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HMS Fearless

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Fearless in the Task Group

HMS Fearless was in for repair at Portsmouth Dockyard when she was called up to form part of the Amphibious Task Group.

The Group was under the command of the Commander-in-Chief of the Fleet Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse RN, based in British Maritime Headquarters at Northwood in London.

The Admiralty Board brought the ship to ‘Immediate Notice’ for sailing and the Fleet Maintenance Group and the ship’s company had to work around the clock to get the ship ready for action.

Fearless set sail towards the South Atlantic carrying Headquarters 3 Commando Brigade, two troops of the Blues and Royals and personnel from 846 Naval Air Squadron.

HMS Fearless was part of the Amphibious Task Group, sent out with the Landing Force to attack and recapture the Falkland Islands. The ship’s role was to deploy troops and provide a Command and Control Centre during the San Carlos landings.

Brigadier Thompson and his HQ staff in the AOR on board HMS Fearless, Falklands War 1982. Photograph of Brigadier Julian Thompson planning operations in the South Atlantic. The headquarters in assault ships such as Fearless and Intrepid is known as the Assault Operations Room (AOR) and contains desks for the Brigadier and his G, AQ, Signals and Intelligence Staff officers as well as for the Commodore and his staff. (RMM)
Brigadier Thompson and his HQ staff in the Assault Operations Room on board HMS Fearless, Falklands War 1982. (RMM)

The ship flew the pennant of Commodore Michael Clapp RN, who commanded the Amphibious Task Group and was central to the planning of the British amphibious operations in the Falklands

Commodore Clapp and Brigadier Julian Thompson, Commander of 3 Commando Brigade, and their staffs on board HMS Fearless undertook all planning for the amphibious operation.

They would then hand the plans to Major General Jeremy Moore, Commander of the British Land Forces during the campaign. Moore would then take the plans back to Northwood for approval.

Clapp and Thompson were in a very unique situation. The war had caught the British Defence establishment by surprise. The two commanders therefore had to plan the landings without much direction from their superiors at Northwood.

The co-location of the commanders and staffs of these two groups on board Fearless for those seven weeks travelling to the South Atlantic was crucial in the success of the operation.

However, once landed the communications aboard Fearless proved inadequate and the headquarters had to be relocated ashore.