G
guest0001
Guest
Paras at Goose Green. May 28th 1982.
Photos Falklands War Photos
- Thread starter Bombardier
- Start date
-
- Tags
- falklands war year 1982
G
guest0001
Guest
G
guest0001
Guest
HMS ALBION’S VIRTUAL SERVICE REMEMBERS FALKLANDS HEROES
08 June 2020
Sailors and Royal Marines from UK flagship HMS Albion filmed a unique ‘virtual service’ with relatives and veterans to remember a Falklands War tragedy.
Six men were killed when landing craft Foxtrot Four was attacked and sunk by Argentine aircraft on June 8 1982 as she ferried a cargo of vehicles to help troops in the closing stages for the liberation of the South Atlantic islands.
Each June 8 since, Foxtrot Four’s parent unit – 4 Assault Squadron Royal Marines – has staged a memorial service, originally on veteran assault ship HMS Fearless, more recently on her successor, Plymouth-based HMS Albion, the Royal Navy’s flagship.
Albion is currently undergoing a spot of maintenance in her home base and the original plan was to invite families of those killed in the action in 1982 aboard for the memorial service.
The Covid lockdown ruled that out, so instead, the ship devised a virtual Service of Remembrance instead.
Serving members of 4 Assault Squadron and ship’s company have recorded the Service, interspersed with contributions from relatives of the fallen including Mandy Kazmierski, the sister of Marine Robert Griffin, and Bryan Miller, whose brother David was one of two naval marine engineers killed in the attack.
Foxtrot Four had already made a name for herself in the 1982 conflict, having rescued more than 100 men from HMS Antelope shortly before the frigate spectacularly exploded and broke in two.
Bill Parry, who was only 18 years old and on his first ship, recorded a moving account of his experiences that day. He remembers clearly the actions of Foxtrot Four, and describes its commander Colour Sergeant Brian Johnston as “the bravest man he never got to thank”.
The Royal Marine demonstrated his skill and bravery again when he took his landing craft to Goose Green to collect vital communications vehicles for the Army’s 5 Brigade.
In a remarkable feat of pilotage, in darkness and without modern navigational aids, he loaded the vehicles and was returning to Fitzroy when Foxtrot Four was bombed and sunk by Argentine Skyhawk aircraft. Only two of the eight crew survived.
Captain Peter Laughton, Albion’s Commanding Officer, said “It is entirely fitting that each year we take time to reflect and pay tribute to the crew of Foxtrot Four. We pay tribute to their selfless commitment, their courage, their heroism and sense of duty. They are an inspiring example to us all.”
Two Sea Harriers patrolling the Falkland skies immediately avenged the loss, bringing down three of the Skyhawks with Sidewinder missiles.
The final resting place of Foxtrot Four has never been found – the only wreck from the Falklands War still unlocated.
But the memory of Colour Sergeant Johnston and his men lives on. In addition to the annual service, a new Foxtrot Four replaced the lost craft and was renamed Foxtrot J – J for Johnston, a tradition maintained to this day.
Watch the full memorial service here.
08 June 2020
Sailors and Royal Marines from UK flagship HMS Albion filmed a unique ‘virtual service’ with relatives and veterans to remember a Falklands War tragedy.
Six men were killed when landing craft Foxtrot Four was attacked and sunk by Argentine aircraft on June 8 1982 as she ferried a cargo of vehicles to help troops in the closing stages for the liberation of the South Atlantic islands.
Each June 8 since, Foxtrot Four’s parent unit – 4 Assault Squadron Royal Marines – has staged a memorial service, originally on veteran assault ship HMS Fearless, more recently on her successor, Plymouth-based HMS Albion, the Royal Navy’s flagship.
Albion is currently undergoing a spot of maintenance in her home base and the original plan was to invite families of those killed in the action in 1982 aboard for the memorial service.
The Covid lockdown ruled that out, so instead, the ship devised a virtual Service of Remembrance instead.
Serving members of 4 Assault Squadron and ship’s company have recorded the Service, interspersed with contributions from relatives of the fallen including Mandy Kazmierski, the sister of Marine Robert Griffin, and Bryan Miller, whose brother David was one of two naval marine engineers killed in the attack.
Foxtrot Four had already made a name for herself in the 1982 conflict, having rescued more than 100 men from HMS Antelope shortly before the frigate spectacularly exploded and broke in two.
Bill Parry, who was only 18 years old and on his first ship, recorded a moving account of his experiences that day. He remembers clearly the actions of Foxtrot Four, and describes its commander Colour Sergeant Brian Johnston as “the bravest man he never got to thank”.
The Royal Marine demonstrated his skill and bravery again when he took his landing craft to Goose Green to collect vital communications vehicles for the Army’s 5 Brigade.
In a remarkable feat of pilotage, in darkness and without modern navigational aids, he loaded the vehicles and was returning to Fitzroy when Foxtrot Four was bombed and sunk by Argentine Skyhawk aircraft. Only two of the eight crew survived.
