Bristol, Olna, Active, Avenger, Andromeda, Minerva, Penelope, Cardiff, Engadine in British Task Force Movements

PRELIMINARY BRITISH OPERATIONS (Parts 20-30)

Part 27. 5th INFANTRY BRIGADE SAILS ON QE2

WEEK SEVEN, British Task Force Movements 10th-16th May 1982

HMS Cardiff

Summary of British Ships & Aircraft Departing

Royal Navy
Active, Cmdr P C B Canter RN
Avenger, Capt H M White RN
Andromeda, Capt J L Weatherall RN
Bristol, Capt A Grose RN
Cardiff, Capt M G T Harris RN
Minerva, Cmdr S H G Johnston RN
Penelope, Cmdr P V Rickard RN

Royal Fleet Auxiliary
Engadine, Capt D F Freeman RFA
Fort Grange, Capt D G M Averill CBE RFA
Olna, Capt J A Bailey RFA

Merchant Ships
Atlantic Causeway, Capt M H C Twomey and NP 1990, Cmdr R P Seymour RN
Balder London, Capt K J Wallace
Queen Elizabeth 2, Capt P Jackson and NP 1980, Capt N C H James RN
Wimpey Seahorse, Capt M J Slack (awarded OBE) and NP 2000

NAVAL AIR SQUADRONS EMBARKED
No.824 C Flt - 3 Sea King HAS.2A's, Fort Grange
No.847 A Flt - 4 Wessex HU.5's, Engadine
No.848 B Flt - 2 Wessex HU.5's, Olna
No.845 C Flt - 2 replacement Wessex HU.5's at Ascension, Tidespring

8 Sea King HAS.2A's of No.825 and 20 Wessex HU.5's of No.847 on Atlantic Causeway
2 Sea King HAS.2A's of No.825 on Queen Elizabeth 2

Task Force Departures from Monday 10th May - The week saw the departure of the first (and the last) major sea and land reinforcements, starting on Monday with the "Bristol" group of ships which hurried down in two weeks. Type 82 destroyer "Bristol" and RFA fleet tanker "Olna" left from Portsmouth and type 21 frigates "Active" and "Avenger", and Leanders "Andromeda", "Minerva" and "Penelope" from Devonport. On Wednesday, type 42 "Cardiff" departed Gibraltar following a Persian Gulf patrol and by Friday had joined the group. RFA helicopter support ship "Engadine" also sailed from Devonport at the same time as the "Bristol" ships but made her own way via Gibraltar carrying four Wessex. The remaining 20 Wessex from reformed No.847 NAS and eight No.825 Sea Kings followed on Friday in RO-RO container ship "Atlantic Causeway" after her conversion to helicopter ship complete with flightdeck and hangar.

On Wednesday 12th, an even more important departure was the bulk of 5th Infantry Brigade on "Queen Elizabeth 2" from Southampton direct for South Georgia. Then on Friday, RFA fleet replenishment ship "Fort Grange" headed out from Devonport, followed on Sunday by offshore support vessel "Wimpey Seahorse" following earlier work on her at Rosyth. More tanker movements also took place with "Balder London" sailing from Portsmouth, RFA "Brambleleaf" getting in to Portland later in the week for repairs to the damage received off South Georgia, and "British Tamar" reaching Gibraltar on Friday to reload.

Ascension - As "Leeds Castle" headed on south, "Dumbarton Castle" arrived to begin her duties as a despatch vessel. Arriving on Wednesday 12th from the other direction with the South Georgia POW's was RFA "Tidespring" and escorting frigate "Antelope". After "Tidespring" picked up two replacement Wessex, she and "Antelope" headed back south over the weekend, hardly a week before the frigate's end. On Saturday in a record-breaking flight of 19 hours and 8,300 miles, an RAF Nimrod crewed by 201 Sqdn reconnoitred the Argentine coast for any warships that might threaten the approaching Task Force, but on Sunday the Vulcan "Black Buck 3" raid on Stanley was cancelled.

South Atlantic - RFA fleet replenishment ship "Regent" joined the carriers and around the end of the week, submarine "Valiant" (and "Courageous"?) arrived to start patrolling off the Argentine coast. To the north of Stanley, the Red Cross Box came into operation with the arrival of hospital ship "Uganda" on Tuesday 11th followed three days later by ambulance ship "Hecla", the first of the three to arrive. Off to the east of the Falklands, tug "Salvageman" arrived in the TRALA where she was shortly joined by repair ship "Stena Seaspread" which just now reached South Georgia. And that Sunday the bulk of 3 Cdo Bde caught up with the LSL Group only five days from the landings at San Carlos.

Transport "Elk" and one of the two assault ships, hull pennant number painted out. (Courtesy - MOD, Navy)

Disposition of British Ships, Aircraft & Land Forces, including those departing

	UK Departures RFA Engadine, Fort Grange Transport Atlantic Causeway Tanker Balder London Mooring ship Wimpey Seahorse		UK Arrival RFA Brambleleaf Gibraltar Arrival Tanker British Tamar

	Ships on Passage - Central Atlantic 5 INFANTRY BRIGADE Queen Elizabeth 2 Transports Baltic Ferry, Nordic Ferry BRISTOL GROUP DD Bristol, Cardiff FR Active, Avenger, Andromeda, Minerva, Penelope RFA Olna Ships and Aircraft in Ascension Area RAF Aircraft Harrier GR.3's, Vulcans, Nimrods, Victors, Hercules, VC.10's, Sea King, Chinook Other Ships at Ascension or Reaching the Area on the Way South DD Exeter Fr Ambuscade LSL Sir Bedivere MCMS Cordella, Farnella, Junella, Northella, Pict Despatch vessels Leeds Castle, Dumbarton Castle, Iris Tankers British Avon, RFA Bayleaf Transports Lycaon, Saxonia Fr Antelope, RFA tidespring (returning to South Atlantic) Support Tankers in South Atlantic or in Tanker Holding Areas RFA Appleleaf, Pearleaf, Plumleaf Anco charger, British Dart, British Esk, British Tay, British Test, British Trent, British Wye Water tanker Fort Toronto		Boat on Passage - South Atlantic SS Onyx 3 Commando Brigade and Amphibious Group Ships Assault ships Fearless, Intrepid RFA Stromness, Tidepool Transports Atlantic Conveyor, Canberra, Elk, Europic Ferry, Norland FR Ardent, Argonaut joins up with LSL Group Sir Galahad, Sir Geraint, Sir Lancelot, Sir Percivale, Sir Tristram DD Antrim, FR Plymouth Red Cross Box Hospital ship Uganda Ambulance ship Hecla TRALA - Tug, Repair & Logistic Area Tug Salvageman Carrier Battle Group CV Hermes, Invincible DD Glamorgan, Coventry, Glasgow FR Alacrity, Arrow, Brilliant, Broadsword, Yarmouth RFA Fort Austin, Olmeda, Regent, Resource with SBS and SAS Submarine Force SSN Conqueror, Courageous? Spartan, Splendid, Valiant South Georgia IPV Endurance RMAS Typhoon RFA Blue Rover Repair ship Stena Seaspread M Coy 42 Cdo RM

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