Hi,
I served with the Merchant Navy RFA working in the engine room during the Falklands conflict and have a collection of memories and photos ( not many of me as I mostly took them ) someone might be interested in.
My best mate was Michael Griffiths ( Taffy ) have lost touch now, last heard of in Australia somewhere.
As the story goes, or bits that I can remember, I joined the RFA (Royal Fleet Auxilliary ) Tidepool in SouthShields docks, these ships are front line supply ships refueling and replenishing Royal Navy ships at sea ( RAS ). She was undergoing a refit before sailing to Chili with a skeleton British crew and the rest being Chilean. The ship was sold along with the Norfolk to the Chilean Navy - so a "run job" take the ship to Chile and a flight back to UK maybe a month or two. Little did I know I wouldn`t be getting home for another 8 months!.
We left Shields and started our journey across the Atlantic to Curacao, Netherland Antelies, just as an interest the ship sails through the main street in Curacao passed the Queen Emma pontoon bridge which opens to allow shipping through ! Quite a sight a ship dwarfing the houses. So we fuelled up, had an adventure or two ( another story ) and headed through the Panama Canal. We were two days from Valporiso when we recieved the order to about turn, drop off the Chilean crew and recrew with some of our own lads, and of course refuel with mostly aviation fuel for helicoptors. By then we had heard that the Agentinians had invaded the Malvinas ( Falkland Isles ).
So fuelled up and ready to go, to what none of us really knew. I don't think we expected it to be the war it was. I previously had sailed on the RFA Olna for eight months doing the Persian Gulf patrol so I knew these ships and the work involved.
Off we headed to meet up with the rest of the South Atlantic Task Force that had been assembled and was on its way past the Ascension Isles, a stop off supply point on the way south. We headed back up to Ascension took on board some Marine Commandos & Fleet Air Arm Helicopters ect...
When we reached the Islands amongst other things one of our jobs was to take fuel in through the sound to San Carlos Bay. I referred to it as " running the Gauntlet " soon to be nicknamed " Bomb Alley " and offload it into large floating tanks. We were attacked and bombed on many occasions doing this. I remember on one occasion Taff going to refuel the emergency fire pump at the forecastle ( the sharp end ) on his way back without warning we were attacked and he was sprinting towards us on the flying bridge over the tank deck, being followed and shot at with both barrells by a Skyhawk. Reaching the end of the flying bridge he and the Chief Steward collided and ended up in a heap and were pulled in slightly shaken up the Chief jockingly accusing Taff of tripping him up ! That kinda brought things home for both Taff and me. My station was in the engine room looking at various lengths of wood and quick drying cement to be used to plug any holes in the event of a bomb coming in and not going of. A lot of these bombs were being dropped at low altitude, the wrong speed and would if it hit you would make a hole in the ship but not explode. It was pretty scary at times knowing above you were being bombed and shot at but not able to see what was going on.
The Task force had suffered several casualties by this time Antelope, Ardent, Sheffield and Coventry and I will never forget the low feeling at these times. The troops had taken some prisoners from Goose Green and surrounding areas and were transporting them to an old whaling station.
We managed to get ashore after the landings and one thing I remember is seeing a section of turf with the words " Home Sweet Home " dug out.
The picture below is a trench or a big puddle - wouldn't thank you for a night or two spent in that !!
Although we were in and around the Islands on our various missions for me it's San Carlos Bay that I particualy remember .
The Canberra looking serene in San Carlos Bay.
I remember listening to the advancement of the troops over the ships radio and hearing from various visitors who came on board, the agony of the battles and the loss of life, until the eventual liberation of Port Stanley.
This by no means includes all my memories but is a very brief outline of what part the RFA and others played in the South Atlantic Campaign. We were one of the last ships to leave sailing around south America, Tierra del Fuego, and then after a war, several collisions with our own ships, also a little mentioned New Zealand ship the Rangatira had a little bump with us and the Arrow losing control of her steering gear and ramming us! we left the Tidepool very bruised and battered in the hands of the Chilean Navy. ( finally arrived back home in Edinburgh on 16th aug 1982 my 23rd Birthday ! Happy Birthday ).
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