Captain Peter Laughton, Albion’s Commanding Officer, said “It is entirely fitting that each year we take time to reflect and pay tribute to the crew of Foxtrot Four. We pay tribute to their selfless commitment, their courage, their heroism and sense of duty. They are an inspiring example to us all.”
Two Sea Harriers patrolling the Falkland skies immediately avenged the loss, bringing down three of the Skyhawks with Sidewinder missiles.
The final resting place of Foxtrot Four has never been found – the only wreck from the Falklands War still unlocated.
But the memory of Colour Sergeant Johnston and his men lives on. In addition to the annual service, a new Foxtrot Four replaced the lost craft and was renamed Foxtrot J – J for Johnston, a tradition maintained to this day.
Watch the full memorial service here.
G
guest0001
Guest
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2017
- Messages
- 40,333
- Points
- 463
A fully armed RAF GR3 Harrier being held up crewmen to stop her falling off HMS Hermes in to the Atlantic.
"At the height of the Falklands war a Crab (RAF) GR3 Harrier bounced on the flight deck (pilot error) and ended up in the gantry ...me and another 30 Matelots had to jump on the opposite wing to try and balance her .. The FDO rushed a firefighter over to hold his axe over the pilots head as he SCREAMED "IF YOU EJECT I'LL MAKE SURE YOU END UP WITH A F*#KING AXE IN YOUR HEAD!" .. Ejecting could have detonated the missiles and bombs
Edit; there's a few questions about could someone ejecting set off the bombs, I don't pretend to be a 'Bombhead' but i'd guess the answer is no.. in a normal situation, however with the GR3 crashing heavily on the flight deck and bouncing in to the gantry we're not talking normal situations and I along with the rest of the flight deck crew I didn't want to hang around to discuss the finer points ... Our nervousness may also have something to do with watching a fully laden Sea Harrier (SHAR) take off on a night bombing run explode less than 30 seconds later just a couple of days earlier ... technically that shouldn't have happened either"
"At the height of the Falklands war a Crab (RAF) GR3 Harrier bounced on the flight deck (pilot error) and ended up in the gantry ...me and another 30 Matelots had to jump on the opposite wing to try and balance her .. The FDO rushed a firefighter over to hold his axe over the pilots head as he SCREAMED "IF YOU EJECT I'LL MAKE SURE YOU END UP WITH A F*#KING AXE IN YOUR HEAD!" .. Ejecting could have detonated the missiles and bombs
Edit; there's a few questions about could someone ejecting set off the bombs, I don't pretend to be a 'Bombhead' but i'd guess the answer is no.. in a normal situation, however with the GR3 crashing heavily on the flight deck and bouncing in to the gantry we're not talking normal situations and I along with the rest of the flight deck crew I didn't want to hang around to discuss the finer points ... Our nervousness may also have something to do with watching a fully laden Sea Harrier (SHAR) take off on a night bombing run explode less than 30 seconds later just a couple of days earlier ... technically that shouldn't have happened either"
There is no way ejecting could have caused detonation of the munitions on that harrier. If the frame had caught fire then that could have detonated the munitions, but the ejection, impossible.
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2019
- Messages
- 343
- Points
- 188
SAS operators
Nope. Sorry mate, members of 148 Battery.
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2017
- Messages
- 40,333
- Points
- 463
Thanks @Royal, I can't find anything about the image other than the caption can you confirm anything for me?
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2019
- Messages
- 1,377
- Points
- 338
Thanks @Royal, I can't find anything about the image other than the caption can you confirm anything for me?
I want to say that it's taken from "Falklands Commando" by Hugh McManners but I don't have a copy any more. I believe that would tie in with what Royal says about 148 Battery.
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2017
- Messages
- 40,333
- Points
- 463
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2019
- Messages
- 2,097
- Points
- 239
It's interesting though that they got issued M-16s instead of the L1A1. Might have led to the erroneous SAS caption.
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2019
- Messages
- 343
- Points
- 188
Plenty of other units used them at that period. The Royal Marines Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre, who also operated in the Falklands did, as did the Gurkhas (in Brunei), Pathfinders, various infantry COP Platoons in Northern Ireland, Recce Platoons/Troops elsewhere etc etc.
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2019
- Messages
- 2,097
- Points
- 239
Thanks for the info, Royal.
- Joined
- Jun 5, 2018
- Messages
- 42
- Points
- 49
I didn't know that Close Observation Platoons or Recce used the "Armalite". Thanks for the info.
- Joined
- Apr 2, 2017
- Messages
- 40,333
- Points
- 463
Heavily-laden British soldiers of 11 Platoon, D Company, 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment wait to embark in a helicopter at Fitzroy during the Falklands War. The three pictured are, left to right, Private Dave Parr, Lance Corporal Neil Turner and Private Terry Stears. This is the last known photograph of Private Parr, who was killed shortly afterwards during the assault on Wireless Ridge on the night of 13-14 June. He had earlier been shot during the Battle of Goose Green.
Similar threads
