopter
support ship
(sunk by Exocet) |
15,000
grt |
Req/flight
deck/SC |
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| Transports
arriving end of May with 5th Inf Bde
and military stores |
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"Queen
Elizabeth
2" |
67,100
grt |
Req/2H |
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"Baltic
Ferry" |
6,500
grt |
Req/2H/SN/SC |
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"Nordic
Ferry" |
6,500
grt |
Req/2H/SN/SC |
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"Lycaon"
-
ammunition ship |
11,800
grt |
Ch/SC |
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"Atlantic
Causeway"
- helicopter support ship |
15,000
grt |
Req/flight
deck & hangar/SC |
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| Transports
arriving in June |
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"St.
Edmund"
- troopship |
9,000
grt |
Req/2H/SN/SC |
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"Tor
Caledonia"
- transport |
5,100
grt |
Req |
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"Contender
Bezant"
- aircraft and helicopter carrier |
11,400
grt |
Ch/flight
deck & hangar |
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| Oil
Tankers, mostly used to
replenish RFA's in the tanker holding
areas set out in the order: |
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"British
Esk",
"British Tay", "British Test",
"British Tamar",
"British Trent" |
all
15,600 grt |
All
chartered |
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"Anco
Charger" |
15,600
grt |
Chartered |
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"British
Dart",
"British Wye", "British Avon" |
all
15,600 grt |
All
chartered |
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"Alvega"
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33,300
grt |
Chartered |
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"Eburna" |
19,800
grt |
Chartered |
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"Balder
London" |
20,000
grt |
Chartered |
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vessels and approximate order
of
departure were: |
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"Irishman",
"Yorkshireman"
- ocean tugs |
both
700 grt |
Req |
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"Salvageman"
-
ocean tug |
1,600
grt |
Req |
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"Wimpey
Seahorse"
- mooring vessel |
1,600
grt |
Req/SC |
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"Stena
Seaspread"
- repair ship |
6,100
grt |
Req/SN/SC |
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"Fort
Toronto"
- water tanker |
20,000
grt |
Ch |
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"Uganda"
-
hospital ship |
16,900
grt |
Req/H/SC |
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"Cordella",
"Farnella",
"Junella",
"Northella",
"Pict" - minesweepers |
1,200
to 1,600 grt |
Req |
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"Iris"
- despatch vessel |
3,900
grt |
Req/H/SC |
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"Saxonia"
-
refrigerated stores ship |
12,000
grt |
Ch/H/SN/SC |
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"Geestport"
-
refrigerated stores ship |
7,700
grt |
Req/H |
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With 40 merchantmen
already in the South Atlantic or on their way by Week Nine,
more were needed.
Before the surrender a
further eight set out, including during the week, tanker
"Scottish Eagle" from Milford Haven and offshore ship
"British Enterprise III" from Rosyth. The complete list
was:
Tankers "Scottish Eagle"
(33,000 grt, Ch/SC) and "G A Walker" (18,700 grt, Ch)
Despatch vessel "British Enterprise III" (1,600 grt,
Req)
Repair ship "Stena Inspector" (6,100 grt, Ch/SN/SC)
Helicopter carrier and repair ship "Astronomer" (27,900
grt, Req/flight deck and hangar)
Ammunition ship "Laertes" (11,800 grt, Req)
Refrigerated stores ship "Avelona Star" (9,800 grt,
Ch/H)
Minesweeper support ship "St Helena" (3,100 grt,
Req/H/SN/SC)
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to 13.
3 Commando Brigade
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War HomePage
revised 31/5/13
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