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II NAVY NEWS UGANDA SUPPLEMENT, OCTOBER 2007
The Falklands lifeliner
marina (Continued from page I)
The grotesque blistering
swelling, and the unpleasant smell,
would become all too familiar in
the following weeks.
Over a period of two months
Uganda received 730 casualties,
and 504 operations were carried
out in her operating theatres.
round the clock.
More than 120 patients were
Uganda’s new desalination
burns victims, and the liberal use
plants, nicknamed Kariba and
of Flamazine cream as a first line
Niagara, were transferred in pieces
of treatment, as an anti-bacterial
by helicopter from HMS Intrepid
barrier and for pain relief, was
on May 18, and were successfully
then a pioneering technique but is
assembled without instructions,
now widely-recognised as the basis
producing up to 60 tonnes of fresh
for primary treatment of burns.
water each day.
At times, such as the bombing
Otherwise, as medical staff
of the landing ships at Fitzroy,
dealt with patients, the ship’s crew
two or three helicopters would
had the usual round of RASes,
queue to use Uganda’s makeshift
stores and personnel transfers and
landing pad – the ship handled
exercises, made that much harder
over 1,000 landings, 20 at night,
by violent weather conditions.
without incident, a tribute to the
Around 150 of Uganda’s
skill of the pilots and to Uganda’s
patients were Argentinians, injured
flight deck crew.
and captured by British forces,
On many occasions conditions
and when they were stabilised
were enough to test the very best
they were transferred to the Bahia
medical skills.
Paraiso, which was frequently in
● HMHS Uganda at Port William in the Falklands, shortly after the Argentinian surrender. This photograph, from the Imperial War Museum in
A Force Ten gale and heavy seas
company with Uganda.
London, features in a special exhibition marking the 25th anniversary of the confl ict. The exhibition, which runs until January 6, tells the story
could strike the ship with little
Relationships between medical
of the Falklands War through unique accounts by the people involved and displays of previously-unseen memorabilia from both British and
warning – on May 15 a roll of 18
teams from both sides were
Argentinan combatants and Falkland Islands residents. A website – www.iwm.org.uk/Falklands – complements the exhibition
degrees to port and starboard was
cordial; on one occasion, with
recorded, and despite Capt Jeff
X-ray film stock running short
could, on or off duty – many times deep-water harbour, and within welcome back to Southampton on plated over with steel – and without
Clark’s best efforts, seasickness
aboard Uganda, a fresh supply
a crew member learned a basic days parties from the ship started August 9 was a surprise to many. any opportunity to go alongside for
recurred. was sent from the Bahia Paraiso. nursing procedure in double- to make brief visits ashore. As she headed up Southampton maintenance, she was soon covered
The Geneva Convention Patients flown in from all over quick time and got stuck in. For many it was the first time Water, a lone Gurkha playing the in streaks of rust.
requires that hospital ships the combat zone, including field The ship also supplied vital they had set foot on land since bagpipes high on the mast, she She was refitted again at the
remain illuminated at night, and hospitals at Ajax Bay, Teal Inlet and medical supplies to Ajax Bay, having Gibraltar, ten weeks before. was surrounded by yachts and end of 1983 at Falmouth, and
with spotlights picking out her Fitzroy, entered the system rapidly been collected in Montevideo on Uganda undertook a more small craft. returned to the South Atlantic run
red crosses Uganda would have – from helicopter touchdown to the ambulance runs. familiar role in early July, making Acknowledged by both the for one final spell.
made a useful navigation mark for hospital via access ramp and triage Within a week of their toughest a “Round Falklands Cruise”, Canberra and the QE2, Uganda She left Port William for the
attacking aircraft. could be as short as three minutes day, when around 160 victims of although midwinter conditions was nudged alongside to a hero’s last time on April 4 1985, and the
So when she was required – but with numbers rising after Fitzroy were brought aboard, the meant deck games and lounging by welcome by a huge crowd. following month the ‘airbridge’,
to move in close to the combat major attacks there were occasions Uganda team learned that the the pools were not on the agenda But that was not the end of her opererated by wide-body airliners,
zone – her log records that she when the floating hospital was Argentines had surrendered. – the ship experienced everything links with the South Atlantic. was opened to Mount Pleasant.
was in Grantham Sound, close stretched to the limit. Although there was another from gales to heavy snow. She was converted back for use
Uganda reached Falmouth on
to San Carlos Water, on 12 days Staff transfers from other units rise in the number of patients Even at this point there were still as a schools cruise liner during an
April 25 after more than 500 days
during the conflict – she usually helped relieve the strain, while admitted, they tended to be the patients being treated on board. extensive refit on the Tyne, and
at sea without going alongside,
sailed back out at nightfall to a stabilised and treated patients walking wounded who could now Back at Stanley a party was resumed her former career.
