Merchant ships

[Administrator]

The United Kingdom ’s strategic use of merchant ships was never more in evidence than during the 1982 Falklands War. Faced with insufficient troop and military transport lift capacity, the necessary Statutory Instruments were signed on 3rd April, in order to permit the Ministry of Defence to take ships up from trade. 54 merchant ships were taken up from trade (STUFT) to assist the armed forces during the South Atlantic conflict. 43 sailed for the South Atlantic with Merchant Navy crews and Naval Parties embarked, before the Argentine surrender on 15th June. 5 deep sea trawlers were taken up from trade, manned by the RN and used as Minesweepers. The first ship to be 'STUFT' was the P&O flagship Canberra , Master : Captain Dennis Scott- Masson, homeward bound for Southampton with a full complement of cruise passengers. She embarked two full Commandos and 3 Para. Much of their heavy equipment and ammunition, as well as eight light Scimitar tanks of the Blues and Royals, was loaded into the P&O Roll-On-Roll-Off ferry Elk, Master: Captain John Morton. John had extensive experience of the Antarctic, having once been a deck officer with the British Antarctic Survey.

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[Administrator]

A Falklands tribute to merchant fleet

The news of the invasion of the FIs stunned the nation and the Government was in a quandry. The MOD view shared by SofS Nott and Army and Air Force senior officers was that nothing could be achieved militarily. The Naval view was different and when the First Sea Lord Sir Henry Leach heard of a meeting in the Palace of Westminster between Margaret Thatcher and key defeatists he went in uniform, interrupted the meeting and told Margaret Thatcher that the Navy could recover the islands and, indeed that they should be recovered. She jumped at the opportunity.

A task force consisting of carriers and amphibious ships was sailed within 4 days to scenes of amazing patriotic fervour and the merchant navy were once again called to the nations colours. Within 7 days of the order in council being signed the P&O ships CANBERRA and ELK sailed to become part of that task force.

In all 52 merchant ships from 33 different companies were taken up from trade, plus 2 RMAS and of course the 22 RFA merchant ships that always support the fleet; in total 76 merchantmen.
They were of all types and were essential to support a maritime amphibious operation in the Southern Ocean 8,000 miles from home.

LINK

[Administrator]

A Falklands tribute to merchant fleet

The news of the invasion of the FIs stunned the nation and the Government was in a quandry. The MOD view shared by SofS Nott and Army and Air Force senior officers was that nothing could be achieved militarily. The Naval view was different and when the First Sea Lord Sir Henry Leach heard of a meeting in the Palace of Westminster between Margaret Thatcher and key defeatists he went in uniform, interrupted the meeting and told Margaret Thatcher that the Navy could recover the islands and, indeed that they should be recovered. She jumped at the opportunity.

A task force consisting of carriers and amphibious ships was sailed within 4 days to scenes of amazing patriotic fervour and the merchant navy were once again called to the nations colours. Within 7 days of the order in council being signed the P&O ships CANBERRA and ELK sailed to become part of that task force.

In all 52 merchant ships from 33 different companies were taken up from trade, plus 2 RMAS and of course the 22 RFA merchant ships that always support the fleet; in total 76 merchantmen.
They were of all types and were essential to support a maritime amphibious operation in the Southern Ocean 8,000 miles from home.

LINK

[Administrator]

Vital Need for Merchant Ships - Up to the surrender in mid-June, 40 merchantmen totalling over 500,000 grt reached the South Atlantic. Without them, the war would not have been won as the Royal Fleet Auxiliary lacked the ships to transport the land forces and then support them and the warships 8,000 miles from home.

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