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 Disposition of British Ships, Aircraft & Land Forces, including those Departing
UK
Departures
Ships and
Aircraft in Ascension Area
Support
Tankers in South Atlantic or in Tanker
Holding Areas
Departing
South Atlantic
Arriving in
South Atlantic
RCB -
Red Cross Box
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| Ascension
- More ships passed by or called in on their way south
including RFA's "Engadine" and "Fort
Grange" and mooring vessel "Wimpey
Seahorse", but now two tankers headed back for the
UK to reload. On Monday 24th it was "British Avon"
after picking up Lt Cmdr Astiz, and then on Wednesday, over-crowded "British Esk" which
first got in with more then 260 "Sheffield"
survivors who flew on home. Apart from all the usual RAF
activity, two Phantom fighters of 29(F) Sqdn flew down on Monday from Coningsby, followed on Wednesday by a third to take over air defence from
the three Harriers. These in turn were joined over the weekend by six more GR.3's from Wittering before later continuing south. Then
late on Friday in
"Black
Buck 4", and with
the usual Victor support, a Vulcan armed with Shrike
anti-radar missiles took off to attack the Stanley command and control radars. Refuelling
problems stopped the mission, but late on Sunday, "Black Buck 5" went ahead successfully. South Atlantic - By Wednesday morning (26th), the "Bristol" group had joined the Task Force to more than make up for the ships lost. With "Bristol" herself were type 42 "Cardiff", type 21 frigates "Active" and "Avenger", and Leander's "Minerva", "Penelope" and Sea Wolf-armed "Andromeda". Some of them screened the carriers by day, and by night bombarded Argentine positions or escorted transports to and from San Carlos Water. RFA fleet tanker "Olna" arrived with them to start refuelling duties, and she was joined by RFA "Tidespring" at last back from her South Georgia mission. Finally by the end of the week, support ship "Atlantic Causeway" had arrived with her much needed Sea King and Wessex helicopters. Now the first warships returned north. With the arrival of "Cardiff", damaged "Glasgow" was patched up by "Stena Seaspread" and sailed on Thursday 27th with engines under manual control. Also around this time, nuclear submarine "Splendid" presumably left her patrol area to get home by the second week in June. On Friday, tanker "British Tay" with survivors from "Atlantic Conveyor" headed first for Ascension, but all this time there was still the danger of attack. Not content with flying supplies into Stanley and refuelling air strikes, FAA Grupo 1 Hercules made the only apparent attempt to cut British supply lines. On Saturday a single C-130 dropped eight bombs on "British Wye" to the north of South Georgia. One hit, but bounced into the sea without exploding and the tanker continued her lonely refuelling duties. The Red Cross Box was particularly active and early in the week, "Hydra" sailed to the east to pick up San Carlos casualties from "Canberra" for transfer to "Uganda", and "Herald" finally arrived after having diverted to Rio de Janeiro to land a sick crewman. Later, "Hecla" headed for Montevideo with the first British and Argentine casualties for repatriation, and "Uganda" moved closer in to pick up the wounded from the Goose Green battle. The TRALA was also in business, with both "Glasgow" and "Brilliant" there, and the ships in residence were joined from Tristan da Cunha by "Irishman" and "Yorkshireman". South Georgia - "Endurance" played host to probably the largest tonnage of shipping the island had ever seen, with most there to meet "Queen Elizabeth 2" which could not be risked closer to the Falkland's. Before her arrival, "Canberra" (with "Ardent's survivors), "Norland" (with "Antelope's") and destroyer "Antrim" left the TEZ on Tuesday 25th, and RFA "Stromness" (with "Coventry's") followed them from San Carlos Water. On the same day, despatch vessel "Iris" reached Grytviken from Ascension with Lt Mills RM and his men for "Endurance", and loaded scrap steel from the whaling stations for delivery to the TRALA. Other arrivals there to help transfer the troops from "QE2" were despatch vessel "Leeds Castle" from the TEZ and the five minesweeping trawlers of the 11th MCMS.North east of South Georgia on Thursday 27th, "Antrim" picked up General Moore and Brigadier Wilson before heading back for "Fearless", and "QE2" continued on into Cumberland Bay East. Over the next 24 hours, the Scots and Welsh Guards moved to "Canberra" and the Gurkhas to "Norland", and on Friday, "Stromness" arrived to take on board more troops, together with ammo and Rapiers from the newly-arrived transport "Lycaon". When the transfers were completed, including the two No.825 Sea Kings from "QE2" to "Canberra", the Falkland's bound ships departed. "Queen Elizabeth 2" then headed back north on Saturday with the survivors. "Leeds Castle" followed her but only as far as Ascension to take over as guardship. And in a week that saw 3 Cdo Bde moving out of San Carlos Water, 2 Para's victory at Goose Green and the battle for air supremacy being won, transports "Baltic Ferry" and "Nordic Ferry" approached the Falklands direct with helicopters and equipment for 5th Inf Bde. |
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on
to
37, "Coventry" & "Atlantic Conveyor" sunk
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