Saturday 1^st May 82

0130

Yarmouth Entered TEZ (Total Exclusion Zone) 200 miles NE of Falklands

Air Attacks commenced

1054

2 Mirage III’s SHar (Sea Harrier) turned them away at 130 miles.

1130

2 Mirage III’s SHar stopped them at 100 miles.

1155

2 Mirage III’s SHar stopped them at 100 miles.

1259

2 Super Etendard 90 miles – fired one Exocet which landed in the sea 12 miles away.

1310

2 Super Etendard – stopped by SHar at 100 miles.

1415

2 Mirage III’s at 80 miles. Turned away.

1430

2 Mirage III’s at 100 miles. Stopped by SHar.

1503

2 Super Etendard 90 miles. Turned away.

1615

2 Mirage III’s 80 miles. Turned away.

1645

1 Super Etendard 80 miles. SHar intercepted and missed.

1703

1 Super Etendard came low overland from F. I. and turned away by SHar.

1832

3 Pucarra (twin engined prop) ditched bombs 15 miles away.

1926

2 Super Etendard turned away at 80 miles.

1935

2 Mirage – 1 downed by SHar.

1920

1 Mirage downed by own AA fire over F.I.

1922

2 Canberra Photo Recce – 1 downed by SHar.

1941

4 Mirage – 1 downed by SHar

A submarine contact get 3X3 from Plymouth – No result

Brilliant and Yarmouth plus 3 Sea Kings looking for Arg Sub San Luis – Lots of depth charges and some dead whales.

Alacrity Helo and Arg FPB have GPMG battle – helo leaking lots of fuel but made it back OK.

Arrow, Alacrity and Glamorgan Naval Gunfire Support (NGS) on Port Stanley and Darwin Airfields.

Arrow attacked by 3 Mirage III’s during night NGS – 1^st casualty – 1 AB with stomach wounds.

Vulcan and Sea Harriers attack on Port Stanley, Darwin and Goose Green – 1 Skyvan and 1 Islander aircraft destroyed.

Sunday 2nd May 82

Task Group (TG) shadowed by Arg Narwhal – Alacrity put starshell over and they legged it.

Argentine press report we lost 7 Sea Harriers, 2 Helo’s and 1 Frigate in flames – we have no losses.

Yarmouth off to bring RFA Fort Austin in through Arg Submarine operating area.

Arg press reports that “…the British Fleet is in retreat and the attempted landing has been repulsed”

Conqueror hit Belgrano with two torpedoes.

Approached by 3 Arg Corvettes which turned away when SHar launched.

Quiet day, maybe they are good Catholics and don’t work on Sundays.

Monday 3^rd May 82

0430

Unknown Arg vessel fires at Sea King patrol helo with GPMG/Oerlikon – Sea King OK and RTB.

Coventry launches Lynx to investigate above contact (small warship) and hits it with two Sea Skua – contact blows up. Pilot reports Sea Skua’s work as advertised.

Glasgow Lynx goes to pick up any survivors.

Glasgow Lynx picked up a second contact 20 miles beyond first and on investigation fired at by (possible) 4.5 HE. Responded with 2 Sea Skua and reports lots of smoke and flames from contact.

Hermes put out SOS and position of possible survivors – both Helo’s RTB OK.

TG shadowed by Arg Neptune aircraft – Shar turned away.

The two contacts above were later ID as Arg Navy Corvettes. The Arg press reports they were fishing.

Tuesday 4^th May 82

1412

2 Super Etendards fired Exocet – Hit on Sheffield after passing close down Yarmouth’s starboard side. (Very close, the Officer of the Watch was able to note down its serial number!) We had put up Chaff which may have worked as did Glasgow as it appeared to take a left turn and picked up Sheffield.

The warhead apparently didn’t explode and landed in the water astern of Alacrity. Unfortunately the rocket fuel supply ignited after passing through the Ops room deck and into a shelter station underneath.

We have put fire parties onboard and are fighting fires on Sheffield with teams from Arrow also.

