British Naval Forces in The Falklands War - Royal Navy

Royal Navy

Command

In Northwood, London:

• Commander-in-Chief, Fleet: Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse
• Commander Task Group 324.3 and Flag Officer Submarines: Vice-Admiral Peter G. M. Herbert

In the South Atlantic:

• Commander Task Group 317.8 (Carrier/Battle Group) and Flag Officer, First Flotilla: Rear-Admiral J. 'Sandy' Woodward (HMS Hermes)
• Commander Task Group 317.0 (Amphibious Task Group) and Commodore Amphibious Warfare: Commodore Mike Clapp (HMS Fearless)

Centaur-class aircraft carrier - V/STOL carrier

• HMS Hermes - Flagship (†3) 2 SHAR pilots
  • Captain Lin Middleton RN (Linley E Middleton)
  • 706 Naval Air Squadron (4 Sea Kings)
  • 800 Naval Air Squadron (12 BAE Sea Harriers)
  • part 809 Naval Air Squadron (4 BAE Sea Harriers)
  • 826 Naval Air Squadron (12 Sea King HAS.5)
  • 846 Naval Air Squadron (6 Sea King HC.4)

Invincible class aircraft carriers

• HMS Invincible (†3) 2 SHAR pilots
  • Captain Jeremy J. Black RN
  • 801 Naval Air Squadron (8 BAE Sea Harriers) - Lieutenant-Commander 'Sharkey' Ward RN
  • part 809 Naval Air Squadron (4 BAE Sea Harriers)
  • 820 Naval Air Squadron (10 Sea King HAS.5)

Landing Platform Docks

• HMS Fearless (†6)
  • Commodore Mike Clapp RN + Captain Jeremy Larken RN (E S J Larken)
  • 4 LCU (Foxtrot One to Four), 100 troops or one Main Battle Tank. LCU Foxtrot Four, bombed and sunk in the Choiseul Sound by A-4B Skyhawks
  • 4 LCVP (Foxtrot Five to Eight), 25 troops or a Land Rover with trailer.
  • flight deck for 4 Sea King HC.4 (not embarked)

• HMS Intrepid
  • Captain Peter Dingemans RN (P G V Dingemans)
  • 4 LCU (Tango One to Four)
  • 4 LCVP (Tango Five to Eight)
  • flight deck for 4 Sea King HC.4 (not embarked)

Type 82 destroyer

• HMS Bristol
  • Captain Alan Grose RN (A Grose)

Type 42 destroyers

• HMS Sheffield - set on fire by a Aérospatiale AM39 Exocet (Air-to-Surface) Anti-ship missile launched from a Dassault Super Étendard May 4, (†20) - Fatal Damage (sank on May 10)
  • Captain Sam Salt RN (J F T G Salt)
• HMS Glasgow - hit by unexploded bomb from a Douglas A-4B Skyhawk May 12, withdrawn from war - Moderate Damage
  • Captain Paul Hoddinott RN (A P Hoddinott)
• HMS Coventry - sunk on May 25 by three bombs from a Douglas A-4B Skyhawk (†19+1) - Fatal Damage
  • Captain David Hart-Dyke RN
• HMS Exeter
  • Capt. Hugh M. Balfour
• HMS Cardiff
  • Capt. Mike G.T. Harris

County class destroyers

• HMS Glamorgan - hit by an Aérospatiale MM38 Exocet (Surface-to-Surface) Anti-ship missile on June 11 (†14) - Major Damage
  • Capt. Mike E. Barrow
• HMS Antrim - hit by unexploded bomb from an IAI Dagger - Major Damage
  • Capt. Brian G. Young

Type 22 frigates

• HMS Brilliant - hit by IAI Dagger cannon fire - Minor Damage
  • Capt. John F. Coward
• HMS Broadsword - hit by IAI Dagger cannon fire, later damaged by bomb from Douglas A-4B Skyhawk - Moderate Damage
  • Capt. William.R. Canning

Type 21 frigates

• HMS Active
  • Cdr. Paul C.B. Canter
• HMS Alacrity - sank Argentine transport ship ARA Isla de Los Estados. Slightly damaged by bomb. Lynx helicopter damaged by return fire from armed coaster ARA Monsunen.
  • Cdr. Chris J.S. Craig
• HMS Antelope - sank May 24 due to unsuccessful defusing attempt of unexploded bombs from Douglas A-4B Skyhawks (†2) - Fatal Damage
  • Cdr. Nicholas Tobin
• HMS Ardent - sank May 21 by bombs from IAI Daggers and Douglas A-4Q Skyhawks (†22) - Fatal Damage
  • Cdr. Alan West (Later Admiral Sir Alan West, First Sea Lord 2002 - 2006)
• HMS Ambuscade
  • Cdr. Peter J. Mosse
• HMS Avenger
  • Capt. Hugo M. White
• HMS Arrow - hit by IAI Dagger cannon fire - Minor Damage
  • Cdr. Paul J. Bootherstone

Leander class frigates

• HMS Andromeda
  • Capt. James L. Weatherall
• HMS Argonaut - hit by Aermacchi MB.339A cannon/rocket and unexploded bombs from Douglas A-4B Skyhawks (†2) - Major Damage
  • Capt. Christopher H. Layman
• HMS Minerva
  • Cdr. S.H.G. Johnston
• HMS Penelope
  • Cdr. P.V. Rickard

Rothesay class frigates

• HMS Yarmouth
  • Cdr. Anthony Morton
• HMS Plymouth - unexploded bombs from IAI Daggers - Major Damage
  • Capt. David Pentreath

Ice patrol ship

• HMS Endurance
  • Captain Nick Barker RN (Nicholas J Barker)

Castle class patrol vessels

As despatch vessels, carrying mail between the Task Force and Ascension Island.

• HMS Leeds Castle
• HMS Dumbarton Castle

Churchill class submarines

• HMS Conqueror - sank the ARA General Belgrano
  • Cdr. Christopher L. Wreford-Brown
• HMS Courageous
  • Cdr. Rupert T.N. Best

Oberon class submarines

• HMS Onyx - ran aground - Moderate Damage
  • Lt-Cdr. A. O. Johnson

Valiant class submarines

• HMS Valiant - Argentine fighters returning from an aborted mission jettisoned bombs nearby - Minor Damage
  • Cdr. Tom M. Le Marchand

Swiftsure class submarines

• HMS Spartan
  • Cdr. J.B. Taylor
• HMS Splendid
  • Cdr. Roger C. Lane-Nott

Hecla class survey vessels

2,744 t, used as casualty ferries (hospital ships)

• HMS Hecla
  • Captain Geoff Hope RN (G L Hope)
• HMS Herald
  • Commander Robert Halliday RN (R I C Halliday)
• HMS Hydra
  • Commander Richard Campbell RN (R J Campbell)

Trawler/Minesweepers - MSA 11th MCM Squadron

Civilian trawlers converted to Extra-Deep Armed Team Sweep (EDATS) with some extempore acoustic and sonar equipment. They were manned by Royal Naval personnel, mainly from 1st MCM Squadron based at Rosyth. All five minesweepers were involved in clearing two minefields off Port Stanley.

• HMS Cordella 1,238 GRT
  • Lt-Cdr Martyn Holloway
• HMS Farnella 1,207 GRT
  • Lt Bob Bishop
• HMS Junella 1,615 GRT
  • Lt-Cdr Mark Rowledge
• HMS Northella 1,238 GRT
  • Lt-Cdr Jeremy Greenop
• HMS Pict 1,478 GRT
  • Lt-Cdr David Garwood