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The Falklands War diary, 25 years later.

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  • #16
    C140??

    Originally posted by Goldie fish View Post
    6th April
    .......Much of the Stores were flown in from the USA on C140 aircraft.
    ..
    You mean the C-141 Starlifter?

    Comment


    • #17
      Don't Know. Lockheed C140 Jetstar would have been more appropriate given the political ramifications. Wideawake was pretty cramped as it was with the Buildup. I doubt it would have had much space for Starlifters.

      US involvement is difficult at best to confirm. However the only sources I have say C140.
      One source says "mainly undisclosed American aircraft bringing in such stores as the latest Sidewinder AAM's."


      Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

      Comment


      • #18
        C-140 would be an odd choice to be transporting any cargo like a usable amount of AIM-9s.


        Wideawake hadn't yet become overloaded with a dozen Victors and a couple of Vulcans, a -141 would seem reasonable.

        NTM
        Driver, tracks, troops.... Drive and adjust!!

        Comment


        • #19
          busy times at Wideawake

          Although Ascension Island is British, Wideawake was a USAF airbase in 1982. (I think it's a joint USAF/RAF base now.) C-141s were regular visitors, and even C-5As were used to bring in stores for the build-up of the base at the time of the Falklands War.

          Comment


          • #20
            You have a source for that I'm sure?


            Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

            Comment


            • #21
              trust

              Originally posted by Goldie fish View Post
              You have a source for that I'm sure?
              Yep.

              Comment


              • #22
                ah thats ok I like your source

                the encoypledia of Yep

                of course we trust you not to exeragate or make stuff up

                like when I and Sharon Ni Bheiolan got it on on the late late

                check it out here

                www. yep.com
                Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
                Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
                The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere***
                The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
                The best lack all conviction, while the worst
                Are full of passionate intensity.

                Comment


                • #23
                  Us

                  Originally posted by hedgehog View Post
                  ah thats ok I like your source

                  the encoypledia of Yep

                  of course we trust you not to exeragate or make stuff up

                  like when I and Sharon Ni Bheiolan got it on on the late late

                  check it out here

                  www. yep.com

                  You just have to have faith.... By the way, is that the royal 'we'?

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    You just have to have faith.... By the way, is that the royal 'we'?
                    Please dont make me give you the me and SnB TRUE story

                    and no its not the royal we

                    its the we that is speaking on behalf of all sensible intellegent and hetrosexual and

                    handsome people
                    Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
                    Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
                    The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere***
                    The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
                    The best lack all conviction, while the worst
                    Are full of passionate intensity.

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Oh ye of little faith...

                      Some sources:



                      Martin Middlebrook writes in the 1987 ed. of ‘Task Force’ that “The Americans provided most of the food required at Ascension, flying the supplies in by their large C-140 transporters…” USAF flights travelled to Ascension from Patrick AFB in Florida, via Antigua. (A C-140 is clearly not a “large transporter”.)

                      “Tuesday 11 May
                      8 personnel loaned to Victors this morning to reorganise their GSE and bottle farm. Martel man Sgt Clive Atkey sorting out his extra GSE which arrived yesterday. Safety equipment tent being relocated today by Cpl Edmonston and GSE Cpls. Went up to Green Mountain with the aid of a TCW 4-wheel Mercedes truck. Walked around the top with Dick. Noticed a C-5A in today from the mountain but very little movement otherwise. Went to the Two Boats Club evening and watched BBC 1 News Sat/Sun on video and film "The Lady Vanishes" - very funny.”
                      (from http://www.raf.mod.uk/falklands/vulcdet_2.html )

                      See also

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        You should have posted that instead of
                        Originally posted by carrington View Post
                        Yep.


                        Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          now your playing the game old sport
                          Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
                          Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
                          The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere***
                          The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
                          The best lack all conviction, while the worst
                          Are full of passionate intensity.

                          Comment


                          • #28
                            10th April(sat)
                            Gen Haig In Buenos Aires

                            11th April(sun)
                            HMS Spartan, Splendid and Conquerer arrive in the south atlantic

                            12th April(mon)
                            Gen Haig in London
                            HMS Spartan, Under Commander James Taylor observes Mount Kent and The Two Sisters and the coastline around the islands.
                            From 0400hrs Maritime Exclusion Zone would exist in the area 200nm from the centre of the Falklands
                            To Ascension: Yorkshireman, RFA Blue Rover, Stena Seaspread, British Tamar, British Trent.
                            Task Group 319.9 Leave Ascension fot South Georgia. Endurance and Fort Austin Meet to embark D Sqn SAS

