British naval forces in the Falklands War

Royal Navy

• Commander-in-Chief, Fleet: Admiral Sir J.D.E. Fieldhouse
• Commander Task Group 324.3 and Flag Officer Submarines: Vice-Admiral P.G.M. Herbert

• Commander Task Group 317.8 and Flag Officer, First Flotilla: Rear-Admiral J.F. Woodward
• Commander Task Group 317.0 and Commodore Amphibious Warfare: Commodore Michael Clapp

• - Flagship Task Group 317.8 2 SHAR pilots
• * Captain L.E. Middleton
• * 800 Naval Air Squadron
• * part 809 Naval Air Squadron
• * part No. 1 Squadron RAF
• * 825 Naval Air Squadron
• * 826 Naval Air Squadron
• * 846 Naval Air Squadron

• ' 2 SHAR pilots
• * Captain J.J. Black RN
• * 801 Naval Air Squadron )
• * part 809 Naval Air Squadron )
• * 820 Naval Air Squadron

• - set on fire by an Aérospatiale AM39 Exocet Anti-ship missile launched from a Dassault Super Étendard 4 May, ' - Fatal Damage
• * Captain J.F.T.G. Salt
• - sunk on 25 May by three bombs from a Douglas A-4B Skyhawk ' - Fatal Damage
• * Captain D. Hart Dyke
• - hit by unexploded bomb from a Douglas A-4B Skyhawk 12 May, withdrawn from war - Moderate Damage
• * Captain A.P. Hoddinott
• * Captain M.G.T. Harris
• * Captain H.M. Balfour

• - hit by an Aérospatiale MM38 Exocet anti-ship missile on 11 June ' - Major Damage
• * Captain M.E. Barrow
• - hit by unexploded bomb from an IAI Dagger - Major Damage
• * Captain B.G. Young

• - hit by IAI Dagger cannon fire - Minor Damage
• * Captain J.F. Coward
• - hit by IAI Dagger cannon fire, later damaged by bomb from Douglas A-4B Skyhawk - Moderate Damage
• * Captain W.R. Canning

• * Commander P.C.B. Canter
• - sank Argentine transport ship. Slightly damaged by bomb. Lynx helicopter damaged by return fire from armed coaster ARA Monsunen.
• * Commander C.J.S. Craig
• - sank 24 May due to unsuccessful defusing attempt of unexploded bombs from Douglas A-4B Skyhawks ' - Fatal Damage
• * Commander N.J. Tobin
• - sank 21 May by bombs from IAI Daggers and Douglas A-4Q Skyhawks ' - Fatal Damage
• * Commander A.W.J. West
• * Commander P.J. Mosse
• * Captain H.M. White
• - hit by IAI Dagger cannon fire - Minor Damage
• * Commander P.J. Bootherstone

• * Captain J.L. Weatherall
• - hit by Aermacchi MB.339A cannon/rocket and unexploded bombs from Douglas A-4B Skyhawks - Major Damage
• * Captain C.H. Layman
• * Commander S.H.G. Johnston
• * Commander P.V. Rickard

• * Commander A.S. Morton
• - unexploded bombs from IAI Daggers - Major Damage
• * Captain D. Pentreath

• * Captain N.J. Barker

• - sank
• * Commander C.L. Wreford-Brown
• * Commander R.T.N. Best

• - ran aground - Moderate Damage
• * Lieutenant-Commander A. O. Johnson

• - Argentine fighters returning from an aborted mission jettisoned bombs nearby - Minor Damage
• * Commander T.M. Le Marchand

• * Commander J.B. Taylor
• * Commander R.C. Lane-Nott

• * Captain G.L. Hope
• * Commander R.I.C. Halliday
• * Commander R.J. Campbell

• 1,238 GRT
• * Lieutenant-Commander M. Holloway
• HMS Farnella 1,207 GRT
• * Lieutenant R. Bishop
• 1,615 GRT
• * Lieutenant-Commander M. Rowledge
• 1,238 GRT
• * Lieutenant-Commander J. Greenop
• 1,478 GRT
• * Lieutenant-Commander D. Garwood

