Themes

Article highlights

• HMS Fearless in the Falklands

• Britain's amphibious capabilities

• Fearless in the Task Group

• Heading South

• Ascension Island - preparation for war

• To the TEZ

• Preparing to land

• Further duties

• The return home

Ascension Island - preparations for war

On 17 April HMS Fearless arrived at Ascension Island, where the ship would stay for the next three weeks. During this time, the ship’s engineers were able to finish off the repair work that that did not get finished before they set off.

Also due to the hurried departure of the ship all the stores needed to be reorganised and re-distributed amongst the Amphibious Task Force.

Stores and transport at Ascension Island, 1982. (RNM)

While at Ascension Island the troops took the opportunity to rehearse the landings and the Royal Marine Assault Squadron practiced operating the landing craft.

Brigadier Thompson and Commodore Clapp had begun planning the final troop landings for the ground assault on the Falkland Islands whilst at sea.

Thompson knew that the Argentinean staff officers planning the operations would expect an assault on Stanley through Fitzroy or somewhere that had a decent road into the capital for wheeled vehicles to be able to enter the city.

He predicted that any route near to the capital would be heavily fortified and there was a chance that civilians might get hurt in the crossfire of any action that would take place.

The lack of helicopters would also present a problem for the landing parties. HMS Hermes was often used as a Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) for amphibious exercises, but the ship would be deployed elsewhere as a base for the Sea Harriers.

The troops needed to approach the island by landing craft. Britain had already scrapped and not replaced most of the equipment that could be used for an opposed landing, so the slow approach to shore would have to be made in secret.

Major General Moore made two visits to Ascension Island and by his last visit on 29 April firm plans had been set for the landings to be made at Port San Carlos.

Port San Carlos was better suited to an amphibious landing as its beaches were better matched for bringing the LCUs and Mexeflots closer to the shore.

The beach also provided good space for unloading and basing stores for establishing the beachhead and then advancing onwards towards Stanley.

Speed march. 42 Commando RM training on Ascension Island, 1982. (RMM)

The disadvantage about landing at San Carlos, however, was the distance that the troops would have to travel to capture the capital - around 80km in a straight line.

With the troops each carrying a load of around 120lbs on their backs over very difficult and potentially mined terrain, this would be no small task.