                            13th April(tues)
                            Gen Haig in London

                            14th April(wed)
                            Gen Haig in Washington DC
                            Brilliant. Coventry, Glasgow and Sheffield Head south at 25kts until their fuel is at 30% in order to get a substantial maval force south in case a standstill was imposed during negotiations. Designated Task Unit 317.8.2

                            15th April(thurs)
                            Gen Haig in Buenos Aires

                            16th April(fri)
                            Gen Haig in Buenos Aires


                            Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              17th April(sat)
                              Gen Haig in Buenos Aires

                              18th April(sun)
                              Gen Haig in Buenos Aires
                              Task Force splits to CBG who head south, and Amphibious Group, who remained at Ascension preparing for the landings

                              19th April(mon)
                              Gen Haig in Buenos Aires
                              Type 21 Frigate Ardent, Leander class "Argonaut", RFA Plumleaf, RFA Regent, Liner Uganda, Fort Toronto(Freshwater) Leave the UK

                              20th April(tues)
                              HMS Helca Leaves the UK
                              RAF Victor from Ascension made the first radar reconnaissance flight off the coast. Two more of these 7,000 mile, 14 hour missions followed over Thursday and Saturday nights, but neither they nor "Conqueror" spotted any Argentine ships.

                              21st April(wed)
                              South Georgia Group arrive.
                              Mountain Troop was put down safely on Fortuna Glacier at mid-day that Wednesday 21st by the three Wessex available. Forced to camp overnight in blizzard conditions, attempts were made to pick up the men next morning, but as the helicopters flew up the glacier in atrocious weather, they had to return to refuel. Next time in, the men were lifted off, but in the blinding snow, both "Tidespring's" Wessex crashed
                              Mountain Troop SAS landed on Fortuna Glacier for move to Leith, but stopped by blizzards.
                              Sea Harriers Intercept Argentine Boeing 707 approaching CBG

                              22nd April(thurs)
                              Mountain Troop picked up by Antrim Wessex after both Tidespring Wessex crashed
                              Gemini assault craft from Antrim then put Boat Troop SAS ashore at Grass Island to observe Leith.
                              SBS landed at Hound Bay and tried to move across Cumberland Bay East by Gemini to a position south of Grytviken. Stopped by ice and laid up. Later picked up and reportedly landed at Moraine Fiord
                              SAS Boat Troop headed in for Grass Island, but again with near fatal results. Five Gemini assault craft set out in the dark, but two broke down and were reported missing next morning. "Antrim's" Wessex was once again to the rescue and soon found one of the crews, but the other was not located until after the surrender when their rescue beacon was activated.

                              23rd April(fri)
                              Submarine threat; Task Force ships except Endurance moved out to sea.
                              PO Aircrewman Kevin Casey becomes first casualty of Operation Corporate when the Sea King 4 of 846 sqn from HMS Hermes in which he was a crewman ditched in the sea at 70kts and sank.


                              Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                24th April(sat)
                                HMS Herald, HMS Hydra, British Dart, Anco Charger, British Wye leave the UK
                                Argentine Boeing 707 overflew Endurance and Task Force ships (except Tidespring with M Coy, 42 Cdo) ordered back in to hunt for submarine

                                25th April(sun)
                                Task Force helicopters damaged submarine Santa Fe (abandoned at King Edward Point jetty) and then put landing force ashore.
                                spotted off Cumberland Bay by Lt Cmdr Stanley's Wessex. Near-missed by two Mk.11 depth charges and with some damage, the submarine limped back towards Grytviken. As she did, one of "Brilliant's" Lynx attacked with a Mk.46 torpedo, the two "Endurance" Wasps (Flight Commander, Lt Cmdr Ellerbeck) fired AS.12 missiles hitting her fin, "Plymouth's" Wasp fired another AS.12 and both of "Brilliant's" Wasps strafed with machine guns. The warships meanwhile headed for the action at high speed. Although the attacks only slightly damaged the "Santa Fe" and wounded one crewman, by noon she was abandoned alongside the jetty at King Edward Point. (Later, on being moved to Grytviken, one of "Santa Fe's" crew was shot and killed in the mistaken belief he was trying to scuttle the boat.)

