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EARLY
BRITISH TASK FORCE MOVEMENTS (Parts 17-19)
Part 18.
CARRIER BATTLE GROUP FOLLOWS
WEEK
TWO, 5th-11th April 1982
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Summary of
British Ships & Aircraft Departing
Ships Departing
Royal Navy
Alacrity, Cmdr C J S
Craig (awarded DSC) RN
Antelope, Cmdr N J Tobin (DSC) RN
Broadsword, Capt W R Canning ADC (DSO) RN
Fearless, Capt E S J Larken (DSO) RN
Hermes, Capt L E Middleton (DSO) RN
Invincible, Capt J J Black (DSO) MBE RN
Yarmouth, Cmdr A Morton (DSC) RN
Royal
Fleet Auxiliary
Brambleleaf, Capt M S J
Farley RFA
Olmeda, Capt G P Overbury (OBE) RFA
Pearleaf, Capt J McCulloch RFA
Resource, Capt B A Seymour RFA
Sir Galahad, Capt P J G Roberts (DSO) RFA
Sir Geraint, Capt D E Lawrence (DSC) RFA
Sir Lancelot, Capt C A Purtcher-Wydenbruck (OBE) RFA
Sir Percivale, Capt A F Pitt (DSC) RFA
Stromness, Capt J B Dickinson (OBE) RFA
Merchant
Ships
British Esk, Capt G
Barber and Naval Party (NP) 1740
British Tay, Capt P T Morris
British Test, Capt I A Oliphant and NP 1790
Canberra, Capt D J Scott-Masson (CBE) and NP 1710, Capt C
P O Burne (CBE) RN
Elk, Capt J P Morton (CBE) and NP 1720, Cmdr A S Ritchie
(OBE) RN
Irishman, Capt W Allen and NP 1770
Salvageman, Capt A J Stockwell and NP 1760
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Aircraft
Movements
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Naval Air
Squadrons Embarked
No.800 - 12 Sea
Harriers, Hermes
No.801 - 8 Sea Harriers, Invincible
No.820 - 11 Sea King HAS.5's, InvincibleNo.826 - 9
Sea King HAS.5's, Hermes
No.846 - 9 Sea King HC.4's on Hermes and 3 on
Fearless
No.824 A Flt - 2 Sea
King HAS.2A's, Olmeda
No.845 A Flt - 2 Wessex HU.5's, Resource
No.845 B Flt - 2 Wessex HU.5's, Fort Austin from
Ascension
No.845 D Flt, 2 Wessex HU.5's, based at Ascension
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Aircraft Departing
Royal Air
Force
Nimrod MR.1's
of 42(TB) Sqdn RAF, Wing Cmdr D L Baugh (OBE) RAF
3 Commando
Brigade Air Squadron
9 Gazelles (3
each) on Sir Galahad, Sir Geraint and Sir
Percivale
6 Scouts (3 each) on Fearless and Sir Lancelot
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Task Force
Departures from Monday 5th April - Through an
incredible amount of effort, a Carrier Battle Group
(CVBG) and most of 3 Commando Brigade (3 Cdo Bde)
were on their way to Ascension by week's end, with the
carriers and some of their escort and supply ships being
first to leave. "Hermes" and "Invincible" (commanded by Capt
Black, pictured below) sailed from Portsmouth on
Monday with RFA support tanker "Pearleaf" carrying heavy
fuel oil for the older "Hermes". On the same day, frigates
"Alacrity" and "Antelope" left Devonport along with RFA
fleet tanker "Olmeda". And RFA replenishment ship "Resource"
loaded with naval stores left Rosyth to join the carriers.
By the end of the week, "Antelope" had crossed over to the 3
Cdo Bde ships, but after sailing from Gibraltar on Thursday,
frigates "Broadsword" and "Yarmouth" took her place.
