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South Atlantic Medal Association 1982

Saturday 1st May 1982

  • Haig peace mission ends in failure.
  • SBS and SAS patrols land on the Falklands.
  • Vulcan bomber and Sea Harriers attack airfields at Stanley and Goose Green.
  • First air-to-air combats: Three Argentine aircraft shot down, plus two others damaged.
  • HMS Arrow damaged.
  • 115 civilians at Goose Green held captive by Argentine forces.
  • SS Uganda sets sail from Ascension Island heading south.
  • United States backs UK with offer of military supplies and sanctions against Argentina.
  • Major General Moore appointed land deputy to C-in-C Fleet.
  • Cunard’s flagship the QEII is requisitioned as a troop ship.

Sunday 2nd May 1982

  • Argentine cruiser General Belgrano sunk by HMS Conqueror.
  • BAS Survey Team plus two photographers leave HMS Antrim and RFA Tidespring for Ascension Island.

Monday 3rd May 1982

  • Two Lynx from HMS Coventry and HMS Glasgow attack 2 patrol craft and sink the Alferez Sobral.

Tuesday 4th May 1982

  • Sea Harrier shot down attacking Goose Green airfield, 1 lost.
  1. Lt N Taylor
  • HMS Sheffield hit by an Exocet missile, 20 lost.
  1. Lt Cdr D I Balfour
  2. PO D R Briggs – DSM
  3. CA D M Cope
  4. WEA A C Eggington
  5. Sub Lt R C Emly
  6. PO R Fagan
  7. CK N A Goodall
  8. LMEM A J Knowles
  9. Laundryman L C Keung
  10. L/CK T Marshall
  11. PO A R Norman
  12. CK D E Osborne
  13. WEA K R F Sullivan
  14. CK A C Swallow
  15. CWMech M Till
  16. WEM B J Wallis
  17. L/CK A K Wellstead
  18. MAA B Welsh
  19. CK K J Williams
  20. Lt Cdr J S Woodhead – DSC

Thursday 6th May 1982

  • Peace efforts led by Peru ends in failure.
  • Argonaut Group leaves Ascension.
  • Two Sea Harriers lost over the South Atlantic, 2 lost.
  1. Lt W A Curtis
  2. Lt Cdr J E Eyton-Jones

Friday 7th May 1982

  • Peace initiative is launched by United Nations.
  • Britain widens war zone to within 12 nautical miles of Argentina’s coast.
  • MV Norland, carrying 2 PARA, arrives at Ascension to join Amphibious Task Group.

Saturday 8th May 1982

  • Newly extended Exclusion Zone enforced.
  • HMS Brilliant enters Falkland Sound to assist with the attacks on supply vessels.
  • First long range air supplies dropped to Task Force in South Atlantic.

Sunday 9th May 1982

  • Argentine spy ship, is bombed and strafed, then boarded and sunk.
  • Argentine helicopter is shot down by a British warship missile.
  • Argentine military positions around Port Stanley bombarded by British warships.
  • RFA Sir Bedivere leaves Ascension Island.

Monday 10th May 1982

  • HMS Sheffield sinks while under tow to safe anchorage in South Georgia.
  • Bristol Group leaves UK.

Tuesday 11th May 1982

  • HMS Alacrity sinks supply ship Isla de Los Estados, and sails through Falkland Sound checking for mines.
  • Argentine Puma shot down.
  • HM Hospital Ship Uganda and Argentine counterpart Bahia Paraiso establishes a ‘Red Cross Box’ off the Falklands.
  • The Argentine Government declares the whole of the South Atlantic Ocean is now a war zone, and as a result any ships on passage south to supply any of the Task Force will be liable to attack after crossing the equator.

Wednesday 12th May 1982

  • QEII sails from Southampton with 5 Infantry Brigade embarked.
  • Four Argentine Skyhawk fighter bombers shot down.
  • HMS Glasgow damaged by a bomb which fails to explode.
  • Sea King ditches.
  • HMS Cardiff, leaves Gibraltar for South Atlantic.
  • HMHS Uganda receives first casualties.
  • MV British Tay joins the Task Force.
  • Patrolling Nimrod sights Argentine Boeing 707.
  • 3 Commando Brigade Operation Order for landing issued.
  • UN peace talks are reported to be making good progress.
  • SS Uganda receives first casualties.
conflict image

Thursday 13th May 1982

  • 11th Mine Countermeasures Squadron – requisitioned Hull trawlers HMS Cordella, HMS Farnella, HMS Junella, HMS Northella, and HMS Pict leave Ascension.
  • Brigadier Thompson holds Orders Group meeting on HMS Fearless.

