Given today's news, let's sit back and watch history repeat itself. Except without the task force, perhaps. The Argentinians won't have to invade next time, just turn up. And what's the betting they'll be entitled to claim benefits? [Harrumphs, rustles Daily Mail and gets head down]
Ah well if we are digging into the FI shelves...a few from this might be in order... ..or rather, very out of order, which is why they are fun...all the best possible taste View attachment 27043 (over 18s only...) View attachment 27042 ..no that is NOT the modern Bulwark he is talking about...but the previous one... Plenty more where those came from, if you want 'em All the above, and more, courtesy of (says the wee book) WO Roy Carr RM, C/Sgt A Huddart RM, and Sgt John Webb RM...
It was HMS Invincible James...She had (I think) a cracked prop shaft (or similiar) and discreetly limped out of Gib heading South. There were replacement parts waiting for her when she arrived at Accession. On the theme of cut backs just before the invasion Australia had agreed to buy her from the Royal Navy....Obviously the deal was put on hold.
Cheers Andy - age gets the better of me again "Invincible" - the Argentine believed and may still believe they hit her with an Exocet.
Another ditty I remember ref James 'We'll go with what we've got'. The 5th Inf Bde was a very bad choice to send down South they had quite a few poorly equiped Battalions. I believe the Welsh or Scots Guards - I'm sure it was the Welsh had just come off their stint at Wellington Barracks and had no kit. A compulsary purchase for civilian bergans was made and they were painted green on the way South. One thing that I have always admired about the British Army is their ability to 'make do with what we've got-lets just get going attitude'. Even today that tradition is alive and well, the Americans nicknamed us the 'Borrowers' in 2003
Its funny how things we lived through are now history. I have a folder of stuff which I kept while the conflict was on, and which my wife now uses to teach her students about the Falklands War! I also have the bound magazines mentioned by Adam and there was also a good ?Telegraph bound book that was specially sold. From somewhere or other I also have an internal BBC publication with copies of all the major newspaper articles published during the war. To date however, the best single volume is ATBs recent Falklands Then & Now IMHO.
One book I read was about the Argentines called, "Los Chicos De la Guerra" by Daniel Kon, from interviews with their Veterans. Most of them said they'd rather have been back in their own country at the disco with their girlfriends. They also made a point that most Argentines were more interested in how their football team was getting on in Spain '82 World Cup. PS James, von Poop is ADAM , not me. That's twice you've quoted him & called him me.
Cheers Andy - age gets the better of me again "Invincible" - the Argentine believed and may still believe they hit her with an Exocet. I think the theory goes that apparently they sunk Invincible, which we somehow hushed up, and meanwhile rushed Illustrious down south to take her place, renaming her Invincible, then building another Invincible Carrier in a matter of months, and naming her Illustrious. And she was ready to sail south and relieve Invincible by August 82. Top marks for imagination, but its got to be the most unlikely conspiracy theory in military history.
Had a few ex-sailors at work who were 'down south'. One says his ship got hit and his mate was disemboweled when the work-tops in the Galley shattered. Don't know if that's true ?
The following are details of the RAF losses during the Falklands War....... 21 May 1982 1 Squadron Harrier GR3 XZ972 Shot down Port Howard West Falkland during air operations against the Argentinians. F/L. Jeff Glover, the pilot ejected and was rescued from the water by Argentinian troops. Subsequently, Glover returned to flying duties and flew with the Red Arrows. 'Category Five' - Cummings
I remember that series of magazines about the Falkalands. REally enjoyed it at the time although didnt get all of the mags, unfortunately.
25 May 1982 During operations to recover possession of the Falkland Islands a number of new acquired Chinook helicopters were sent to the area aboard the Atlantic Conveyor Although one aircraft was flown off the vessel, three other Chinooks were amongst the stocks of aircraft and supplies destroyed when the ship was struck by an Exocet missile caught fire and sank. Chinook HC1 ZA719 18 Squadron Chinook HC1 ZA706 18 squadron Chinook HC1 ZA716 18 Squadron 'Category Five' - Cummings
27 May 1982 1 Squadron Harrier GR3 XZ988 Shot down Goose Green by enemy AA fire whilst attacking Argentinian positions. The pilot, S/L. Bob Iverson ejected successfully and was rescued by British forces. 'Category Five' - Cummings
30 May 1982 1 Squadron Harrier GR3 XZ963 Shot down by enemy AA fire off Stanley Airport. The pilot, S/L. Jerry Pook ejected safely. 'Category Five' - Cummings
8 June 1982 1 Squadron Harrier GR3 XZ989 The aircraft was badly damaged when the engine ran down as it was approaching to land at the temporary strip at Port San Carlos. The aircraft was subsequently recovered and was used as a ground instructional airframe. 'Category Five' - Cummings
Owen. PS James, von Poop is ADAM , not me. That's twice you've quoted him & called him me. Its me blonde wig made with genuine blonde hairs. I am good with faces , crap with names ...... (sorry gents)
One thing that I have always admired about the British Army is their ability to 'make do with what we've got-lets just get going attitude'. Even today that tradition is alive and well, the Americans nicknamed us the 'Borrowers' in 2003 And according to Vulcan 508 the RAF had to break the concrete out of the air refuling probes they had been bunged up with for the last 30 years and nab the ECM pods off the Buccaneers. Still, they wont have that problem in a few years once the RAF gets disbanded... (sulks)
Perhaps if I read this and if Gerito comes back we can have a civilised debate looking from his point of view then he can listen to ours
I am sorry about the disadvantages, certainly let's have a debate. Sorry about the photographies that I publish. Its a good site and I do not want enemies here.