The three ships come under Torpedo attack and Yarmouth pulls away snapping all the hoses and lines to deal with the Sub. (Never did positively clarify this – The Fleet Chief Sonar came onboard to listen to the recordings and said it couldn’t be anything other than a torpedo contact.)

1745

The fire eventually gets beyond control – Sheffield fire main ruptured and Sea Dart magazine hotting up. Our paint on port side burning.

1803

All survivors from Sheffield clear now. There are six on Yarmouth, lot more on Arrow and others taken by Helo to other ships – 30 missing.

TG attacked by 3 pairs of Super Etendards and 5 pairs of Mirage with bombs – no hits.

Lost 1 Harrier today by AA fire over F.I.

Wednesday 5^th May 82

Sheffield still afloat – no explosion – still burning.

2 x 2 Mirage attacks – no hits.

2 Sea Harrier’s collided in fog bank – Helo’s found some wreckage, no crew.

Yarmouth detailed to wait around Sheffield to see if the Sub(s) come back. MEO went back onboard Sheffield to see what we could salvage from our firefighting gear.

Thursday 6^th May 82

1 Arg Recce aircraft seen off by SHar.

Yarmouth told to go find RFA Appleleaf and bring her through Arg Sub Op Area.

Sheffield now 20 presumed dead – 1 RO.

1813

2 Super Etendards – Shar turned back.

1814

1 Unknown aircraft turned away at 100 when approached by SHar.

RC Padre has buzzed off to “bigger ship” – wonder if he knows something?

Friday 7^th May 82

0730

Met up with RFA Appleleaf and got first mail since Ascension.

Yarmouth told to take Appleaf and Olmeda to east and give anti-submarine cover while they pump over.

1500

Back with Task Group

1810

2 x Mirages – seen off by SHar

1916

2 x Super Etendard – turned away. (Looking for Sheffield?)

Saturday 8^th May 82

Single ship patrols in Port Stanley approaches to stop blockade runners and keep them awake. (and us also)

Yarmouth going to tow Sheffield out of TEZ tonight to meet tug Salvageman from South Georgia.

Args declare Bahia Paraiso to be a hospital ship.

2 Mirage – seen off by CAP (Combat Air Patrol)

1 Super Etendard – Rockets hit in the water astern of us.

1 Recce a/c and 2 Super Etendards turned away by CAP.

1 C130 (Hercules) and 2 Mirage – 1 Mirage downed by CAP.

2330

Picked up Sheffield tow – weather very bad. Big dent in starboard side Ops Room level from going alongside Sheffield and lost two liferafts. Proceeding at 8 knots as this has to be a fast tow to be out of Arg aircraft range by daylight – Sandy can’t spare any air cover.

Sunday 9^th May 82

1030

Sheffield behaving OK – thick mist. Good!

Arg Helo trying to find us in mist – won’t chance radar. We also under total radio silence.

1400

Weather getting worse – we are having to change course to NE from SE to try and stop Sheffield taking in more water. This course is taking us away from the tug.

Arg have a Boeing 707 recce aircraft out looking for us but he found Arrow instead.

SHar strafe and capture Arg Narwhal – crew taken off by helo to Invincible. 1 dead and 11 injured out of 14. One Arg Puma downed by Cardiff.

Found Tug position by HF DF but he is having trouble in heavy weather. Slowed tow to 5 knots. Sheffield taking water despite course change. We have the CO/XO/MEO of Sheffield onboard.

Monday 10^th May 82

0150

Unable to close Salvageman due to weather. New R/V given.

0626

Almost stopped now – Sheffield has a 7 deg list to starboard. Salvageman about 40 minutes away.

0700

Sheffield rolled onto starboard side and sank. Posn 50.11S – 05.35W.

1000

Salvageman arrives with heavy pumps. Searching area for wreckage - only found two self-releasing liferafts. (Not so self-releasing then!)

1340

Search completed – returning to TG.

Tuesday 11^th May 82

0110

Alacrity engages tanker heading into Port Howard – tanker blows up and sinks.

