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Jeff Tall
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The Belgrano Incident
Belgrano Incident
During the Falklands War Tall, in his position as one of the submarine controllers, was involved in the Belgrano Incident.
The submarine HMS Conqueror was made infamous by sinking the Argentine cruiser 'General Belgrano' on 2 May 1982.
The Navy sank the Belgrano as it was convinced that the Argentine ship was about to attack the British aircraft carriers HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible. The aircraft carriers were the capital ships of the fleet . They were essential to the British war effort and needed to be protected at all costs.
Front page of the Express. (RNM)
There were also fears that the Belgrano was part of a three-pronged naval assault on the Task Force. Naval sources estimated that Belgrano, and her escorts 'Hipolito Bouchard' and 'Piedra Buena', were within six hours of being in position to launch an attack on one of the British carriers.
At the same time, three corvettes carrying Exocet missiles launched another attack west of the Falkland Islands. Another group of surface ships were also at sea to the north of the Falklands. This consisted of the aircraft carrier 'Veinticinco de Mayo' and two escorting destroyers, 'Hercules' and 'Santisima Trinidad'.
Due to severe weather, 'Veinticinco de Mayo' was unable to launch her aircraft for an attack and both these groups of ships therefore returned to Argentine waters. However, Belgrano and her two escorts continued on course.
Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Terence Lewin, had stopped at Fleet Headquarters at Northwood in London for an up to date report on the war on his way to a Cabinet meeting at Chequers on 2 May.
Whilst there, a sighting report of the Belgrano was received from Conqueror. A special meeting of the Inner War Cabinet, which directed the Falklands' campaign, was then held at Chequers.
They agreed to change the naval rules of engagement to allow an attack on Belgrano, despite her position outside the 200 mile Total Exclusion Zone surrounding the Falklands.
They gave HMS Conqueror the permission to sink the Belgrano, hitting the ship with three Mk 8 torpedoes.
The cruiser quickly sank, resulting in the deaths of 368 of her 1000 crew members - the single largest loss of life during the conflict.
The incident served as a clear warning that any Argentine vessel trying to get through towards the British fleet would be attacked.
Hear Jeff Tall talk about how the Belgrano Incident affected him.
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Tall remembers the British submarine attack on HMS Belgrano. (RNM)
To read a transcript of this oral history follow the link
After the Conflict, the British Fleet worked hard to rescue injured British and Argentinean servicemen. It was a harrowing experience for all involved in the rescue effor, as Tall explains -
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Tall on the humanitarian effort after the War. (RNM)
To read a transcript of this oral history follow the link
