Mine sweeping in the waters of the Falkland Islands
During the occupation of the Falkland Islands, the Argentines deployed approximately 23 mines in their coastal waters. These were moored contact mines, although the British suspected that they may have also deployed bottom mines (including British-made ones—a quirk of fate) with magnetic, acoustic, and hydrodynamic proximity fuses.
Before the Royal fleet the question of their neutralization arose.
The problem was that the Royal Navy's entire doctrine was aimed at war with Warsaw Pact countries, primarily the USSR. Mine countermeasures were intended to be conducted in the coastal waters of the Kingdom and its allies, primarily in the English Channel, where small-tonnage minesweepers or minehunters with limited range and endurance could handle this task quite well.
And now the British Navy is faced with the completely unplanned task of sending mine countermeasure ships many thousands of miles into the autumn-winter "Furious Fifties" (a name given by sailors to the ocean spaces between 50° and 60° south latitude with particularly strong winds; the author was "lucky" enough to visit there many times and experience everything "first hand"), without any possibility of providing shore-based technical maintenance and supplies for these ships.
At that time, the British Navy had only three modern Hunt-class minehunters, but their cruising range at 12 knots did not exceed 1500 miles, and they lacked any onboard maintenance or repair capabilities for their mine-defense equipment. Therefore, they had to be accompanied by a specialized support vessel or a floating base.
Therefore, they decided to turn to a method proven by the experience of the First and Second World Wars: requisitioning and converting fishing trawlers with good seaworthiness, decent speed, cruising range, and autonomy into minesweepers.
The following trawlers were selected: Pict (owned by British United Trawlers); Northella, Farnella, Junella, and Cordella (J. Marr & Son Limited of Hull). By April 20, these vessels, having hastily unloaded their catch and fishing gear, arrived at Rosyth Naval Base (Scotland) for refitting. They joined the newly created 11th MCM Squadron (Minesweeper Auxiliary (MSA)).
• HMS Cordella, 1238 GRT
Commander - Lieutenant-Commander M. Holloway (also commander of the 11th MCM Squadron)
• HMS Farnella, 1207 GRT
Commander - Lieutenant R. Bishop
• HMS Junella, 1615 GRT
Commander - Lieutenant-Commander M. Rowledge
• HMS Northella, 1238 GRT
Commander - Lieutenant-Commander J. Greenop
• HMS Pict, 1478 GRT (used as a stores ship and reserve minesweeper)
Commander - Lieutenant-Commander D. Garwood.
Commissioning ceremony of HMS Farnella and HMS Northella into the Royal Navy
The fishermen were eager to go to war and even agreed to enlist in the Royal Navy, but the Royal Navy command decided not to risk inexperienced civilian sailors. The minesweeper crews were formed from professional "warriors," primarily from 1st MCM Squadron and 4th MCM Squadron, based in Rosyth. However, some fishermen had to accompany the vessels for a while, familiarizing the new crews with the controls and unfamiliar equipment.
The newly commissioned minesweepers were equipped with WS Mk9 type EDATS (Extra Deep Armed Team Sweep gear), retrieved from storage, deep-sea twin contact sweeps, enabling minesweeping at depths of up to 200 meters. All vessels were demagnetized to protect against magnetic mines, taking into account the magnetic field of the Southern Hemisphere, and three of them were equipped with towed Acoustic Hammers to counter mines with acoustic fuses. The flotilla commander's proposal to arm the vessels with 40mm Bofors and MANPADS was rejected, and armament was limited to two LMG machine guns mounted on the bridge wings.
EDATS trawl
By April 24, the conversion of the civilian trawlers into minesweepers was completed, and two days later they departed for the South Atlantic, with a stopover at Ascension Island for bunkering. Along the way, they practiced minesweeping from unfamiliar vessels and group minesweeping (by the time they arrived at South Georgia, each minesweeper had spent 117 hours on this).
Heading for the South Atlantic
Three days after leaving Ascension Island, an Air Force Hercules aircraft parachuted specially manufactured components to enable the EDATS to be used in the Oropesa shallow-water trawling configuration.
"Package" from the Air Force Hercules aircraft
On May 25, after a month-long voyage, the 11th Flotilla reached South Georgia. Here, the ships were tasked not with minesweeping, but with a different, yet crucial, task. In Cumberland Bay, they were tasked with transferring 3,500 troops from the 5th Infantry Brigade, who had arrived aboard the troop transport, and earlier, the passenger liner Queen Elizabeth 2, to the mobilized ships (STUFTs—Ships Taken Up From Trade) en route to the Falklands—the passenger ship Canberra and the ferry Norland. Despite difficult weather conditions, the task was completed in 36 hours.