and there she remained for over
designated “red cross box” some were regularly offloaded to one of be treated for painful ailments such held for almost 100 children, with
On September 25 she sailed
a year, quietly rotting on the
12 miles off Cape Dolphin, where the ambulance ships for passage to as trench foot – many Argentinian fancy dress, food and a film show,
for the Med on her fi rst
River Fal as the newly-formed SS
the ship was kept bow or stern- South America (see page IV). conscripts suffered as a result of and some of the youngsters were
post-war schools cruise,
Uganda Society attempted to save
on to the seas to reduce rolling And the P&O crew, who had poor footwear. forced to spend a night aboard as
but within two months P&O
her from the scrapyard.
and allow surgical operations and volunteered to go to the Falklands, On June 21 Uganda was able the wind whipped up.
announced she would be
But it was all in vain, and on
medical procedures to continue helped medical staff whenever they to enter Port William, Stanley’s But she had one final
May 20 1986 Uganda – renamed
contribution as a hospital ship,
taken off the programme to
Triton for her last voyage, and in a
shortly after she had been de-
provide a troopship shuttle
sorry state of repair – was tugged
registered by the Red Cross, when
between Ascension and
out of Coombe Creek.
eight victims of an accident at
the Falklands until a new
Her condition deteriorated
Stanley Airfield were flown aboard
runway at Mount Pleasant
as she headed slowly towards
for urgent treatment.
was ready.
Taiwan, with leaky seals and
She then underwent another As before, passengers were
failing generators, but she arrived
transformation. Red crosses were disembarked – this time as
off Kaohsiung on July 15.
painted out and the funnel painted planned, in Malta on January 2
There she lay for a further
buff as she became HM Troopship 1983 – and workmen took their
month, awaiting a berth at the
Uganda to take home more than place to start her conversion for
breaker’s yard, before the weather
700 Gurkhas and members of the military use as she set sail.
took a hand.
Royal Army Medical Corps. Her refit was carried out in
Towards the end of August
As she steamed out of Port Southampton and she headed back
Typhoon Wayne drove her ashore
William on July 17, inevitably into for the Falklands on January 14.
near the harbour mouth, where
the teeth of a gale, the hospital was Each round trip took almost a
she was slowly broken up by the
gradually dismantled. month, and again the South Atlantic
sea over the following decade.
Uganda was one of the last ships gave her a fearful battering.
Her memory is kept alive by the
of the original Task Force to return Windows were regularly smashed
SS Uganda Trust – see website
to the UK, so the warmth of the by the sea – some were eventually
www.ssuganda.co.uk
Uganda: The story of a very special ship was published in 1998 by the SS Uganda Trust, a charity which
developed from the SS Uganda Society’s attempt to preserve the liner. Today the Trust continues the
sponsorship and maritime heritage activities started by the Society, including support of educational
and recreational facilities for children and young people. The ISBN number of the book, which provided
much detail for the above article, is 0 9531082 0 1; see website www.ssuganda.co.uk
● Troopship Uganda pictured at fi rst light in the English Channel on August 9 1982 as
she approaches Southampton on her return from the Falklands War
Uganda reunion
A HOSPITAL Ship Uganda reunion is to Closing date for applications is
be held on board P&O liner Aurora. February 22 2008.
The event, open to all who served, On the preceding day Surg Cdr Peter
sailed, or were medically treated on Bull, the ship’s consultant anaesthetist,
board Uganda during the Falklands War, will give a slide show of the voyage at the
will be held at Southampton on April 20. Premier Travel Inn Southampton North.
Among those eligible are members of The informal show starts at 6pm, and
the RN, QARNNS, P&O, RN Medical and other photos will be welcomed.
Technical teams, RM stretcher bearers A buffet supper will be provided, with
and musicians, 1/7th Gurkhas and 16th contributions to the South Atlantic Medal
Field Ambulance RAMC. Husbands, Association (SAMA).
wives and partners are also welcome. Accommodation is available for both
Organisers are seeking as many former nights at £50 per room per night; contact
patients as possible, and disabled parking the hotel direct on 08701 977233.
facilities will be available nearby. 25th Anniversary greetings cards, marina
The cost is £15.50 each, which includes designed by Nicci Pugh and featuring
coffee, lunch and drinks, and a small Uganda as a hospital ship, are being sold
admin charge. Rig will be smart casual, to support SAMA 82. They have been
and the event runs from 10.30am to 2pm. printed with a Christmas message or as
Admission is by ticket only; application blank cards.
forms from Nicci Pugh (QARNNS) on To buy the cards, in packs of ten at £6
n_pugh@btinternet.com or Derek Houghton per pack (three packs for £15) including
(P&O), d.houghton50@ntlworld.com UK P&P, see website www.sama82.org
● A weather-beaten Uganda leaving the Falklands in June 1985, fl ying a paying-off pennant
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