Edmonds, Graham John Leslie (Oral history)

British officer served aboard HMS Broadsword during Falklands War in South Atlantic, 4/1982-6/1982

REEL 1 Recollections of operations as operations officer aboard HMS Broadsword during Falklands War in South Atlantic, 4/1982-6/1982: background to hearing news of South Atlantic Crisis in Mediterranean, 4/1982; duties as operations officer; degree of experience amongst crew of missiles; nature of voyage southwards; attending air operations meeting aboard HMS Invincible; contrast in attitudes to air warfare between Captain Jeremy Black and Captain Lin Middleton; opinion of Sea Wolf Missile system; painting ship at Ascension Island; attitude of crew to going to war; surveillance of Task Force by Soviet and Argentinean aircraft; watch systems operated; securing ship for action; story of psychological case after the war; formation of Task Force; loss of Sea King HC 4 (ZA311) helicopter of 846 Naval Air Sqdn, Fleet Air Arm on mail run, 23/4/1982. REEL 2 Continues: shadowing of Task Force by Argentine Navy vessel ARA Narwhal; question of rules of engagement in and outside Exclusion Zone; effect on ship's gun crew of casualty aboard HMS Arrow; nature of submarine threat; advantage of keeping Greenwich Mean Time (GMT); nature of Argentinean activity; threat posed by Argentinean Navy; effect of sinking of Argentine Navy cruiser ARA General Belgrano, 2/5/1982; reaction to Royal Air Force bombing of Port Stanley Airfield; weather conditions; events leading up to loss of HMS Sheffield, 4/5/1982; false submarine alarm; sight of HMS Sheffield on fire, 4/5/1982; fate of HMS Sheffield. REEL 3 Continues: question of increase in 'trigger happiness' amongst Task Force after strike on HMS Sheffield; accidental loss of two BAe Sea Harrier FRS 1s, 6/5/1982; sight of HMS Coventry shooting down of Argentine Air Force Aerospatiale SA 300 Puma Helicopter off Port Stanley, 9/5/1982; shooting down of Argentinean aircraft by combination of HMS Brilliant and HMS Glasgow; damage to HMS Glasgow; opinion of pairing of Type 42 and Type 22 ships; supporting attack on Pebble Island; arrival of amphibious ships and move into Falkland Sound; effect of navigational error from HMS Fearless; shooting down of Argentinean aircraft, 21/5/1982; damage to British ships in Falkland Sound; events leading up to loss of HMS Ardent, 21/5/1982; picking up HMS Ardent's medical officer from water, 21/5/1982; fate of HMS Ardent; question of best use of Type 42/22 combination; shooting down of Argentinean aircraft, 23/5/1982; role operating with HMS Coventry off Pebble Island; question of HMS Coventry shooting down more aircraft than any other ship; Argentine Air Force attack on ship and HMS Coventry, 25/5/1982. REEL 4 Continues: software defect with Sea Wolf Missile system; path of bomb which travelled through ship, 25/5/1982; events leading up to bombing of HMS Coventry, 25/5/1982; rescue of HMS Coventry's crew; reaction to loss of SS Atlantic Conveyor; opinion of Admiral Sandy Woodward's decision to end Type 42/22 combination; attitude to lack of information; opinion of under use of helicopters; reasons for lack of involvement of ship after 26/5/1982; morale of ships arriving from GB; reaction to Commander Nigel 'Sharkey' Ward's shooting down of Argentine Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules, 1/6/1982; question of lack of air protection of RFAs Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram, 8/6/1982; background to Exocet Missile strike on HMS Glamorgan, 12/6/1982; listening to radio conversation between captains of HMS Glamorgan and HMS Avenger; Argentine Air Force attempt to sink HMS Invincible; opinion of claims made by Argentinean pilots; question of need for counselling after conflict; return to GB via Gibraltar. REEL 5 Continues: attitude to having served with HMS Broadsword during Falklands War, 4/1982-6/1982.