                                As Antrim and Plymouth bombarded from out in Cumberland Bay, SAS/SBS/RM landing force went ashore at Hestesletten and advanced through Grytviken towards King Edward Point. Under the command of Major Sheriden RM, a company of 75 men was assembled from the SAS, SBS and other Royal Marines with Major Delves and Capt Nunn RM as troop commanders. In the early afternoon (25th still) from out in Cumberland Bay and under the control of a naval gunfire observer landed by "Endurance's" Wasp, "Antrim" and "Plymouth" laid down a 4.5 inch barrage all around the Argentine positions at King Edward Point. Landed by "Antrim's" Wessex and "Brilliant's" two Lynx at Hestesletten, the first wave of the ad hoc force advanced through the whaling station at Grytviken and across an unsuspected minefield towards the BAS base. As they approached, white flags were hoisted and around 5 pm local time, the Argentines surrendered without a shot being fired. When contacted by radio, the small detachment of marines at Leith under the command of Lt Cmdr Astiz refused to surrender.

                                Europic Ferry, Atlantic Conveyer Leave the UK


                                Alfredo Astiz was a nasty piece of work it seems. Known as "The Blonde Angel of death" by political detainees, he was one of the most feared interrogators in the Navys Escuela Mecanica from 1974 to 1978, where detainees were held in secret. He specialised in Kidnapping pregnant women, killing them after they had given birth and arranging the adoption of the children among his staff, according to some accounts. In 1976 Astiz kidnapped Azucena Villaflor de Vicenti, the founder of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, a non-violent group of mothers protesting the disappearance of their children. Neither she, nor any of the other early members of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo kidnapped by Astiz on the same night, were ever seen again.He managed to associate with one of the groups seeking information on the "dissapeared" claiming to be a fellow victim, and was responsible for the kidnapping of two french Nuns, Alice Dumon and Renée Duquet who worked with a human rights group. A fake photo aimed at showing that they had been kidnapped by the Peronist letfist group Montoneros was leaked to the graphic media before their assassination. He kidnapped them in December 1977 and was witnessed torturing them by beating them, immersing them in water and applying electrified cattle prods to their breasts and into their genitals and mouths. Domon's body and those of the loved ones of the people the nuns were trying to console have never been found. Duquet's body was identified (along with that of Azucena Villaflor) by the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team. In 1979 he was sent to the Argentine embassy in South Africa to give a series of seminars on torture techniques to the South African security police. While there he also participated in a number of discussion groups to exchange ideas regarding methods of interrogation.

                                However as he was detained as a prisoner of war, the UK felt they had no legal justification for handing him over to civil authorities in France or Sweden, who wished t question him about the dissapearance of the Nuns and an Argentinian Girl of Swedish citizenship.On the 27 January 1977 Dagmar Ingrid Hagelin, a 17-year-old girl having Swedish citizenship (although her mother was Argentinian -her surname was Buccicardi- her father was the Swedish citizen Ragnar-Erland Hagelin, who has been tirelessly battling to bring Astiz to justice since the early 80s), was shot and wounded by Astiz while attempting to escape (apparently Astiz mistook her for a Montoneros activist to whom she bore some physical resemblance, an acquaintance to fellow-activist Norma Susana Burgos, Dagmar's friend). Witnesses saw her later at the ESMA torture center and alleged that Alfredo Astiz was in charge of her interrogation. According to the Argentine Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs tasked to follow up Swedish complaints at the time of Hagelin's shooting and abduction, Captain Jorge Eduardo Acosta, the commander of GT332, stated that "letting her free is out of the question, we must not give in to public opinion. We must appear strong" -apparently due to the seriousness of the injuries caused by Dagmar's shooting that had rendered her paralyzed, also affecting her cognitive abilities. Inés Carazzo, then a detainee enslaved and regularly raped by Captain Antonio Pernias, another GT332 officer, claims Acosta ordered that Hagelin be put to death in a "death flight". Hagelin joined the ranks of the "disappeared" and is thought to have been killed and cremated at the ESMA. There is no direct evidence that Alfredo Astiz had any part in the affair after shooting and kidnapping Hagelin, but there is also no evidence of who killed her, who interrogated her or even if she was interrogated. Due to the very nature of "disappearances" cases, such evidences are notoriously hard to find, and explain why Astiz is charged of only a few of the crimes he is suspected of having carried out.

                                On 16 March 1990, Alfredo Astiz was convicted and sentenced in absentia by the French Assise Court to life imprisonment for his role in the torture and disappearance of the two French nuns, Alice Dolmon and Leonie Duquet. French law allows trials of foreigners, including in absentia, accused of breaking French laws in other jurisdictions if the crimes are committed against French nationals.

                                Astiz has been arrested several times in Argentina since his repatriation after the Falkland War but no prosecution against him has been successful. In 2003, the Argentine Supreme Court declared anticonstitutional the amnesty laws voted during the transition to democracy (Ley de Obediencia Debida and Ley de Punto Final). Pursuits against Astiz have therefore been enacted, while France is still waiting for his extradition.


                                Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing.

                                Comment

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