Themes

Conflict and Change

• Introduction

• In Focus: 1900

• In Focus: World War One

• In Focus: Interwar

• In Focus: World War Two

• In Focus: Post War Conflict

• In Focus: Cold War Climate

• In Focus: Falklands and Beyond

• Special Exhibition: Falklands 25

  • - Early History

  • - Preparing for war

  • - 74 days of conflict

  • - On the front page

  • - Coming home

  • - Voices of War

Learning

• How To: Understand Propaganda

• Propaganda Image Galleries

• Education Project: Sea With Your Own Eyes

74 days of conflict

Article highlights

• 74 days of conflict

• Harriers and helos

• The heart of the Task Force

• Silent Hunters

• Tankers, tugs and the Great White Whale

• Under attack

• 'Bungs, wedges and woolley bear suits'

• Into Bomb Alley

• Harrass and deceive

• The yomp to Stanley

• 'Mother Hen' and the 'Red and Green Life Machine'

"We keep loading, keep loading and loading until we are told to stop"
Cyril De Roche, Gunner, HMS Antrim 1982

Harass and deceive

Frigates and destroyers moved close inshore each night to bombard enemy positions and support the ground forces. This 'Naval Gunfire Support' (NGS) was vital, and crews worked hard in dangerous conditions.

Night bombardment in 'Bomb Alley' (RNM)

NGS had three purposes. It harassed Argentinian troops by bombarding their positions, guns, stores and airfields. It deceived and confused them by firing on possible areas for British landings. It supported the ground forces ashore, before and during the land battles.

There were several ways of controlling the guns. From the ship itself, by a 'spotter' in a helicopter or from an observer ashore - often carefully hidden near the enemy. The Navy's guns fired different types of shell. Star shells lit up the land or sea at night, chaff shells confused radars and high explosive shells attacked troop positions. The ships fired many 1000s of shells and some guns wore out completely.