Falklands conflict saw naval reserves ready and on standby

Last week I asked if anyone knew anything about civilians being conscripted to the services at the time of the Falklands crisis in 1982.

Ron Smith suggested it might just have been for men who were on the reserve list. He says: ‘I’m not sure about the situation regards calling up civilians for the Falklands conflict, but I believe they were making contingency plans. I left the Royal Navy in April 1980 and was required to complete three years of Special Reserve. I was not required to do anything other than to be available if called. At the time of the conflict a formal letter was sent to my home address requiring me to keep them informed of my whereabouts on a daily basis. As I was working as a service engineer on RFA ships in Gibraltar (preparing them for a trip south) and not supposed to say on which ships or where, my wife informed the MoD, through my employer.

‘Within a few days I received official discharge from the RN reserve and heard nothing more from the MoD. This may not be strictly relevant to civilians but shows a direction of thought.’

Thanks Ron. So, something was in the air then.

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