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I see the QE2 is now resting and once again shiny, perhaps a few of you will have spent time on board during the Campaign
Queen Elizabeth 2 : : Home
Queen Elizabeth 2 : : Home
I don't actually recall seeing much of the QE2 during the fighty bit. I remember the troops were cross-decked in South Georgia to the landing ships from the QE & distinctly remember seeing Canberra in Bomb Alley (San Carlos) but don't remember seeing the QE2 inside the TEZ.I see the QE2 is now resting and once again shiny, perhaps a few of you will have spent time on board during the Campaign
Queen Elizabeth 2 : : Home
"The Canberra cruises, where the QE II refuses"I don't actually recall seeing much of the QE2 during the fighty bit. I remember the troops were cross-decked in South Georgia to the landing ships from the QE & distinctly remember seeing Canberra in Bomb Alley (San Carlos) but don't remember seeing the QE2 inside the TEZ.
It was a crying shame that the great white whale went to the knackers yard"The Canberra cruises, where the QE II refuses"
I only saw Canberra in bomb alley (plus a lot of other grey fighty ships).
IIRC the QE II trooped Naval casualties back to the UK.
Never get downwind of the rancid Rangatira's stern, holy stench! The other was a RoRo the "St. Edmund' from Folkstone IIRC. Mind you, the Edmund was not much better with a Battalion's worth of Gurhkas stinking up the car deck.Does anyone remember the troop accommodation ships immediately post-conflict?
Jeez, they were ropey. The Rangatira, followed by the floating accommodation that was later used as an overflow for UK prisons.
Does anyone remember the troop accommodation ships immediately post-conflict?
Jeez, they were ropey. The Rangatira, followed by the floating accommodation that was later used as an overflow for UK prisons.
I came to the bottom of a stairwell and I saw two young Welsh Guardsmen. They obviously didn´t think they were going to make it out. They shook each others hands, pointed their rifles to each others head and pulled their triggers. There was nothing I could have done to stop them. It was their decision.
Troops and equipment were cross-decked from QEII at South Georgia by the five minesweeping trawlers of the 11th MCM Squadron; very much unsung heroes of the conflict.I don't actually recall seeing much of the QE2 during the fighty bit. I remember the troops were cross-decked in South Georgia to the landing ships from the QE & distinctly remember seeing Canberra in Bomb Alley (San Carlos) but don't remember seeing the QE2 inside the TEZ.
Had heard of them before but not in any detail. Thanks.Troops and equipment were cross-decked from QEII at South Georgia by the five minesweeping trawlers of the 11th MCM Squadron; very much unsung heroes of the conflict.
The elderly Ton class coastal mine countermeasures vessels (MCMVs) in service at the time were unsuited for the long passage and heavy seas expected in the South Atlantic. The first two of the new Hunt Class MCMVs were not yet operational so it was decided to requisition five deep sea trawlers from Hull and fit them with rudimentary minesweeping equipment. These vessels were commissioned into the Royal Navy and crewed mostly by the ships' companies of Ton Class MCMVs based at Rosyth: CORDELLA (HMS UPTON); FARNELLA (HMS WOTTON); JUNELLA (HMS BICKINGTON); NORTHELLA (HMS SOBERTON); and PICT (HMS BILDESTON). They endured rough weather, unreliable machinery and lack of proper self-defence armament, communications and navigation systems. Sailing to and fro on their various often clandestine missions carrying stores and personnel in the dark, with radar switched off and all lights extinguished for security, they frequently ran the risk of being rammed or fired on by both enemy and friendly forces.
Apart from acting as guinea pigs in channels suspected of being mined and landing Special Forces raiding parties, they swept 10 of the 21 moored mines laid by the Argentinians in the approaches to Port Stanley; the other mines had either broken adrift and floated away or failed to deploy properly. Astonishingly, the relatively junior officer who welded the makeshift squadron together as an effective force, led it 8,000 miles south, supervised its hazardous operations and then brought it home again four months later without its ships or men sustaining a single casualty received no public recognition for his achievement.
Here's a piccie of the minesweeping trawlers of the 11th MCM Squadron at South Georgia cross-decking 5 Brigade personnel, stores and ammunition from QE2 to CANBERRA, NORLAND and the various RFAs shuttling between South Georgia, the Task Force at sea and the beachhead at San Carlos.
The UK certainly does. In early July 1982, the Hunt Class minehunters HMS BRECON and HMS LEDBURY arrived in theatre and confirmed by sonar that all poised mines had been cleared. Further utilising their submersibles and divers, the two mine hunters then located and disposed of remaining married mine failures and mine sinkers. In 2014, the ships' companies became entitled to wear the South Atlantic Medal without rosette.Had heard of them before but not in any detail. Thanks.
Does any country currently operate a MCMV that could do it?
I don't actually recall seeing much of the QE2 during the fighty bit. I remember the troops were cross-decked in South Georgia to the landing ships from the QE & distinctly remember seeing Canberra in Bomb Alley (San Carlos) but don't remember seeing the QE2 inside the TEZ.
Must admit I've not heard that story previously.I came across this link (shared on social media) yesterday:
https://www.spink.com/lot/9033228#
What struck me was the story behind the medal about events on Sir Galahad: