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Falkands War order of battle: British naval forces

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British crewmen wearing Anti-flash gear

This is a list of the naval forces from the United Kingdom that took part in the Falklands War. For a list of naval forces from Argentina, see Argentine naval forces in the Falklands War.

Royal Navy

Command

In Northwood, London:

In the South Atlantic:

  • Commander Task Group 317.8 (Carrier/Battle Group) and Flag Officer, First Flotilla: Rear-Admiral J. 'Sandy' Woodward (HMS Hermes)
  • Commander Task Group 317.0 (Amphibious Task Group) and Commodore Amphibious Warfare: Commodore Mike Clapp (HMS Fearless)
  • Supply force: Commodore Sam .C. Dunlop
Centaur class aircraft carrier - V/STOL carrier
HMS Invincible in the South Atlantic.
Invincible class aircraft carriers
Landing Platform Docks
Large Foxtrot - Fearless LCU at Red Beach.
  • HMS Fearless (L10) (†6) from LCU Foxtrot Four
    • Commodore Clapp Capt. E.S.Jeremy. Larken
    • 4 LCU (Foxtrot One to Four), 100 troops or one Main Battle Tank.
    • 4 LCVP (Foxtrot Five to Eight), 25 troops or a Land Rover with trailer.
    • flight deck for 4 Sea King HC.4 (not embarked)
Large Tango - Intrepid LCU.
  • HMS Intrepid (L11)
    • Capt. Peter.G.V. Dingemans
    • 4 LCU (Tango One to Four)
    • 4 LCVP (Tango Five to Eight)
    • flight deck for 4 Sea King HC.4 (not embarked)
HMS Bristol
Type 82 destroyer
Type 42 destroyers
County class destroyers
Type 22 frigates
Type 21 frigates
HMS Antelope returning to San Carlos, 23 May 1982
Leander class frigates
Rothesay class frigates
HMS Endurance
Ice patrol ship
Castle class patrol vessels

As despatch vessels, carrying mail between the Task Force and Ascension Island.

HMS Conqueror returning to Faslane Naval Base after the war, flying the Jolly Roger to signal her sinking of the ARA General Belgrano
Churchill class submarines
Oberon class submarines
Valiant class submarines
Swiftsure class submarines
Hecla class survey vessels

2,744 t, used as casualty ferries

Trawler/Minesweepers - MSA 11th MCM Squadron

Civilian trawlers converted to Extra-Deep Armed Team Sweep (EDATS) with some extempore acoustic and sonar equipment. Manned by Royal Naval personnel, mainly from 1st MCM Squadron based at Rosyth. All five minesweepers were involved in clearing two minefields off Port Stanley.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary

Tankers

Landing Ship Logistic

RFA Sir Lancelot. San Carlos Water
File:RFA Sir Tristram.1982.jpg
RFASir Tristram at Fitzroy, late June 1982

Supply Ships

Helicopter Support Ship

Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service

RMAS Typhoon off Stanley

Ships taken up from trade

File:RMS Canberra. 1982.jpg
Canberra in San Carlos Water. May 1982

The following Merchant Navy ships were requisitioned, as Ships Taken Up From Trade (STUFT).

