Ascension : ASCENSION ISLAND STAGING POST FOR FALKLANDS LIBERATION
Submitted by The Islander (Gavin Yon) 03.11.2005 (Article Archived on 17.11.2005)
On about 2nd April I was asked if I would like to stop briefly at either St Helena or Ascension Island.
On about 2nd April I was asked if I would like to stop briefly at either St Helena or Ascension Island. We had only just heard that the Falkland Islands had been invaded by Argentina and I had returned the day before from a visit to Denmark and northern Germany, planning a future amphibious exercise in that area. My job was called Commodore Amphibian Warfare COMAW and was one of only a few which was committed to NATO in peacetime. All the exercises were with NATO forces and as supreme commander was a US Naval Admiral part of the Striking Fleet Atlantic.
When the question was raised I was with Brigadier Julian Thompson, Royal Marines who was the landing force commander. I have to admit we were both flummoxed. We knew roughly where each Island was but had no idea what they could offer as a place to visit and train while the politicians tried to persuade the Argentineans to leave the Falklands in peace.
We searched the ‘Pilot’ book which gave neither a negative view of either Island. Both offered volcanic with steep seabed gradients making anchoring difficult. Both were subject to ocean swells making boat work on the beaches with landing craft problematic. Both were quite unlike the Falklands and so probably were unsuitable for troops as training areas. The deciding factor was ‘Wideawake Airfield’ so we plumped for Ascension.
It turned out to be a brilliant choice. Our ships had been very rapidly stowed and we needed to find out what was where and try to put it in an order that suited the military in that the essential ‘ first day items’ were the last to be stored and so first to come out when needed.
Before sailing we had handed in a long shopping list of people and equipment we believed we would need if it came to an amphibious operation in the Falklands. Here the airfield became essential. A mass of equipment was flown down. Guns were flown out and lifted by helicopter to be fitted to the Landing Ships Logistic of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. We found petrol stowed below decks alongside ammunition and managed to find it a safer place. The list was huge but after a couple of weeks we had achieved a massive amount.
Apart from the naval advantage in restoring and training troops in disembarkation and landing craft procedures, and exercising the merchant ships so they were part of the team, the military gained huge satisfaction on ranges and training ashore. Therefore my amphibian task group rose and both the Brigadier and I felt we might now be able to carry out an opposed landing with considerably more confidence as a result.
Col Bryden of the USAF and Don Coffey, the Panam Manager were enormously helpful. Bernard Pauncefort and all of the Islanders were also a great support and my only regret is that we were ordered to sail at such short notice that the Brigadier and I never had a chance to thank everyone properly.
While I was anchored off in HMS Fearless I managed to get ashore only a very few times but one day the Brigadier, Captain Larken, the Captain of Fearless and I made time to visit the old Royal Marine farm and Dewpond at Green Mountain. It was an hour or so of complete peace and a chance to collect our thoughts. I wished that we had more time to explore the Island and meet more people, but that was not to be.
Ascensions contribution to the liberation of the Falklands was nothing less than fundamental. There is not the slightest doubt in my mind that the landings and subsequent land campaign owed almost everything to our brief stay.
My wife Sarah and I have at last had the chance to stay a few days on the Island on our way to the Falklands. It has been quite fascinating to see the changes. A huge new building programme has obviously taken place and the roads are wider and better surfaced but I can’t help thinking it is all much greener. Green Mountain and the Dewpond seemed to have become a jungle and the thorn trees comes much lower.
In all other respects little seems to have changed. The Islanders are just as welcoming, we are sorry to have missed the turtles but the terns are clearly happy to revisit. As am I and would like to take this opportunity for a very belated thanks to all of those who helped and gave us such strong moral support twenty three years ago.
This article was submitted, on invitation, by Captain Clapp, while in transit to the Falkland Islands last week.
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