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From the Guardian archive

From the archive, 25 May 1982: Crewmen applaud bravery of pilot
enemy
Gareth Parry reports from the Falklands with the landing forces in
San Carlos Bay

Gareth Parry
Fri 25 May 2012 09.59 BST

The time is 2 pm on a sunny afternoon and we are under attack from Mirages and Skyhawks of the Argentine
Air Force. A bomb has just sent up a huge plume of water only a hundred yards away, between our ship and
another supply vessel loaded with war merchandise.

We watch as shore batteries and missile systems on the war ships open up against a deafening cacophony from
the deck machine guns and naval guns.

Two enemy planes are streaking in silhouette across the green hillsides around San Carlos Bay, one like a red
dart. Suddenly they are twin balls of smoke in the blue sky and there is clapping and cheering from the decks of
the warships and supply vessels in the bay.

The Argentine warplanes had hit one of the ships, although at first sight the damage did not look serious from
our position. It was ironic that this was being fought out above the still visible wreckage of the frigate Antelope
hit in Sunday's savage air attacks.

This attack materialised as we write this dispatch. We lie on the deck when the big guns fire, then dash to the
rails, to record the attack. Two bombs narrowly missed our position.

Each warning of attack echoes across the bay but the birds continued wheeling in the sky as if nothing were
happening.

The air raid "red alert" was sounded only seconds before the attack. Marines and crewmen dispersed calmly to
their action stations and lay on the ground in passageways, camouflage uniforms contrasting with the white of
their anti-flash helmets and gloves.

The first hand experience of the lethal accuracy of the task force missile ships was spectacular. Crewmen
around us paid tribute to the courage of the Argentinian pilots. They also deserved credit for their own bravery,
both those exposed and manning the ships defences and the many others, marines and sailors, crouched and
waiting in the vessel.

After further "red alerts" darkness brought respite from the air attacks in which seven enemy warplanes were
shot down and an eighth was seen to be trailing smoke.

There can be no doubt that the Argentines are paying dearly to stay in the fight.

HMS Antelope was almost totally submerged last night. Only the point of her bow was visible. It was hard to
believe we had witnessed the last moments of a British warship.

Our own ship was shaken in the bomb attack but there was no damage.

No one in the task force was underestimating the Argentine assertion last night that their principal target was
the beachhead and our ships.

Two of the Sea Harriers in the air battle were from the carrier Hermes. They took on an entire formation of three
Mirage Fives over Pebble Island.

The leading Sea Harrier hit the first two Mirages with Sidewinder missiles, the first confirmed double kill by a
British pilot during the Falkland dog fights.

His wingman hit the third Argentine aircraft. Two of the Mirages crashed into the sea, one on to land near the
beachhead. Two Argentine pilots were seen ejecting from blazing aircraft.

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Topics
Falkland Islands From the Guardian archive
Military / Royal Navy / Argentina

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