  Royal Fleet Auxiliary

• 36,000 t
• * J.A. Bailey
• 36,000 t
• * G.P. Overbury
• 27,400 t
• * S. Redmond
• 27,400 t
• * J.W. Gaffrey
• 11,522 t
• * D.A. Reynolds
• 40,870 t
• * G.P.A. McDougall
• 40,000 t
• * M.S.J. Farley
• 40,000 t
• * A.E.T. Hunter
• 25,790 t
• * R.W.M. Wallace
• 25,790 t
• * J. McCulloch

• - bombed by Douglas A-4B Skyhawk - Minor Damage
• * P.J. McCarthy
• - bombed on 24 May and 8 June by Douglas A-4B Skyhawks ' - Fatal Damage
• * Paul J.G. Roberts
• * D.E. Lawrence
• - damaged by unexploded bombs from Douglas A-4B Skyhawks
• * Christopher A. Purtcher-Wydenbruck
• * A.F. Pitt
• - bombed 8 June by Douglas A-4B Skyhawks ' - Major Damage
• * G.R. Green

• 22,890 t
• * J. Logan
• 22,890 t
• * B.A. Seymour
• 23,600 t
• * Commodore Sam Dunlop RFA
• 23,600 t
• * D.G.M. Averill
• 16,792 t - attacked by A-4C on 24 May - Minor Damage
• * J.B. Dickinson

• 9,000 t
• * D.F. Freeman

  Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service

• Ships taken up from trade

• 44,807 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried personnel of the 3rd Commando Brigade to San Carlos on 21 May.
• . 67,140 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried 3,200 men of the 5th Infantry Brigade. At South Georgia, the men of 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards and 1/7 Gurkha Rifles were transferred to Canberra, Norland and RFA Stromness on 27 May for transport to San Carlos.
• 16,907 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and used as hospital ship from 11 May.

• 5,463 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and two Bofors 40 mm guns to carry three Sea King helicopters, ammunition, and heavy vehicles including eight Bofors 40 mm guns, four FV101 Scorpion and four FV107 Scimitar light tanks - joined carrier battle group on 16 May
• 6,455 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried three Army helicopters, 105 troops, and 1,874 tons of stores and ammunition to Ajax Bay on 1 June
• 4,190 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried vehicles, ammunition, fuel, and four Scout helicopters of 656 Squadron Army Air Corps to San Carlos on 21 May
• 6,455 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried troops, stores, and ammunition to Falklands on 29 May
• 12,990 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad carried 800 men of 2 Para and men of 848 Naval Air Squadron to San Carlos on 21 May
• 9,387 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon to carry 1,000 engineers with vehicles and equipment, but sailed after cease fire.
• 8,987 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried RAF crews, troops and vehicles
• 5,056 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried vehicles and equipment; arrived 12 June

• Astronomer 27,867 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and Oerlikon 20 mm cannon and carried thirteen helicopters; arrived after cease fire.
• Atlantic Conveyor 14,946 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried eight BAE Sea Harriers, six Hawker Siddeley Harriers, six Westland Wessex helicopters, and four CH-47 Chinook helicopters ; arrived 19 May - hit 25 May by one or two Aérospatiale AM39 Exocet Air-to-Surface Anti-ship missile launched from a Dassault Super Étendard - Fatal Damage: Sank in tow 28 May - 6 embarked Wessex HU.5 helicopters, 3 embarked Chinook HC.1 helicopters, 1 embarked Sea Lynx HAS.2, heavy equipment intended for airfield construction, and the bulk stock of tents intended for infantry shelter ashore were lost
• Atlantic Causeway 14,946 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried eight ASW Sea Kings and twenty Westland Wessex helicopters; arrived 27 May.
• Contender Bezant 11,445 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried 9 Wasp helicopters, 4 Harriers and 3 Chinooks; arrived after cease fire. - purchased as RFA Argus post-war
• MV Myrmidon 23,413 GRT-equipped with tented accommodation and portakabins armed with 20mm Oerlikon cannons, arrived after ceasefire