South Georgia
Minesweepers are transporting troops from the 5th Infantry Brigade. The Queen Elizabeth 2 is in the foreground, and the Canberra is in the distance.
Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion of the Airborne Regiment (2 Para) on the deck of one of the minesweepers
The trawlers then transferred food, ammunition, and other supplies from the various merchant ships arriving in a continuous stream to the LSL-class landing craft. The crews worked nonstop in two 12-hour shifts. This was complicated by the fact that South Georgia is prone to a phenomenon called katabatic winds, where winds can change from a dead calm to a hurricane force of 8-10 in about 15 minutes, fortunately only for a short time. A katabatic wind is a dense, cold air current directed downslope from mountain passes (in this case, South Georgia), as well as downdrafts of cold air within cumulonimbus clouds. Katabatic winds can reach hurricane speeds (up to 325 km/h) and are accompanied by snowdrifts.
Katabatic wind in one of the bays of South Georgia
Merchant ships were often torn from their moorings, and in some cases, they were forced to leave the bay and head out to sea with a trawler moored alongside. On one occasion, the HMS Cordella had to leave its anchorage to ride out such a storm in the open sea, carrying 112 unsecured pallets. rockets for the Rapier air defense missile system on the upper deck.
HMS Pict off the coast of South Georgia
At the same time, trying to solve the problem Defense of his flotilla, Lieutenant Commander M. Holloway decided to resort to an original method:
Still concerned about the lack of self-defense against a potential air threat, I spoke with the Royal Marines company commander shortly after arriving in Grytviken and was able to secure a pair of crates of 66mm anti-tank rocket launchers for each ship, 12 for each. These rockets leave a smoke trail, which we hoped would convince the pilot that the missile was guided, although an accidental hit would have been quite impressive.
The idea seems rather fantastic, but we should not forget that the Afghan mujahideen also resorted to similar tactics, and even managed to destroy Soviet helicopters using RPG-7s.
Map of the Falkland Islands
On June 5, the Cordella, Pict, and Junela departed for the Falkland Islands. On June 9, following the landing of the first British forces on May 21 on the shores of San Carlos Water (East Falkland), the minesweepers entered the infamous "bomb alley."
Bomb Alley
British ships and vessels in San Carlos Water. A Rapier air defense missile system is in the foreground.
Here, the ships finally acquired their own anti-aircraft weapons—captured 30mm twin Rheinmetall anti-aircraft guns captured during the Battle of Goose Green on May 28-29. Unfortunately, the joy was short-lived—command soon decided they were more needed on the landing ships. Now they had to rely solely on air defense protection from shore or neighboring ships.
The crew of HMS Pict man a 30mm anti-aircraft gun.
Minesweepers carried out control sweeps of the areas from which the ships planned to conduct operations. artillery They provided support to ground units, provided landings and resupply for SAS and SBS special forces, primarily in West Falkland, and also supported the operations of two Fleet Clearance Diving Teams.
Navigation in these waters was complicated by the lack of modern nautical charts for many areas, often necessitating the use of photocopies of hand-drawn maps dating back to the 1920s. This sometimes led to rather tragic consequences. For example, during a special forces landing on Saunders Island, the Pict struck an underwater rock, but fortunately escaped with only a deep dent in the hull.
Saunders Island
Marines raise the Union Jack over the Falkland Islands Governor's House, June 14, 1982.
On June 14, the Argentines on the islands capitulated. On June 16–17, three minesweepers arrived from San Carlos Water, using Oropeza sweeps, and conducted a test sweep of the fairway leading to Port William and Port Stanley. HMS Farnella and HMS Northella, which had been operating off South Georgia, soon joined their colleagues. By this time, the British had obtained maps of the Argentine minefields. It turned out that 23 (according to other sources, 21) moored contact mines had been laid in two minefields at a depth of 6 meters. The occupiers did not use bottom mines with proximity fuses, which the British had so feared, apparently reserving them for protecting their own coastline.
Minefield sweeping continued from June 22 to July 4, when the winter weather in the South Atlantic permitted. The Oropesa and EDATS sweeps were used.
