The Falklands war: the Bluff Cove disaster

Military Review, Nov-Dec, 2004 by Robert S. Bolia

The change in destination did not become apparent until Sir Galahad arrived off Fitzroy at 0650 the following morning: "Nobody is going to Bluff Cove," said Royal Marine Major Ewen Southby-Tailyour, "unless they walk." (17) The Welsh Guards were to disembark at Fitzroy and march the 5 miles overland to Bluff Cove. The majors commanding the two Guards companies refused. Southby-Tailyour, senior in rank to both officers, gave them a direct order to disembark. They still refused.

Another potential solution was to load as many of the Guards as possible into the one available landing craft and sail them to Bluff Cove as quickly as possible. This option was accepted, but its execution was delayed because the LCU's loading ramp was damaged. By the time the Guards disembarked, Sir Galahad and another LSL, Sir Tristam, had been anchored at Port Pleasant, off Fitzroy, for 5 hours.

Needless to say, the Argentines in the hills around Stanley had noticed the Guards. (18) This would not have been much of a problem the previous day; the Falklands had been beset by bad weather for days, leaving the Argentine Air Force unable to fly. However, on the 8th the weather began to clear, and although isolated cloudbursts were predicted, it was reasonable weather in which to attempt a raid. (19) Thus, when a forward observation post reported British ships at Port Pleasant, it was not long before the Air Force issued orders to attack. (20)

Eight Argentine A-4B Skyhawks, four from each Dogos (Bulldogs) and Mastines (Mastiffs) squadron, flew from Rio Gallegos loaded with three 250-kilogram (kg) bombs each. Six Daggers, three Perros (Dogs), and three Gatos (Cats) left from the airbase at Rio Grande similarly laden and led by a Learjet which provided navigation information. The 14 attack aircraft--a number that shrank to 10 when three Skyhawks and one Dagger were unable to continue because of mechanical or refueling problems--were preceded by four Mirages from Rio Gallegos to draw off the Harrier's combat air patrol (CAP) to allow the Skyhawks and Daggers to attack the ships anchored in Bahia Agradable unmolested. (21)

To keep pace with the slower Learjet, the five Daggers kept changing their heading as they zigzagged through the sky between Rio Grande and the Malvinas. As they approached the islands, they descended to just above the ocean to prevent British radar detection, and the Learjet returned to base. The Perros and Gatos then had to find and attack their targets.

As it happened, the Daggers never arrived at Port Pleasant. As they approached the bay they spotted Plymouth, which had sailed from San Carlos to bombard Argentine positions in the hills outside Stanley, and decided to attack it instead of the LSLs. Four bombs struck the ship, but the altitude from which they were dropped was too low, and they failed to fuze and explode. Still, it was a successful attack. The ship was significantly damaged, four crewmembers were injured, and all the Daggers returned safely. (22)

The British claim Plymouth survived the war, but at least one Argentine source, written well after the war, reports it as having been sunk. (23) Another Argentine account suggests the Daggers sank Yarmouth, and the same day an accidental Harrier attack sank Plymouth in Falkland Sound. (24)