0800

UK Newspapers report HMS Plymouth attacked by OUR exocet (4^th May) cheek!

Signal from MOD to say that from today no one is allowed to give 18 months notice! Must expect this to go on for a while then?

Signal from wives of Sheffield survivors to say thanks for help from us and Arrow.

We have 16 SBS men onboard nobody knows where they are though!

Wednesday 12^th May 82

Arg press says their South Georgia garrison are still fighting bravely on – they are in fact on their way to Ascension at the moment.

Glasgow and Brilliant close in for a crack at the C130’s dropping stores.

1700

Glasgow and Brilliant attacked by 4 Skyhawks. 1 bomb went through Glasgow engine room – 1 casualty – badly shocked stoker who saw it pass by him on its way through.

2 Skyhawks downed by Brilliant and 3^rd crashes into the sea evading missile – 4^th damaged aft. Glasgow skipper puts a contract on the one who got away – case of Grouse.

Thursday 13^th May 82

Lot more raids than usual today – none over our side though.

Friday 14^th May 82

300 reservists called up – mostly Comms branch.

SHar put 2 x 1000lb bombs on Port Stanley Airfield

4 Raids this afternoon – no hits either side.

Saturday 15^th May 82

Intelligence suggests that Arg “hospital ship” Bahia Paraiso is being used to run supplies into F.I.

Glamorgan and SAS have been into Pebble Island airfield and destroyed 6 Pucarra, 1 Skyvan and 3 T34 Mentors.

12 x 1000lb bombs dropped on Port Stanley airfield.

Sunday 16^th May

SHar attacked to Arg ships in Fox Bay – both abandoned and ran aground – 1 on fire. Ships were Carcarama and Buena Succeso.

All our ships now outside TEZ and refuelling/rearming for “Future Ops”!!

2 Mirage downed by CAP today.

Monday 17th May 82

Today is Argentine Navy Day – we are not going!

Tuesday 18^th May 82

Still on the edge of TEZ waiting for the Amphibious Group to arrive.

Wednesday 19^th May 82

Glamorgan inshore to NGS and sneakies.

Yarmouth told to go and find Hecla. (Sandy’s lost another one!)

Invincible want to transfer Arg POW’s to Hecla.

Given our NGS target maps today – NGS Liaison officer onboard.

Thursday 20^th May 82

Total Radio silence all circuits from 1600 today to hide us from DF sites.

Allocated our NGS sector for tonight – Yarmouth will go in with Fearless and Intrepid.

C130 Recce Aircraft finds us and Amphibious Group

Friday 21^st May 82

Yarmouth, Plymouth, Ardent, Broadsword and Brilliant will support the Amphib Group – remainder staying with Sandy.

1335

Antrim hit by 1000lb bomb – didn’t explode – OK.

Our helo to spot for NGS tonight.

1530

Broadsword hit by 1000lb bomb – didn’t explode. Wrecked her Lynx and 2 casualties – both OK.

20 SAS personnel lost when helo ditched.

4 x Skyhawks – 3 downed by CAP

Ardent hit by 3 x 1000lb bombs and goes into 20 deg list – we are assisting.

2 Skyhawks bomb us alongside Ardent – both downed by CAP on the way out.

Ardents magazine warming up and they have all transferred to us.

Plymouth standing by Argonaut – Argonaut has 2 x 1000lb bombs inboard (unexploded)

1615

1 Pucarra and 2 Mirages downed by CAP.

3 Skyhawks downed by CAP

Brilliant hit by 1000lb bomb – unexploded – all OK.

Our Wasp pilot gets a “mention in despatches” for hovering over the Ardent lifting survivors whilst under attack by the Skyhawks.

We have taken off 168 survivors from Ardent to Canberra by LCT.

Saturday 22^nd May 82

Argonaut reports 1 bomb in Fwd Magazine and 1 in Engine room. Fwd one covered in damaged ammunition.

C130 recce flight up again.

Got two GPMG’s from Ardent before she sank – one on  the signal deck and one down aft.

