Falklands 40: Headlines from The News on Saturday, April 3, 1982

Poised to go – task force will sail on Monday

The Portsmouth-based aircraft carriers HMS Invincible and HMS Hermes will leave on Monday for the Falkland Islands flashpoint.

They will lead the navy’s task force ordered to the South Atlantic by the government.

News of the task force departure was announced - amid howls of derision - by Premier Margaret Thatcher in the Commons today.

Portsmouth naval base was a hive of activity as the navy gathered its strength for the confrontation with the Argentinians.

Dockyard workers swarmed over the warship, racing against time to get the elderly vessel, HMS Hermes, fit for action.

A constant stream of Wessex helicopters buzzed between HMS Daedalus, Lee-on-the-Solent, and HMS Vernon, Portsmouth, today, bringing stores from the air base for the task force ships.

It is understood that the Portsmouth-based guided-missile destroyer HMS Glasgow has been re-routed, possibly with the destroyers Coventry, Glamorgan, Antrim, and the frigate Rhyl which were all due back in Portsmouth on Tuesday.

Hundreds of ratings, called back from Easter leave because of the invasion, poured off trains and marched into the ‘Yard.

As they went into the Naval Base, the crewmen said they had been recalled from leave, but had no idea whether or when they would be leaving Portsmouth for the Falklands.

Final preparations at Portsmouth were delayed as thick fog shrouded the harbour - making it impossible for the extra jump jets and helicopters to land on the waiting carriers.

Angry ‘Yard men answer the call

As Portsmouth Dockyard mobilized itself for war today, furious union leaders demanded the resignation of Defence Secretary (Mr. John Nott).

Yesterday nearly 200 Dockyard industrial workers were given six months notice and hundreds more were warned that they may get redundancy papers in two months.

Union leaders were quick to point out that it was only the loyalty of their men - prepared to work long hours on the carriers HMS Invincible and HMS Hermes - which would ensure an early departure for the Navy task force.

Mr. Les Chaplen, secretary of the Dockyard’s joint-union Whitley Committee said: ‘Mr Nott is asking the dockyardmen to work round the clock to prepare the ships for sea - and at the same time is telling them they are to lose their jobs.’

Now families wait and pray

Thousands of Hampshire families were today on a knife edge as they awaited news of their loved ones who might be called on to face the massed might of the Argentinian Navy.

Said one distraught navy wife: ‘My husband was called in from leave yesterday. He telephoned me at work and I had to rush home to drive him to the Dockyard.’

And for many families, there was the added torment of hearing no news of their relatives living and working in the Falklands. All communications with the dependency were broken soon after the first Argentinian stormtroopers landed there.

In other headlines: ‘Sit on’ grant to Mary Rose

Portsmouth City Council was today urged to ‘sit on’ a probable £75,000 grant to the Mary Rose Trust.

Councillors had previously agreed to set aside £40,000 for work to raise the wreck of the Tudor warship from the Solent seabed late this summer.

But a report, prepared by the City Secretary and Solicitor (Mr. R. Tweed) urges a supplementary estimate of £35,000 be approved.

He points out that £2m. has already been raised towards the £4m. needed to fund the project.

But the proposal has disturbed the Leader of Portsmouth Labour Group (Mr. R. Emmerson) - a supporter of the project.

Mr. Emmerson said “There is so much uncertainty about the final resting place for the ship’s hull. We do not know whether it will stay in the Dockyard after the lifting operation, go to Eastney, or to North Harbour as has been proposed.”