Types and design of contact trawls:
a — EDATS;
b - double-sided "Oropesa";
in - double-sided "Oropesa";
g - side view.
1 - tugs; 2 - trawl parts; 3 - cutters; 4 - deepeners; 5 - diverters; 6 - anchor mine; 7 - anchor mine caught in the trawl.
The first mine was struck by the Picta minesweeper on June 23. It surfaced right next to the Nortella's bow, which made an emergency evasive maneuver. Her steering gear failed, and the ship rolled into an unswept section of the minefield. The remaining minesweepers in the formation also had to maneuver to avoid a collision, but all ended well.
Minesweepers of the 11th mine-sweeping flotilla at work
On the bridge of HMS Cordella. Second from the right is Lieutenant-Commander M. Holloway.
Over three days, the minesweepers defused a total of 10 mines (the others were not found): three from the Pict, two from the Nortella, four from the Junella, and one from the Farnella. The surfaced mines were sunk with machine gun fire, but one of them was disarmed and transported to the UK aboard the Junella for study. Since 2007, it has been on display at the Imperial War Museum.
Victory HMS Pict
A combat swimmer laying a mine in the icy waters of the South Atlantic. This mine is now on display at the museum.
A defused mine on the deck of HMS Junella
A former commander of the 11th Flotilla at an Argentine mine at the Imperial War Museum.
On July 10, the newest Hunt-class minehunters with fibreglass hulls, HMS Brecon and HMS Ledbury, arrived off the coast of the Falklands, accompanied by the support vessel RMS St. Helena.
The Hunt-class ships boasted extensive mine countermeasure capabilities, including contact and combined magnetic-acoustic sweeps, a 193M (Mod 1) high-resolution mine-detection sonar, a combat information control system (CICS) for mine countermeasures, and two PAP 104 remotely operated mine countermeasure underwater vehicles. The crews included a team of combat swimmers equipped with the necessary equipment, including a two-man decompression chamber. A twin-shaft propulsion system and thruster ensured excellent maneuverability.
HMS Ledbury, 2007
Remotely operated mine countermeasure underwater vehicle PAP 104
The 3150-ton cargo-passenger ship RMS St. Helena previously operated on the Cape Town-St. Helena-Ascension Island-Tenerife-Avonmouth (UK) route, and was St. Helena's only means of communication with the outside world.
On May 22, after arriving at Avonmouth, the ship was requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence, and the shipowner was forced to urgently find a replacement for communication with St Helena.
The conversion took 16 days—the longest of any STUFT vessel. A runway and helicopter hangar were installed at the stern, some of the freshwater tanks were converted into fuel tanks, and a reverse osmosis desalination plant was installed to replenish the water supply. The vessel received the necessary equipment to supply minesweepers with diesel fuel and freshwater while underway, using both beam and wake methods. The St. Helena was equipped with satellite and naval communications systems, 20mm Oerlikon missiles, machine guns, and AS 12 missiles for the helicopter.
Specially manufactured Forward Support Modules and Fleet Support Units, equipped in 20- and 40-foot container workshops, were to provide repair and maintenance services for minesweepers and other vessels.
Provisions for four months were taken on board, for which six refrigerated containers were added to the ship's provisions. The civilian crew was reduced by a third, to 33, but 73 naval sailors were added. An experienced naval reservist was appointed captain. On June 13, the minesweepers HMS Brecon and HMS Ledbury, accompanied by the supply vessel RMS St. Helena, set out.
RMS St. Helena transfers fuel to minesweepers using the beam method
After calling at Ascension Island for bunkering, the trio arrived in Port Stanley on July 10. On July 13, the "fishermen" minesweepers departed Port Stanley, calling at Gibraltar en route, and returned to Rosyth on August 11, where a ceremonial welcome awaited them.
Almost home
Solemn meeting
HMS Brecon and HMS Ledbury carried out a large number of various operations, despite the fact that the winter sub-Antarctic weather was not always favorable. For example, on August 6, wind speeds near Port Stanley exceeded 90 knots (167 km/h).
The use of mine-hunting minesweepers helped solve the mystery of the "missing" mines. Some of them had only their anchors remaining—likely, the mine lines were torn off in stormy weather, and the mines were carried out to sea. Others remained attached to their anchors or sank due to leaks in the hull.
