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Jettisoned bombs just missed Valiant Scenes of horror Moving moment of cheers in the dark Chilling call that ended an attack Jettisoned bombs just missed Valiant Commander T M le Marchand, captain of nuclear submarine HMS Valiant, remembers the conflict.
`Valiant was on a deep and fast passage across the Atlantic when Argentina invaded the Falklands. News does not travel easily to submarines when deep, and it was by means of the BBC World Service that we discovered the reasons for the Prepare for War signals that had emanated from the Flag Officer Submarines. `Perhaps we could go straight down there . No, after two months at sea there was not enough food - as ever the human machine is the limiting factor in a nuclear submarine. So the plan evolved: get home fast, top up with stores and torpedoes, and deploy for a long trip, which in the end was to last exactly 98 days under water. `Earnest preparations at base ensued. Our weapon system was upgraded to the most recent Tigerfish development, stores and provisions for 95 days were stuck down below, and one member of the ship's company married his fiancee. From the outset, we were utterly convinced that this was going to be a shooting war, and that our task was going to be to take the Argentinian navy out of the equation. `The submarine entered the war zone on May 1 after a high speed transit south. Drills every watch on attacking and torpedo evasion had made us confident that we could do our part; recognition was honed - strangely difficult when our enemy had until recently been friends: it has always seemed `not cricket' to gather intelligence on those whom one expects to be on one's own side.
`More importantly we practised and became very skilled at operating the Tigerfish Mod 1 weapon system - in effect an underwater guided missile - which was to be our prime weapon against all targets, surface or submarine. Not for us the World War II Mark 8 - which was in fact the weapon which Conqueror employed with such devastating effect against the Belgrano. `On one occasion, whilst at periscope depth, we suffered a near miss from a stick of six bombs, the fourth one of which was close enough to spill cups of tea. Having to assume we may have been detected, though there was no other indication that we had, it was prudent to get some distance between us and where it happened. We later assessed that it was returning aircraft jettisoning their unused bombs before landing back at base that had so nearly scored a fluke hit. The moral was to get off track from their return route. We were lucky, but a few feet closer and it might have been something of a bad luck story.
`A word about the ship's company. We numbered 105, and kept to a six hours on, six off watchbill for the whole deployment. Keeping the highly sophisticated but 21-year-old nuclear submarine at peak performance for night after day was a fantastic achievement. Heroes daily dealt with steam leaks, hydraulic bursts and even the odd fire; one person, the smallest man on board, had to slide 12ft down between the pressure hull and the port main condenser (a space of nine by 18 inches cross-section) to replace a flange from which steam was leaking. Unrepaired we would not have been able to use full power - a crucial get-away requirement. `Discipline and morale were outstanding - the more so because no one was conscious that such characteristics were under trial. Throughout the deployment all were acutely interested in how the `real battle' was going and determined to do all possible to contribute. There were no defaulters; no one was even ill. `Valiant returned to base in Scotland in early August. There was one single frozen chicken in the ship's fridges.’ Top of page Scenes
of horror `Initially casualties were transferred to us by helicopter but later on Hydra joined Uganda in Grantham Sound, going alongside for the transfer. It was an interesting operation since the weather was far from helpful, and Uganda was anchored with 12 shackles of cable out and swinging through 60 degrees - at this stage our troops had recovered the east side of Falkland Sound but the Argentinians were still in control of the west side. `Hydra paid four visits to Montevideo carrying a total of 251 casualties. The voyage took about four days from Falkland Sound during which time our people looked after the wounded. They also provided blood for Uganda (190 pints in one 10-day period, most of which came back under new management within a day or so). On our first two passages the majority of the wounds were flash burns, the second included some with terrible injuries, the third was mainly bullet and shrapnel wounds from the fighting, while in the last we had, in addition, 11 men who had lost limbs mostly from anti-personnel mines. Top of page Moving moment of cheers in the dark State-of-the-art weaponry and communications meant Type 22 frigates HMS Broadsword and HMS Brilliant made an important contribution to the Falklands war.
The Seawolf anti-missile system proved deadly despite some initial teething problems and these versatile ships spent a lot of time in the tedious but vital role of `goalkeeper' for the two aircraft carriers. Here, ship's captain W R Canning gives his impressions and recollections of the conflict. `It was for me the greatest privilege to have been in command of 250 young men who accepted the quite exceptional challenges of this modest little war (eg months continuously under way, an 8,000 mile line of communication, weather etc) with greatest fortitude and good humour. `Furthermore, Broadsword was in at the start and was one of the last of the original players to withdraw. Also, in view of my seniority at the time, Broadsword occupied a busy `scrum half' position during the hectic period of the landings and the days that followed.
