Page 33 - ABA Salvoes 1999-2024

attack. They had fought bravely and might just want to go out in a blaze of glory. On making the RV at 1000 hrs Cdr Morton, HMS YARMOUTH’s CO, showed me a signal ordering us to proceed to South Georgia, meet with HMS ENDURANCE and accompany her to Southern Thule in the South Sandwich Islands, where it was thought, through intelligence sources, that there were up to 100 Argies whom we were to invite to surrender. At 1600 hrs we joined with RFA OLMEDA, which was to act as RAS ship and transport for M Coy 42 Cdo. As yet there were no firm plans for this operation, later to be called Operation KEYHOLE, but no doubt HMS ENDURANCE would be hatching up something spectacular. On the 16th we made passage to S Georgia in company with RFA OLMEDA, passing through the roughest weather I had ever experienced. There were some 50 gallon oil drums lashed to the port, waist which we discovered in the morning had been ripped away – including the ring bolts holding them down; one of the bridge windows had also been shattered. In “true-to-form” tradition, HMS ENDURANCE had sailed from S Georgia with the 42 Cdo’s Recce Tp, accompanied by the tug SAVAGEMAN, trying to win the last battle on their own, rather than waiting for us to join. RFA OLMEDA embarked the remainder of M Coy and we made best speed trying to catch up with the others. A plan was now hatched in which I would be put ashore on Cook Island to conduct NGS in support of M Coy as they attacked the Argies who were believed to be holding up in the buildings at Hewison Point. A simple plan: however, as there were no maps available it did have its drawbacks until one of the boffins from the BAS produced a chart on which we quickly superimposed a grid. Now we were in business! HMS YARMOUTH was a good, accurate and efficient Gunship, having expended 1441 rounds during 7 nights of NGS with me aboard during the earlier part of the war. The Type 12 may not be as pretty and sophisticated as the 21s or 42s, but both HMS YARMOUTH and HMS PLYMOUTH had sound gunnery systems and that little extra reliability. I had been with HMS PLYMOUTH during the action for South Georgia. I took the opportunity during a quiet spell to see what it was like outside and was shocked and fascinated to see icebergs quite near. Some were as big as multi-storey carparks and it got me wondering how a Type 12 would fare in a collision. Strange as in February/ March I was in the northern area of Norway on the winter deployment. Travel broadens the mind, so they say.
The plan begins to firm up and H Hour is set for 20th June at 1000 hrs Zulu. I decide to take both HF and UHF radios, as I would like to be in a position to talk with any helicopters directly rather than pass messages through the ship’s HF system. There may also be the opportunity to direct some fire from them as well. This means I need someone with me to help me carry the gear and for some sort of protection. Up steps a Marine from the RM detachment called Chin and we arm ourselves with SLRs with as many Bren mags as possible, smoke and WP Grenades. I explain
to him what is supposed to happen once we get ashore and give him a very brief course in NGS, UHF and HF radio operating, how to direct AS12 missiles, OP Ack procedures etc. There was not enough time to teach him morse code, but he got the general idea. The Wasp pilot insisted we wear once only survival suits but I argued that they made us look a little conspicuous, as they were in fact dayglow orange and the snow was white. During this discussion I noticed that the inside of the suits was white so we simply turned them inside out, taped the legs, knees and thighs up and became invisible. There was no time for a recce, andowing to operational circumstances the Wasp would make one run-in, dump us and scoot away as fast as possible. Delays ensued and it was not until 1200 hrs that we got the order to “Go In”. We squeezed into the back of the Wasp, which had its doors and seats removed to enable us to get in with our full arctic kit, weapons and bergans. The air temperature was -46°C, and with the slipstream acting as wind chill it soon became unbearable for the two of us in the back. The pilot and crewman fared a little better with full immersion dry suits and the luxury of doors for protection. It was as if a dentist had given us a massive overdose of pain killer causing our faces to go completely numb. Soon our hands and then legs became quite numb as well. As we skimmed low over the grey choppy sea I tried not to contemplate us having to ditch or even being hit by some missile. Out of the murky grey loomed Cook Island and the pilot aimed at the flattest bit of it called Reef Point, and unceremoniously dumped us before scurrying away. Suddenly it was very, very quiet as we staggered for the cover of a convenient boulder. Quickly I got communications on both HF and UHF with HMS YARMOUTH and she reported ready in all respects for the pre-arranged first target, which was Twitcher Rock some 2,000 yards from me. It somehow looked a lot closer than that. It had been decided to engage this as a sort of firepower demo in an effort to encourage the Argies to think twice about making a stand for it. I would have preferred to go straight for the buildings. There was a lot of helicopter activity on the mainland some three miles away, which was in fact M Coy Recce landing. During this lull I had a chance to take a good look around. Reef Point was the only flat bit of land on this island and about 200 yards to my rear was Mount Harmer (3500 feet) with an enormous 750 foot ice overhang, which threatened to come crashing down as HMS YARMOUTH opened fire – the only sound for centuries had been birds, waves and the occasional helicopter. Does not warrant thinking about, just look to your front and observe, I told myself, giving a nervous and thumbs up to Marine Chin. With six minutes to go to H Hour the enemy decide to raise the white flag and surrender without a shot being fired. What an anticlimax. I contacted HMS YARMOUTH and asked for immediate pick-up, but was told to remain at the ready, just in case something went wrong with M Coy mopping up. After approx one hour of feet stamping to keep warm, HMS YARMOUTH informed me that her taxi was on its way to pick us up. The pilot made a text-book
Amphibious Bombardment Association | 31