Friday 14th May 1982

  • RFA Sir Bedivere leaves Ascension Island.
  • RFA Appleleaf & MV British Esk joins the Task Force.
  • HMS Hermes, HMS Glamorgan & HMS Broadsword depart for Pebble Island.
  • ‘Active Service’ declared.
  • Sir Anthony Parsons (UK Envoy at the UN) & Sir Nicholas Henderson (UK Ambassador to the US) fly home from UN peace negotiations for urgent talks with Mrs Thatcher.

Saturday 15th May 1982

  • SAS land on Pebble Island
  • SBS land in Grantham Sound.

Sunday 16th May 1982

  • Bombardment of military installations in the Falklands by British warships.
  • Argentine supply vessels damaged by Sea Harriers in Falkland Sound.
  • Argentine merchant ship, bombed and strafed in Port King Bay and a supply vessel moored close to Fox Bay settlement is strafed.
  • British Ambassadors return to the US.

Monday 17th May 1982

  • EEC renews sanctions against Argentina for another week.
  • Argentine Air Force Commander warns that British task force will receive ‘massive attack’ if it sails within range of Argentine weapons.

Tuesday 18th May 1982

  • Hopes fade for a successful outcome to United Nations peace negotiations.
  • Additional Sea Harriers join 809 Squadron having come south on the container ship Atlantic Conveyor.

Wednesday 19th May 1982

  • Cabinet approval given for landings.
  • Additional Sea Harriers join 801 Squadron having come south on the container ship Atlantic Conveyor.
  •  
  • Substantial bombardment of military targets south of Port Stanley and in East Falkland by British warships and Sea Harriers.
  • British troop-carrying helicopter ditches at night, 21 lost.
  1. Cpl R E Armstrong
  2. Sgt J L Arthy
  3. WO M Atkinson
  4. Cpl W J Begley
  5. Sgt P A Bunker
  6. Cpl R A Burns
  7. Sgt P P Currass – QGM
  8. Sgt S A I Davidson
  9. WO L Gallagher – BEM
  10. Sgt W C Hatton – QGM
  11. Sgt W J Hughes
  12. Sgt P Jones
  13. L/Cpl P N Lightfoot
  14. Cpl M V McHugh
  15. Cpl J Newton
  16. S/Sgt P O’Connor
  17. Cpl S J G Sykes
  18. Cpl E T Walpole
  19. Cpl M D Love – DSM
  20. Cpl D F McCormack
  21. Flt Lt G W Hawkins

Thursday 20th May 1982

  • Sea King helicopter crashes on a beach near Punta Arenas in Chile. Crew of three burn their machine and go into hiding, later surrendering and repatriated

Friday 21st May 1982

  • D-DAY – From 02:00 Task Force lands several thousand troops at San Carlos Water, 50 miles west of Port Stanley.
  • Diversionary attacks on Goose Green.
  • RAF Harrier shot down by SAM, injured pilot ejects and taken prisoner-of-war.
  • Two Gazelles shot down by small arms fire near Port San Carlos, 3 lost.
  1. Sgt A P Evans
  2. Lt K D Francis
  3. L/Cpl B P Giffin
  • HMS Ardent abandoned after fierce air attack on British invasion force in Falkland Sound, 22 lost.
  1. AB D Armstrong
  2. Lt Cdr R W Banfield
  3. AB A R Barr
  4. PO P Brouard
  5. CK R J S Dunkerley
  6. L/CK M P Foote
  7. MEM S N Ford
  8. Std S Hanson
  9. AB S K Hayward
  10. AB S Heyes
  11. WEM S J Lawson
  12. MEM A R Leighton
  13. AEM A McAuley
  14. LS M S Mullen
  15. Lt B Murphy
  16. LPTI G T Nelson
  17. PO A K Palmer
  18. CK J R Roberts
  19. Lt Cdr J M Sephton – DSC
  20. LMEM S J White
  21. LMEM G Whitford
  22. MEM G S Williams
  • HMS Argonaut attacked and bombed in Falkland Sound, 2 lost.
  1. AB I M Boldy
  2. AB M J Stuart
  • HMS Brilliant, HMS Broadsword and HMS Antrim damaged, HMS Antrim left with two unexploded bombs in her engine room.
  • Seventeen Argentine aircraft and four helicopters shot down.

Saturday 22nd May 1982

  • Field Hospital established at Ajax Bay.
  • HMS Ardent sinks in the spot where it was abandoned in Falkland Sound.
  • HMS Exeter & HMS Ambuscade join the Task Force after their fast passage south.

Sunday 23rd May 1982

  • Bridgehead consolidated with 5,000 troops dug in.
  • Eight Argentine aircraft destroyed.
  • HMS Exeter arrives to join the Task Force.
  • HMS Broadsword come under attack.
  • HMS Antelope badly damaged and set on fire during air attack in San Carlos Waters. 2 lost.
  1. Std M R Stephens
  2. Sgt J Prescott – CGM
  • Ship blazes white hot and is abandoned by her 175 crew.
  • Sea Harrier crashes into sea shortly after night take-off, 1 lost.
  1. Lt Cdr G W J Batt – DSC

Monday 24th May 1982

  • Eight EEC nations vote to continue trade boycott of Argentina.
  • Nine more Argentine aircraft shot down.
  • HMS Antelope detonates as an attmpt to defuse an unexploded bomb was being made to defuse it.
  • QEII travels down to South Georgia carrying more than 3000 troops on board.

