Falklands 40: Headlines from The News, Portsmouth on June 14, 1982 as Portsmouth mourned HMS Glamorgan losses

Stricken city mourns again

Portsmouth's civic flag flew at half-mast today as the city mourned the loss of nine crew from the destroyer HMS Glamorgan.

They were killed, and 17 were wounded, when the Portsmouth-based destroyer came under artillery fire from the Falklands mainland.

The Leader of Portsmouth City Council (Mr John Marshall) said: ‘There is no question about our feelings. We are deeply sad at the loss of fine young men.’

Mr Peter Griffiths, MP for Portsmouth North, spoke of his sorrow, mixed with ‘intense pride’.

‘I felt a great sense of personal loss - as I think everybody in Portsmouth will - at the casualties on HMS Glamorgan, because she is a Portsmouth ship.’

He added: ‘But I feel intense pride at the sheer professionalism and skill of our forces who have taken us to the brink of success.’

Glamorgan (5,440 tons) is thought to have been hit by howitzer shells from the mainland as she blasted enemy positions with her twin 4.5-inch guns.

She was taking part in the action on Friday in which British troops stormed Argentine positions to capture high ground overlooking Port Stanley.

One of the most heavily-armed ships in the task force, she remains on station despite the damage.

As well as her guns she carries Exocet anti-ship missiles, and air defence is provided by Seacat and Seaslug systems.

The 16-year-old destroyer, commanded by Capt. Michael Barrow, 50, of Shear Hill, Petersfield, had been in the thick of the Falklands action, claiming ten ‘kills’ on Argentine planes. Her normal complement was 470 men.

Troops await last-assault order

British troops were today consolidating their new positions on the outskirts of Port Stanley, awaiting the order to deliver their knock-out assault on the beleaguered Argentine garrison.

The dominating strongholds of Mount Longdon, Two Sisters, and Mount Harriet were today firmly under the control of British forces following a week-end push in which 4,500 troops overran forward Argentine positions.

But despatches from journalists tell of the price paid by marines and commandos in taking the three heavily-defended hills.

Bob McGowan, of the Daily Express, reported: ‘It was a miserable, terrifying, and at times tragic episode...it was inevitable that some of our brave young men had to die.’

The freezing night raid of 'incredible luck'

‘We've been incredibly lucky,’ said a commanding officer standing amidst the snow powdered summit that the men of his unit stormed on Saturday with only minimum loss.

‘If the Argentinians had known what they had been doing, in positions like these they could have done us a lot of damage.’

Since the early hours of Saturday, British Forces have made the decisive strikes in their offensive, to come within one bound of Port Stanley, writes Max Hastings of the Evening Standard.

All the attacking forces have had stiff firefights, and one in particular paid a price for its exceptional courage and determination in reaching its objectives.

Mary Rose ace ready to be dealt

Experts were today playing their first ace in the ambitious plan to raise the Tudor warship, Mary Rose.

The men, who for months have been plotting recovery operations of Henry VIII’s favourite ship, launched the first phase of the scheme to bring its remains ashore.

A massive 117ft by 49ft lifting frame was being towed from Marchwood Military Point, Southampton, to the area a mile off Southsea Castle where the ship went down in 1545.

The frame will be suspended beneath a 100ft. barge, and later lowered over the surviving starboard portion of the ship either tomorrow to Wednesday.