weelittledrummer - 01 Jan 07 - 11:44 AM

"As I remember, the interior of the Sir Galahad was coated in highly flammable material to save a few quid. And the whole bloody escapade was caused by her nibs deciding to knock off the naval patrols which were protecting the islands. that's why the Argies decided to chance their arm."

Eh, No WLD, you remember incorrectly:

"Anchored 1200 feet apart in Port Pleasant, the landing ships were near Fitzroy, the designated landing point. The landing craft should have been able to unload the ships to that point relatively quickly, but confusion over the ordered disembarcation point (the first half of the Guards going direct to Bluff Cove) resulted in the senior Welsh Guards infantry officer aboard insisting his troops be ferried the far longer distance direct to Port Fitzroy/Bluff Cove. The intention was for the infantrymen to march via the recently repaired Bluff Cove bridge (destroyed by retreating Argentinian combat engineers) to their destination, a journey of around seven miles.

The longer journey time of the landing craft taking the troops direct to Bluff Cove and the squabbling over how the landing was to be performed caused enormous delay in unloading. This had disastrous consequences. Without escorts, having not yet established their air defence and still almost fully laden, the two LSLs in Port Pleasant were sitting targets for two waves of Argentinian-FAA A-4 Skyhawks."

The "Household Brigade" and Amphibious Operations should never be mixed. Throughout this whole sorry business the Royal Marine liaison officer pleaded with these prats to get their men shifted ashore ASAP, he was politely ignored, after all who the hell was he, a marine, to instruct officers of the Household Brigade on what to do in the field of amphibious operations. Their ignorance, arrogence and incompetence were astounding.

But one thing is certain WLD it had nothing whatsoever to do with any orders or instructions given by Margaret Thatcher, it had nothing whatsoever to do with the paint, and it had nothing whatsoever to do with Admiral Sandy Woodwards fleet dispositions. The orders given for the operation were simple and straightforward, get in there, get ashore as rapidly as possible, and let the ships get clear as quickly as possible.