The Return of the Queen
"Be pleased to inform Her Majesty that the White Ensign flies alongside the Union Jack in South Georgia"
Commander of Operations to the Foreign Office, on the retaking of South Georgia
Raising the White Ensign after the recapture of South Georgia. NAM 1998-09-13-22
Before the Falkland Islands could be recaptured the Island of South Georgia had to be retaken. The horrendous weather that could develop without warning in the South Atlantic soon became apparent. Prior to a main attack two helicopters were lost in the rescue of a Special Air Service (SAS) reconnaissance unit stranded in Arctic temperatures. They were saved by the exceptional efforts of a third Royal Navy helicopter crew.
On 26 April, after a naval bombardment, a force of Royal Marines, SAS and Special Boat Service (SBS) went ashore and the Argentine garrison surrendered.
Mrs Thatcher appeared outside 10 Downing Street and encouraged her Defence Secretary to read the statement from the Commander of Operations. Met with a barrage of questions from the press she rounded on them, saying ‘Just rejoice at that news’.
Troubled Waters
To protect the Task Force and to defy the Argentine claim to the Islands, the Royal Navy set about enforcing a Total Exclusion Zone of 200 miles (321.5 km) around the Islands. Any Argentine shipping or aircraft within this area were regarded as fair game for the submarines, ships and aircraft of the Task Force.
On 1 May an RAF Vulcan flew 4,000 miles from Ascension Island, refuelling several times in mid-air, and bombed the air strip at Stanley. Although the raid caused minimal damage to the air strip it showed the Argentines that Britain was not just reliant on the Task Force and that even the Argentine mainland could be a potential target.
Ship-to-ship refuelling. (Soldier Magazine)
On 2 May the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano was torpedoed by the British submarine HMS Conqueror outside the Total Exclusion Zone with the loss of 368 men. The reality of the war became shockingly clear.
Two days later, 20 men died when HMS Sheffield was sunk by an air-launched Exocet missile while defending the Task Force aircraft carriers.
Throughout the campaign the Argentine Air Force, based only 300 miles (480 km) away, was a severe threat and they gained a reputation for reckless bravery. The Royal Navy’s key role was to provide air cover for the Task Force. Carrier-based Harrier aircraft were few in number and could offer only limited protection to the ships and the men on the ground.
All or nothing
Troops about to board Sea King helicopters (Soldier Magazine)
Pressure was growing on the British Government to negotiate and in order to avoid losing international support a quick victory was needed. With the Task Force closing on the islands and the South Atlantic winter approaching any thought of relying on a blockade to oust the Argentines was dismissed.
The extended supply line and the risk to morale of an lengthy stay in such extreme conditions made invasion the only viable course of military action.
Before the main amphibious landings began British special forces assessed enemy defences, calling in air strikes on military, supply and communications targets. On the night of 14/15 May a raid was mounted on Pebble Island airstrip, destroying radar, ammunition and aircraft.
Wreck of a Pucara ground attack aircraft (Soldier Magazine)