1 Arg patrol boat hit by SHar – burnt and sunk.

Dozens of raids today – no more hits reported though.

Sandy sends us out from under CAP to find Arg Submarine Salta

Sunday 23^rd May 82

In San Carlos Water (which becomes known as Bomb Alley.

0035

Yarmouth and Brilliant told to go and find Arg MV Monsunen who’s running supplies in and sort him out.

LCT’s patrolling all night and dropping scare charges to deter divers – don’t know who they scare most!

0400

Pelting down Falkland sound looking for MV. He fires at our helo with GPMG – and we put one HE into their focsle – beached and burning.

0635

We have 80 miles to get back before it gets light around 1100 – doing 28 knots fully blacked out with Brilliant somewhere close! Hope they can keep up!

1015

Intercept from Arg lookout reports two ships moving very fast up the sound – guess who? 15 miles to go.

2 Sea Harriers engaged 3 Arg Helos on their way to meet us as we came around the point – all 3 downed.

1110

On station in San Carlos Water.

1125

Loads of Mirage III’s

1315

Our highly efficient Sea Cat damaged a Mirage and a Rapier missile finished it off.

2015

Antelope hit by 2 x 1000lb bombs. One of the attacking Skyhawks was hit by missile from Broadsword and crashed into Antelope’s mast.

2330

Antleope’s bomb explodes – we saw it from 20 miles away on our way out to refuel.

Later confirmed 11 aircraft downed today.

Monday 24^th May 82

Had to really steam to get back to anchorage again due heavy weather delaying fuelling. Only the bows of Antelope showing as we came back in.

Attacked by 4 Mirage as we came up the creek, 2 bombs 100 yards off starboard side. They’ve taken to calling us the “Crazy Y” ashore.

1 SHar brought down two Mirage with two shots.

Sir Galahad hit by 2 bombs, Sir Lancelot hit by 1, and Sir Bedivere hit by 1 bomb which someone kicked over the side!

12 Aircraft downed today.

Tuesday 25^th May 82

Put SBS ashore in Fox Bay then anti-submarine patrol.

No CAP today until fog around carriers clears

1540

Attacked by 4 x A4’s (Skyhawks) – brought one down with MG fire and nearly had another but our Sea Cat ran out of wind just before it reached it! One SHar lost launching from Invincible.

1555

Got another A4 with small arms fire but it crashed near Fearless and they claimed it, without firing a shot.

Out of one wave of Skyhawks (2 x 4), 7 were brought down.

Broadsword and Coventry outside anchorage waiting to catch them as they cross the Falkland Sound.

Broadsword and Coventry attacked by 3 x 4 Skyhawks. 1 bomb went in the side of Broadsword and out through the upper deck.

Coventry brought down 3 of the attackers before being hit by bomb. Coventry capsized after 20 minutes.  Most of the crew picked up by Broadsword and Helo’s.

2 Super Etendards hit Atlantic Conveyor with Exocet.

Wednesday 26^th May 82

0100

NGS on Port Howard after landing SBS. We put 300 high explosive and shrapnel shells on targets. Knocked out a battery of howitzers which opened fire on the ship.

0940

Back in anchorage – 2 Skyhawks bombed the ammunition dump ashore – fairly spectacular blaze. They passed over us on their way out and both left smoking and leaking fuel.

1005

Both Skyhawks reported crashed in the next valley – so we are painting them up. Rather enthusiastic Royal Marine shot one of our aerials off the mainmast.

Thursday 27^th May 82

Got two more GPMG from Glasgow today and 15,000 rounds of ammo, we will soon have enough for one each. Arg are now using their Naval Skyhawks (different colours).  Problem now is that Skyhawks and Shy-talks are both small, white, fast moving targets, but our look-outs have been given pictures of the two.

Got two more GPMG from Sir Lancelot, everyone seems to be giving us their kit and going home!

Atlantic Conveyor sank tonight.

Friday 28^th May 82

Argonaut’s bomb removed finally from under all the busted ammunition.