By Good Friday
9th, most of the 3 Cdo Bde units and
their equipment had left on a variety of ships, although
some flew to Ascension. Apart from one RM Cdo Coy on
"Hermes" and part of one on "Resource", the rest sailed in
ships of the Amphibious Task Group. On
Tuesday 6th, assault ship "Fearless" headed out from
Portsmouth as Brigade HQ with Commodore Clapp, and off
Portland took on board Brigadier Thompson and three No.846
Sea Kings. Of the four LSL's sailing at this time, "Sir
Percivale" and "Sir Lancelot" left from Marchwood, and
"Sir Galahad" and "Sir Geraint" from Devonport. Next day,
RFA stores support ship "Stromness" left Portsmouth after
being converted to carry 45 Cdo RM.
The first merchantmen
also sailed. Taking just two days to convert from cruise
ship to trooper, "Canberra" left Southampton on Friday 9th
with nearly 3,000 men including most of 40 and 42 Cdo RM
and 3 Para, and accompanied by RO-RO ship "Elk" loaded
with ammunition and vehicles. Over the weekend, the first
tankers headed for the South Atlantic,
mainly to top-up the RFA's in the tanker holding areas -
"British Esk" from Portland, "British Tay" after loading
at Milford Haven and Campbeltown, and "British Test" from
Portsmouth. Also from Portsmouth on Saturday, tugs
"Irishman" and "Salvageman" loaded with towing and salvage
gear left first for Ascension. Apart from the SBS, the
other units destined to take part in re-capturing South
Georgia flew to Ascension during the the week - D Sqdn
22nd SAS apparently earlier on, followed by M Coy 42 Cdo
from Brize Norton on Friday.
Ascension and South
Atlantic - On Tuesday 6th the first RAF
aircraft moved to Ascension's Wideawake airfield. Two
Nimrod MR.1's of 42(TB) Sqdn arrived from St. Mawgan via
the Azores, and next day started patrolling the seas
around Ascension and supporting the nuclear subs on
passage south. They were replaced in mid month by more
modern MR.2's, but from the UK, later flew SAR for the
Harriers as they staged to Ascension. Also on Tuesday, RFA
"Fort Austin" reached the island and three days later
continued on with D Sqdn SAS, two newly-embarked No.845
Wessex as well as three Sea Skua-equipped Lynx for ships
of the "Advanced Group". It was from
these that the South Georgia Task Group
was detached. After Admiral Woodward had transferred his
flag to "Glamorgan", and under the command of Captain
Young in "Antrim" they went ahead and reached Ascension on
Saturday, but neither they, nor the rest of the "Advanced
Group" which got in next day spent much time there.
Earlier in the week, RFA support tanker "Brambleleaf",
after leaving her Persian Gulf Patrol headed via the Cape
of Good Hope to refuel the South Georgia ships.
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Captain J J Black MBE
RN,
commanding officer, HMS Invincible
Assault
ship
HMS Fearless (both Courtesy - MOD, Navy)
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Disposition
of
British Ships, Aircraft & Land
Forces, including those Departing
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UK
Departures
Tankers British Tay,
British Test, British Esk
Tugs Irishman, Salvageman
3
Commando Brigade Transport
Assault ship Fearless
Transports Canberra, Elk
LSL's Sir Galahad, Sir Geraint, Sir
Lancelot, Sir Percivale
RFA Stromness
FR Antelope
RFA's
at
Sea
Appleleaf, Pearleaf
Carrier
Battle
Group
CV Hermes, Invincible
Fr Alacrity
RFA Olmeda, Resource
joined by: Fr Broadsword, Yarmouth
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Other
Ships nearing or in South Atlantic
LSL
Sir Tristram
SSN's Conqueror, Splendid, Spartan
RFA Fort Austin
RFA Brambleleaf
Ships
and Aircraft in Ascension Area
RAF
Aircraft
Nimrod MR.1's of 42(TB)
Hercules, VC.10's
Advanced Group
DD Glamorgan, Coventry, Glasgow,
Sheffield, Fr Arrow, Brilliant
South Georgia Task Group
DD Antrim, Fr Plymouth, RFA Tidespring
M Coy 42 Cdo, SBS, D Sqn SAS
Departing
Falkland's
Area
Ice
Patrol Vessel Endurance
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on
to Part
19 - Ascension Island
or back to Falklands
War HomePage
revised 31/5/13
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