Liners
  • SS Canberra 44,807 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried personnel of the 3rd Commando Brigade to San Carlos on 21 May.
  • RMS Queen Elizabeth 2. 67,140 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried 3,200 men of the 5th Infantry Brigade. At South Georgia the men of 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and 1/7 Gurkha Rifles were transferred to Canberra, Norland and RFA Stromness on 27 May for transport to San Carlos.
  • SS Uganda 16,907 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and used as hospital ship from 11 May.
Roll-on-Roll-off ferries
  • Elk 5,463 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and two Bofors 40 mm guns to carry three Sea King helicopters, ammunition, and heavy vehicles including eight Bofors 40 mm guns, four FV101 Scorpion and four FV107 Scimitar light tanks - joined carrier battle group 16 May
  • Baltic Ferry 6,455 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried three Army helicopters, 105 troops, and 1874 tons of stores and ammunition to Ajax Bay on 1 June
  • Europic Ferry 4,190 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried vehicles, ammunition, fuel, and four Scout helicopters of 656 Squadron Army Air Corps to San Carlos on 21 May
  • Nordic Ferry 6,455 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried troops, stores, and ammunition to Falklands on 29 May
  • Norland 12,990 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried 800 men of 2 Para to San Carlos on 21 May
  • Rangatira 9,387 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon to carry 1000 engineers with vehicles and equipment, but sailed after cease fire.
  • St Edmund 8,987 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried troops and vehicles
  • Tor Caledonia 5,056 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried vehicles and equipment arriving 12 June
Container / Cargo ships
Atlantic Conveyor
Freighters
  • Avelona Star 9784 GRT (refrigerated) — equipped with helicopter pad and carried provisions arriving after cease fire
  • Geestport 7,730 GRT (refrigerated) — equipped with helicopter pad and carried provisions and stores arriving 11 June
  • Laertes 11,804 GRT — Soviet-built with armored cable trunks and damage control centers - carried general supplies arriving after cease fire
  • Lycaon 11,804 GRT — Soviet-built with armored cable trunks and damage control centers - carried ammunition and supplies arriving 28 May
  • Saxonia 8,547 GRT (refrigerated) — carried provisions arriving 23 May
  • Strathewe 12,598 GRT — carried supplies and landing craft arriving after cease fire
  • St. Helena 3,150 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and four Oerlikon 20 mm cannon for use as minesweeper support ship after the cease fire
Tankers
  • Alvega 33,000 t (57,372 DWT) — used as base storage tanker at Ascension from mid-May
  • Anco Charger 24,500 DWT — used as auxiliary support tanker from 24 April with capability to transport 42 different liquids at once
  • Balder London 19,980 t (33,751 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 12 May
  • British Avon 15,640 t (25,620 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 25 April
  • British Dart 15,650 t (28,488 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 22 April
  • British Esk 15,643 t (25,905 DWT) — fitted with over-the-stern underway refueling equipment for use as the first convoy escort oiler
  • British Tamar 15,646 t (25,498 DWT) — fitted with over-the-stern underway refueling equipment for use as convoy escort oiler from 13 April
  • British Tay 15,650 t (25,650 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 12 April
  • British Test 16,653 t (25,641 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 14 April
  • British Trent 15,649 t (25,147 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 18 April
  • British Wye 15,649 t (25,197 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 25 April - hit by bomb from Lockheed C-130 Hercules - Minor Damage
  • Eburna 19,763 t (31,374 DWT) — used as auxiliary support tanker from 26 April
  • Fort Toronto 25,498 DWT — fresh water tanker from 29 April
  • G.A.Walker 18,744 t (30,607 DWT) — used as auxiliary tanker from 10 June
  • Scottish Eagle 33,000 t (54,490 DWT) — used as base storage tanker at South Georgia from 18 June and then moved to Falklands on 14 July
Tugs / Repair / Support Ships
  • British Enterprise III 1,595 t — diving support ship
  • Iris 3,873 GRT — cable ship equipped with helicopter pad and two Oerlikon 20 mm cannon for use as despatch vessel from late May.
  • Irishman 686 GRT — ocean salvage tug from 24 May.
  • Salvageman 1,598 GRT — ocean salvage tug from 7 May.(the most powerful tug on British registry with 11,000 brake horsepower and 170 ton bollard pull)
  • Stena Inspector 5,814 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and used as repair ship after the cease fire. - purchased as RFA Diligence post-war
  • Stena Seaspread 6,061 GRT — oilfield support ship equipped with helicopter pad and used as repair ship from 16 May.
  • Wimpey Seahorse 1,599 GRT — oilfield supply vessel used as mooring tender and tug from 8 June.
  • Yorkshireman 686 GRT — ocean salvage tug from 24 May.

Weaponry

HMS Cardiff Sea Dart Launcher
Type 42 destroyer returning from a nightly shelling

Notes

  1. Sir Lawrence Freeman (2005). The Official History of the Falkands Campaign. Routledge. ISBN 0-7146-5207-5.
  2. ^ Morison(June 1983)pp.119-124
  3. Chard sailor's Falkland experience
  4. ^ Baker(June 1983)pp.111-118
  5. Villar(1984)p.171
  6. Trotter(June 1983)pp.108-111
  7. Villar(1984)pp.49&173
  8. ^ Villar(1984)p.183
  9. Villar(1984)pp.9,37-38,40&171
  10. Villar(1984)pp.43&173
  11. Villar(1984)pp.44&172
  12. Villar(1984)p.173
  13. Villar(1984)pp.31&172
  14. Villar(1984)pp.28&174
  15. "British Railways - Sealink".
  16. ^ Villar(1984)p.180
  17. Villar(1984)pp.87&179
  18. Villar(1984)pp.37&178-179
  19. Villar(1984)pp.84&179
  20. Villar(1984)pp.86&179
  21. Villar(1984)pp.95&180
  22. Villar(1984)p.179
  23. ^ Villar(1984)p.182
  24. ^ Villar(1984)p.53
  25. ^ Villar(1984)p.169
  26. ^ Villar(1984)p.176
  27. ^ Villar(1984)p.174
  28. Villar(1984)p.175
  29. Villar(1984)p.101
  30. Villar(1984)p.116&182
  31. Villar(1984)pp.67&178
  32. Villar(1984)p.178

References

  • Baker, A.D.III (1983). "Sealift, British Style". United States Naval Institute Proceedings. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  • Clapp, Michael (1996). Amphibious Assault Falklands. Leo Cooper. ISBN 0-85052-420-2. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  • Hastings, Max (1983). The Battle for the Falklands. Michael Joseph Ltd. ISBN 0-7181-2228-3. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  • Morison, Samuel L. (1983). "Falklands (Malvinas) Campaign: A Chronology". United States Naval Institute Proceedings. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  • Puddefoot, Geoff (2007). No Sea Too Rough. Chatam Publishing. ISBN 97-1-86176-314-3. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: length (help)
  • Trotter, Neville (1983). "The Falklands and the Long Haul". United States Naval Institute Proceedings. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  • Villar, Roger (1984). Merchant Ships at War The Falklands Experience. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-845-X.

External links

Falklands War
Timeline
Battles
Operations
Forces
Ships
Related
British Naval Forces of the Falklands War
 Royal Navy
United Kingdom Naval Auxiliary (RFA)
United Kingdom Ships Taken Up From Trade
United Kingdom Civilian Auxiliary (RMAS)
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