Falklands 40: Headlines from The News, April 6, 1982

Leaving on a wave of emotion

It was an occasion of raw emotion. Of tears and gnawing fears - and of a momentous renaissance of national pride.

History was in the making. For this was the day when Britain had to revert to gunboat diplomacy in defence of her empire.

From the Round Tower at Old Portsmouth to the pier at South Parade, people from far and wide massed ten deep in tens of thousands along Portsmouth’s seascape to pay tribute and to wave farewell to the men who lined the decks of the aircraft carriers, HMS Invincible and HMS Hermes, and the support tanker Pearleaf.

The Fleet, which had not fired a shot in anger since Suez, left Portsmouth Harbour on a riptide of patriotic fervour.

Impossible to imagine as the Invincible moved majestically through the mouth of Portsmouth Harbour, soon to be lost in the Solent mist, that this great warship could be engaged in a deadly conflict in a matter of weeks.

Inconceivable that she might never return, yet no warship, whatever her armament, can be impregnable against a well-directed missile or torpedo.

But the wives and sweethearts lining the beaches of Portsmouth were only too well aware that Invincible and her sister ships were sailing to uncharted dangers and possibly to total war.

Said Mrs Kathie Davies, of Ferry Road, Eastney, whose husband is a helicopter pilot in Invincible: ‘For most naval families, this is a terrifying new experience. Never before have we had to watch our men sail on what could well be active service.’

South’s Tories lash Govt.

A rising groundswell of anger is being directed at the government from Conservative leaders in the South, and especially those in Portsmouth.

The Prime Minister, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, is under attack from every angle as the impact of the Falklands crisis sinks home.

Party members are criticizing her for accepting the Foreign Secretary’s resignation, for not accepting the Defence Secretary’s resignation, and for the government’s whole attitude towards the Royal Navy.

Heading the protest is Portsmouth City Council leader, Mr John Marshall, who intends to put pressure on the government to change its naval policy.

Royal Marines join armada

The 12,000-ton assault ship HMS Fearless, her decks lined by hundreds of sailors and Royal Marines, left Portsmouth Naval Base today to join the Falklands Task Force.

Fearless was followed by her four landing craft, heavily loaded with vehicles and equipment.

The assault ship anchored at Spithead and took on board the landing craft, which are floated in through the stern, before heading for the South Atlantic.

Fearless, and her sister ship, Intrepid, recently reprieved from government’s surface fleet cuts, are the Navy’s only two large purpose-built amphibious ships.

Elsewhere in The News - Theatre Royal work progress

As work on the restoration of Portsmouth’s Theatre Royal continues, trustees of the 126-year-old building have their eyes very much on the future.

First phase of renovation work is due for completion early next month.

It is expected that the Minister for the Arts (Mr Paul Channon) will officially mark the occasion by cutting a red tape at the entrance to the foyer.

The Theatre Royal Trust has appointed a theatre consultant to ‘advise on long-term theatrical potential’ of the building at Guildhall Walk.

The consultant will also consider potential development opportunities at the site.