Tuesday 25th May 1982

  • UN Security Council debate ends.
  • Five Argentine aircraft destroyed.
  • Destroyer HMS Coventry, lost during intensive air attacks, 19 lost.
  1. MEM F O Armes
  2. CWEA J D L Caddy
  3. MEA P B Callus
  4. A/PO S R Dawson
  5. WEM J K Dobson
  6. PO M G Fowler
  7. WEM I P Hall
  8. Lt R R Heath
  9. Laundryman K B Kwo
  10. D J A Ozbirn
  11. Lt Cdr G S Robinson-
  12. Moltke
  13. LRO B J Still
  14. MEA G L J Stockwell
  15. WEA D A Strickland
  16. AB A D Sunderland
  17. MEM S Tonkin
  18. Ck I Turnbull
  19. WEA P P White
  20. WEA I R Williams
  • Cunard container ship, SS Atlantic Conveyor sunk by Exocet, 12 lost.
  1. AEM A J Anslow
  2. Seaman C S Chan
  3. Bosun J B Dobson
  4. CPO E Flanagan
  5. Mech F Foulkes
  6. Std D R S Hawkins
  7. RO R Hoole
  8. Mech J Hughes
  9. Seaman N G Por
  10. Capt I H North – DSC
  11. LAEM D Pryce
  12. Mech E N Vickers

Wednesday 26th May 1982

  • UN adopts Resolution 505.
  • 2 PARA start advance on Goose Green.
  • Overnight Bristol, Cardiff, Minerva, Penelope, Avenger, Active & Andromeda all arrive and join the Task Force.

Thursday 27th May 1982

  • 263 survivors from HMS Sheffield arrive home in the UK.

  • Large SAS patrol contingent flies to Mount Kent.

  • 2 Argentine aircraft destroyed.

  • Shore facilities at San Carlos bridgehead attacked for the first time, leaving 2 UXBs in Field Hospital, 8 lost.
  1. Mne C Davison
  2. Mne P D Callan
  3. Sgt R Enefer
  4. Cpl K Evans
  5. Mne P B McKay
  6. Mne D Wilson
  7. Mne S G McAndrews
  8. Spr P K Gandhi

Friday 28th May 1982

  • In East Falklands, a Harrier landing strip is quickly established close to San Carlos and used for emergencies only.
  • Port Darwin settlement and Goose Green airstrip attacked by 2 PARA, 16 lost.
  1. Lt J A Barry
  2. L/Cpl G D Bingley – MM
  3. L/Cpl A Cork
  4. Capt C Dent
  5. Pte S J Dixon
  6. Pte M W Fletcher
  7. Cpl D Hardman
  8. Pte M Holman-Smith
  9. Pte S Illingsworth – DCM
  10. Lt Col H Jones – VC OBE
  11. Pte T Mechan
  12. Cpl S R Prior
  13. L/Cpl N R Smith
  14. Cpl P S Sullivan
  15. Capt D A Wood
  16. Cpl M Melia
  • Scout helicopter in support of 2 PARA shot down by two Pucaras, 1 lost.
  1. Lt R J Nunn – DFC

Saturday 29th May 1982

  • Argentine forces surrender at Goose Green, up to 1,400 taken prisoner.
  • Argentine Hercules transport aircraft drops bombs on MV British Wye, 400 miles north of South Georgia. No damage.
  • All 67 wounded from 2 PARA survive and are flown out to SS Uganda.

Sunday 30th May 1982

  • Royal Marines advancing towards Port Stanley reach Douglas Settlement and Teal Inlet.
  • Argentine air attacks resume on Task Force.
  • Major General Moore arrives in Falkland Islands.
  • RAF Harrier damaged by ground fire during attack on Stanley ditches in sea. Pilot rescued.
Royal Marines Yomp heading into Port Stanley with Paul Robinson as flag bearer.

Monday 31st May 1982

  • UN Secretary General presents new peace plan.
  • Argentine Special Forces attacked at Top Malo House by Mountain and Artic Warfare Cadre (RM).
  • Task force troops reach Mount Kent, 12 miles west of Port Stanley.
  • Argentine aircraft attack British ships with bombs and missiles but are beaten off without damage or casualties.
  • Two Skyhawk aircraft shot down.
  • MV Atlantic Conveyor, devastated by Exocet missile on May 25, sinks under tow.
  • 801 Sea Harriers make two bombing raids on Port Stanley airfield.
April 1982
June 1982