In addition to searching for and destroying mines, the minesweepers surveyed Falkland Sound and Ajax Bay. The precise location of the British ships Antelope, Ardent, and Coventry, which had sunk there, was determined and examined for the possibility of raising valuable equipment. A sunken British aviation the Argentine container ship Río Carcarana and five Argentine aircraft shot down that were not listed in British reports.
The minesweeper crew of HMS Ledbury
On August 13, having completed their assigned mission, the St. Helena and its crew departed for their homeland, with a stopover at St. Helena. On September 15, having safely traveled 17,083 nautical miles and been away from their home base for more than three months, they arrived in Rosyth.
The first minesweeping operation in the Falklands waters was conducted even before the arrival of the aforementioned minesweepers. In anticipation of the impending assault on Port Stanley, the British command decided to urgently establish a Forward Brigade Maintenance Area (FBA) as close to Port Stanley as possible. The choice fell on the deep-water San Salvador Bay and Teal Inlet, but there was a significant risk that the Argentines had already mined the narrow channel.
Since the British forces did not have minesweepers at that time, it was decided to use LCVP Mk 2 landing craft from the landing helicopter dock ship HMS Intrepid for minesweeping, equipping them with the experimental AIMS Mk 1 (Assault Influence Minesweeping System Mark 1) minesweeping system.
LCVP Mk 2 landing craft from the landing helicopter dock ship HMS Intrepid
The AIMS Mk 1 system is an improvised, shallow-diving, non-influential minesweeper hastily created by Royal Navy specialists to counter the then-new Argentine bottom mines with magnetic and acoustic detonators, in the complete absence of fully operational minesweepers during the first weeks of the war. Because the system was assembled under severe time pressure from components available in naval warehouses, its design was simplified as much as possible. The design was intended for operation in extremely shallow waters (coastal areas, river estuaries, and narrow straits), where conventional minesweepers could not navigate due to their draft.
The AIMS Mk 1 consisted of:
A magnetic trawl, a flexible configuration of lightweight, floating cable loops, fed with pulsed current from portable generators on the boat. This created an artificial magnetic field simulating the passage of a large ship, triggering the mines' magnetic detonators behind the boat.
The acoustic trawl was a towed hydroacoustic emitter that generated a strong underwater noise, simulating the operation of propellers and engines of medium and large vessels, activating the acoustic channels of the fuses.
On the night of May 30, 1982, two LCVP landing craft from the landing ship HMS Intrepid conducted a combat test of this system. The operation was led by Lieutenant Commander Bruce Mackay, a mine-explosives specialist. Due to secrecy, the mission was conducted in complete darkness. The crews navigated blind through the uncharted San Salvador Bay, towing AIMS Mk 1 minesweepers. The craft made several tacks along the channel to Teal Inlet. No explosions occurred. This confirmed to the command that the route was clear of proximity mines and opened the way for the main supply force.
Teal Inlet was also used by minesweepers of 11th MCM Squadron during daylight hours as a shelter from air raids.
The minesweeper HMS Cordella in Teal Inlet (one of its two machine guns, its only armament, is visible). In the background is the landing ship RFA Sir Percivale.
On June 14, 1984, the 1982 Liberation Memorial, built with voluntary donations from grateful islanders, was unveiled in Port Stanley. The inscription on the monument reads, "In Memory of Those Who Liberated Us." It also mentions all the army, air force, and navy units, ships, and vessels that participated in liberating the islands from Argentine occupation. Among them are the minesweepers of the 11th MCM Squadron.
The 1982 Liberation Memorial in Stanley
Sources of
1. Kondratovich A.A., Piyanzov G.G. Mine protection weaponMoscow, 1989
2. Hastings M., Jenkins S. Battle of the Falklands. Moscow, 2014
3. Captain Roger Villar. Merchant Ships at War. The Falklands Experience. London, 1984
4. Woodward S. One Hundred Days. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, 1997
5. Edward Hampshire. The Falklands Naval Campaign 1982. War in the South Atlantic. Osprey Publishing, 2021
6. Martyn Holloway. My First Mine
7. Martin Holloway. Minesweeping in the Falklands. https://tcaminesweepers.co.uk/site/assets/files/1481/11_mcms_falklands_compressed.pdf
8. Martin Holloway. Mine Warfare, Diving and EOD Operations during Operation Corporate - A Personal Account. https://www.vernonlink.uk/the-falklands-conflict
9. Falklands. Task Force Portfolio. Parts 1, 2. Maritime Books, UK
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