• Avelona Star 9784 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried provisions; arrived after cease fire
• Geestport 7,730 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and carried provisions and stores; arrived 11 June
• Laertes 11,804 GRT — Soviet-built with armored cable trunks and damage control centers - carried general supplies; arrived after cease fire
• Lycaon 11,804 GRT — Soviet-built with armored cable trunks and damage control centers - carried ammunition and supplies; arrived 28 May
• Saxonia 8,547 GRT — carried provisions; arrived 23 May
• Strathewe 12,598 GRT — carried supplies and landing craft; arrived after cease fire
• St. Helena 3,150 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and four Oerlikon 20 mm cannon for use as minesweeper support ship after the cease fire

• Alvega 33,000 t — used as base storage tanker at Ascension from mid-May
• Anco Charger 24,500 DWT — used as auxiliary support tanker from 24 April with capability to transport 42 different liquids at once
• Balder London 19,980 t — used as auxiliary support tanker from 12 May
• British Avon 15,640 t — used as auxiliary support tanker from 25 April
• British Dart 15,650 t — used as auxiliary support tanker from 22 April
• British Esk 15,643 t — fitted with over-the-stern underway refueling equipment for use as the first convoy escort oiler
• British Tamar 15,646 t — fitted with over-the-stern underway refueling equipment for use as convoy escort oiler from 13 April
• British Tay 15,650 t — used as auxiliary support tanker from 12 April
• British Test 16,653 t — used as auxiliary support tanker from 14 April
• British Trent 15,649 t — used as auxiliary support tanker from 18 April
• British Wye 15,649 t — used as auxiliary support tanker from 25 April - hit by bomb from Lockheed C-130 Hercules - Minor Damage
• Eburna 19,763 t — used as auxiliary support tanker from 26 April
• Fort Toronto 25,498 DWT — fresh water tanker from 19 April
• G.A.Walker 18,744 t — used as auxiliary tanker from 10 June
• Scottish Eagle 33,000 t — used as base storage tanker at South Georgia from 18 June and then moved to Falklands on 14 July

• British Enterprise III 1,595 t — diving support ship
• Iris 3,873 GRT — cable ship equipped with helicopter pad and two Oerlikon 20 mm cannon for use as despatch vessel from late May.
• Irishman 686 GRT — ocean salvage tug from 24 May.
• Salvageman 1,598 GRT — ocean salvage tug from 7 May.
• Stena Inspector 5,814 GRT — equipped with helicopter pad and used as repair ship after the cease fire. - purchased as RFA Diligence post-war
• Stena Seaspread 6,061 GRT — diving vessel, oilfield support ship equipped with helicopter pad and used as repair ship from 16 May. "Quote": Supreme effort to prepare fleet for battle: Not for the first time has the versatility and technological capability of the offshore support fleet astounded the military - it only comes as a surprise to those not familiar with the offshore oil industry and the demands it places on ships and those crewing them, that the navies of the world do not have the same level of technology available and their personnel often lack the same levels of skills and experience. Most noteworthy was the MSV Stena Seaspread, a refitted diving and maintenance vessel which was taken to the Falklands to act as a floating workshop for the warships. During the period of hostilities the MSV Stena Seaspread carried out damage and other repairs in mid-ocean to more than 50 ships, including 10 warships and 4 captured vessels.
• Wimpey Seahorse 1,599 GRT — oilfield supply vessel used as mooring tender and tug from 8 June.
• Yorkshireman 686 GRT — ocean salvage tug from 24 May.

  Weaponry

• Surface-to-air missiles
• * Sea Slug
• * Sea Cat
• * Sea Wolf
• * Sea Dart
• Surface-to-surface missiles
• * Aérospatiale MM38 Exocet
• * Ikara
• Artillery
• * 4.5 inch L/55 Mark 8 gun
• * 4.5 inch L/45 Mark 6 gun
• * Bofors 40 mm L/60 Mark 9 anti-aircraft gun
• * Oerlikon 20 mm A/A gun
• * L7A2 7.62 mm GPMG General purpose machine gun
• * Limbo Mark 10 anti-submarine mortar
• Torpedoes
• * Mark 24 Tigerfish torpedo
• * Mark 8 torpedo