One Hundred Days
On 5 April 1982, three days after the invasion of the Falkland Islands, British armed forces were ordered to sail 8,000 miles to the South Atlantic unaware of what lay ahead of them or whether they would be committed to war with Argentina.In these engrossing memoirs, Admiral Sandy Woodward, Task Force commander from the aircraft carrier Hermes, takes us from day one to day one hundred of the conflict; from sailing through the waters of the Atlantic with hopes of a political settlement fading, and war becoming increasingly likely, to the repulse of the Argentinian navy and the daring amphibious landing at San Carlos Water.The war, which cost the lives of over 1,000 men, has left a legacy of many historical debates and controversies, from the sinking of ships such as HMS Coventry, HMS Sheffield and Sir Galahad, and the Argentinian cruiser, the Belgrano, to wider issues such as what was it like to command and fight a modern air and naval war, the biggest naval action since World War II?‘One Hundred Days’ is unique as a dramatic portrayal of the world of modern naval warfare, where despite the use of sophisticated equipment and communications, the margins for human error and courage were as wide as they were in the days of Nelson.
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One Hundred Days
Admiral Sandy Woodward
The Memoirs of the Falklands Battle Group Commander
With Patrick Robinson
HarperPress, an imprint of
HarperCollinsPublishers 77–85 Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith, London W6 8JB
First published in Great Britain by
HarperCollinsPublishers 1992
Copyright© Admiral Sir John Woodward and Patrick Robinson 1992, Diary
copyright© Admiral Sir John Woodward 2012
The Author asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work
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Source ISBN: 9780007218677
Ebook Edition © MARCH 2012 ISBN: 9780007390519
Version: 2014-12-11
Table of Contents
1 The Day They Hit HMS Sheffield
9 The Silence of HMS Sheffield
10 The End of the Trail for Narwal
12 Talking Trees and Etendards
16 The Marines Will Have To Walk
A DIARY OF THE FALKLANDS CAMPAIGN By Admiral Sandy Woodward
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
It is not very easy to take a decision which commits your country to fight a war eight thousand miles from home. At such times it is impossible to clear the mind of the inevitable heartbreak of war – of all wars – and the grief of those families who suffer loss.
But on Friday, 2 April 1982, Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands.
On the previous Wednesday evening, John Nott, Secretary of State for Defence, had hurried into my study at the House of Commons, anxiety in his face, tenseness in his every movement. He told me that the Argentine Fleet had set sail, whether for another exercise or to invade the Falkland Islands, he knew not.
As the news hardened, I called several people together, ministers and advisers. If the islands were invaded, I knew exactly what we must do – we must get them back. Their people were our people. Their loyalty and devotion to Queen and Country had never faltered. As so often in politics the question was not, what should we do? But, how could it be done? The Falklands were three weeks’ sailing time away – three weeks’ warning to the enemy – the seas were inhospitable and there would be no British air base on land. The Chief of Defence Staff was in New Zealand on an official visit. Other advisers were not very optimistic about our chances. But appeasement? Britain? Never. Admiral Leach joined us.
‘First Sea Lord, if this invasion happens, precisely what can we do?’ I enquired. I shall never forget the quiet, calm, confident answer.
‘I can put together a Task Force of destroyers, frigates, landing craft, support vessels,’ he said. ‘It will be led by the aircraft carriers HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible. It can be ready to leave in forty-eight hours.’
Once again, the hour had produced the man. It was to produce many more throughout the campaign – Admiral Fieldhouse, whose warm humanity and sureness of touch never failed him or us; Admiral Lewin, Chief of Defence Staff, a tower of wisdom and strength; Admiral Woodward himself, who saw the risks, knew and felt every loss, and who raised morale day by day by day. There were many others, some known heroes, others whose valiant deeds are written on the scroll of life. Eventually we sent a hundred ships and twenty-five thousand men, but we were not to know that at the beginning.
The issue, from the start, was one of purest principle. Foreign governments all over the world waited, some of them anxiously, for our reaction. But British people, everywhere, knew there could be but one answer.
And, when finally the Royal Navy put the land forces ashore in Carlos Bay in the early hours of 21 May, one island farmer summed up, in a sense, what it is about us which so often sets this nation apart. Asked by an officer of the Parachute Regiment whether he was surprised to find the Task Force anchored in the Bay, the farmer replied, ‘No, not a bit. We knew Maggie would come.’
He said ‘Maggie’. But he meant Britain. He meant all of us. Because he knew that we, as a people, believe in the Rule of Law, in fair play and decency. We will not accept military hooliganism against us and I am perfectly certain that many small countries felt that much more secure when, in 1982, the British Lion again made his stand against a tyrant and for the rights of the citizens of the tiny, remote Falkland Islands.