`I remember the peaceful scene in Falkland sound at first light on May 21 followed by the mayhem of air attacks shortly thereafter and throughout the hours of daylight; first air parties being called to attend casualties; the call `handbrake' being received indicating an imminent threat of Exocet missiles in the area (even today, this buzzword raises the hairs at the back of my neck!). `There was the calm, professional way that my people got on with the job while under fire and short of sleep; my petty officer cook managing to bake a loaf of wholemeal bread during an overnight lull; the irksome business of re-fuelling, seemingly every other night while darkened and in most weathers of the South Atlantic winter. `Broadsword's lowest ebb was reached on May 25 when, in company with HMS Coventry during anti-air operations north of Pebble Island, we were attacked late in the evening. `It was not our day. Seawolf failed at a critical moment as the attack developed and, despite our combined efforts with Sea Dart, gun and an assortment of small arms, both ships were bombed at low level. The upshot is well documented; Broadsword survived while Coventry was lost. `These were moments of great anguish but my recollections remain clear. We strove to sort ourselves out and to prepare for re-attack against the haunting knowledge that the Coventry survivors had abandoned ship. `My mind was criss-crossed by self analysing thoughts; how could this possibly have happened? Had I given Coventry enough help and direction? Indeed, in the heat of the moment I gained the impression, quite falsely, that my ship was trimming by the stern following the bomb strike aft.
`Chiefly among the many reports flooding into the ops room during this quite short-lived incident, I shall never forget a very controlled statement from my officer of the watch saying `Coventry has blown up'. `Surprisingly, no future air attacks developed and our situation was relieved by the arrival of a pair of Harriers to provide top cover, thus enabling us to concentrate on recovering the Coventry survivors, in which we were ably assisted by a fleet of helicopters sent out from San Carlos. `What do you say to Coventry's captain when he is ushered to your bridge sopping wet, frozen stiff and injured? ``Would you like a warm bath'' seemed desperately inadequate. A brief visit to the wardroom to see my own casualties and to offer a sympathetic welcome to some of the survivors from Coventry. `And so back to San Carlos in the small hours to disembark survivors. Another deeply embedded memory was the Coventry men raising three cheers in the total darkness as their craft bore them away to shore. While very moving, this generous act seemed only to accentuate the sense of failure harboured in my sub-conscious. After this, things slowly returned to normal during the following six weeks until our departure on July 4. `Then there was our return to Devonport and to a memorable welcome from hundreds of well wishers and families. So absorbing was all this that I all but rammed the jetty and had to call for `full astern' to avoid doing so. Lack of recent practice I suppose! `And so, the less favourable memories from the previous three months faded from the mind while one was left with such impressions as a splendid performance by a young ship's company; the support from home; the huge part played by the RFA and the fleet train in keeping the task force supplied; the good luck that Broadsword enjoyed in so many ways despite being in the thick of things; the vagaries of the South Atlantic winter weather - sometimes hostile, sometimes strangely benign, but always cool.' Top of page Chilling call that ended an attack Type 21 frigate HMS Alacrity, a sister ship to Ardent and Antelope, escorted the carriers Hermes and Invincible to the South Atlantic. She was present during the air-launched attacks of the five exocet missiles upon the task group; shelled Stanley airfield on the first day of the war; made the only two penetrations of Falkland Sound prior to the invasion and intercepted and sank the 2,000-ton Argentinian naval fuel transport ship Isla de los Estados.
Alacrity also rescued 74 men from the blazing wreck of Atlantic Conveyor after she was hit by two exocet missiles, and completed numerous night bombardments in support of the land advance. Commander C J S Craig, who captained Alacrity during the conflict, looks back on an eventful time. `On May 10 we receive special orders - to detach from the task group under cover of dense fog before proceeding far to the west, probing harbours and inlets along the southern coasts of east and west Falkland. And if that is not risky enough, we are also to enter the slim strip of water that divides the two islands, Falkland Sound, and complete the 50-mile transit in darkness to emerge at the northern end. My ship's company are less than enthusiastic. `We enter the Sound at precisely 2300, more than 130 miles from meaningful British support. We are in the `Ultra Quiet State', the minimum of machinery running, our speed but five knots through the narrows, thereby stirring only minimal cavitation around our propellers. At half past midnight we are no more than one-third of our way through, and still in confined waters. `Radar contact, bearing 079, range five miles. Moving north-east inside the channel speed eight knots.' The sudden whisper comes from the surface-picture radar plotter. ` Minutes passed. Range closing. Course 020. Speed nine knots. Large contact.' An eternity passes before the radar plotter speaks again. `Contact merging from the channel, moving out into clear water. Range 4.8 miles. I have him on the A scope. He's a big feller.' A pause. `The blast of the gun is shattering: the whoosh of nearly 3,000 feet per second muzzle velocity as the shell leaves the barrel is very audible. For men not in the ops room and thus unaware that it is ourselves taking the initiative, it must be terrifying. `Nothing seen', comes the report. He had to be the enemy. `Engage!' The noise is deafening, cordite reeks. The rounds continued. `Lookouts are reporting flashes on the bearing of our gunfire. More reports of flashes through the rain. There seem to be some secondary explosions. Then a report which is chilling in its finality. `Huge orange flash on the bearing, sir. Right up into the cloud . Radar contact fading on all displays. Cease firing.' Some minutes later our helicopter reports flickering lights close inshore but nothing else. We have to leave any rescue work to the Argentinians and be gone.' |
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