NAVY NEWS, APRIL 2007 11
AA lesson in the classicslesson in the classics
T
HE force assembled
at Portsmouth was
In the third of his series looking at recurring themes
formidable.
in Royal Navy history, Dr Colin White, director of
Ten major warships – and a the Royal Naval Museum, looks at the Falklands
large supporting fl eet of transports
War and its links with other great examples of power
and supply ships – were hastily
brought together to carry the
projection.
troops half way across the world.
Portsmouth Dockyard was a hive
of activity as ships were hurriedly transported all the way across the seapower.
equipped for war service. Atlantic Ocean. When Wellington – then still
Then the order came to set It was a classic example of the Sir Arthur Wellesley – landed with
sail. And it was at that point that way in which Britain has been able 10,000 men in Portugal in 1808
disaster struck. One of the largest to use the sea to project her power in the opening move of what grew
ships in the fl eet, HMS Invincible, many thousands of miles from her into the Peninsular War, he was
snagged her anchor and jammed home shores. the fi rst to acknowledge that he
her rudder. In strong winds, she This summer, we are owed his success to “our maritime
was driven onto the Dean Sands, commemorating the 25th superiority”.
off St Helens on the Isle of Wight, anniversary of the Falklands War. And that maritime superiority
and although her entire ship’s There will be military parades was never more dramatically
company was saved, she eventually and no doubt much old news shown than on June 6 1944 – ‘D-
capsized and sank, taking all her footage of ‘yomping’ and other Day’ – when another, much larger,
weapons and stores with her. images of land warfare. attack force sailed from Spithead
Don’t worry. This is not But we need to remind people for the liberation of Europe.
an extract from a secret, and that this was, above all, a naval As it happens, 1982 was not the
● HMS Hermes launches her Sea Harriers (plus an RAF GR3) at the height of the Falklands confl ict
hitherto unrevealed, history of the operation. It was, in fact, a classic only occasion when the Falklands
Falklands War. example of power projection. featured in Britain’s projection of space of two months. The admiral that gives us a unique insight into expedition of 1758 with Drake’s
The Invincible in question was That is why the Navy’s four her power. in command was Sir Doveton life on board an 18th-Century attack on Cadiz; the 1914 Battle
not the aircraft carrier of 1982; she museums have come together Nearly 80 years before, in the Sturdee and he fl ew his fl ag in sailing warship. of the Falklands; the D-Day fl eet
was a 74-gun sailing battleship and to create a special anniversary early stages of the Great War, the HMS Invincible... Among the material recovered and the Falklands task force.
the expedition in which she was exhibition to examine and to islands were the scene of another The wreck of the 1758 was a collection of square plates – And all of these events remind
supposed to be involved happened celebrate the RN’s pivotal role in major naval battle. Invincible was rediscovered in square pieces of wood, with lips to us of the importance of power
nearly 250 years ago, in 1758 – the the campaign: Task Force South: The Germans had sent a 1979 by fi shermen whose net got them, which were used for serving projection in Britain’s naval
attack on the French-held fortress The Royal Navy and the Falklands powerful cruiser squadron to the snagged on her remains. the main hot meal of the day, history.
of Louisbourg in Nova Scotia. Wa r . South Atlantic, commanded by When divers went down to usually a form of stew. Researchers
The rest of the fl eet continued The Falklands War also serves Admiral von Spee and he and his investigate, they found that all her realised that they were probably
Task Force South: The marina
on its mission and, six months to remind us that this is a type of comrades had heavily defeated a stores, abandoned when she sank, the origin of the phrase, “a square
Royal Navy and the Falklands
later, the troops were safely warfare which the Royal Navy has weaker British squadron. were still intact. In a long and meal”.
War runs at the Royal Naval
landed and, within three weeks, made particularly its own. The Admiralty responded by patient operation they succeeded So, next time you tuck into your
Museum in Portsmouth Historic
Louisbourg had surrendered to When Francis Drake succeeded sending two of its capital ships in recovering almost every item. meat and two veg and turn to your
Dockyard from March 31
the British. in ‘singeing the King of Spain’s – fast, powerful battlecruisers. The Invincible Collection is neighbour and use that famous
and runs until February 29
The French defenders fought beard’ in his hit-and-run raid They steamed south, defeated now on display at the Royal Naval phrase, you will be connecting
2008. For further details and
gallantly but were overwhelmed on Cadiz in 1587 he was Spee’s squadron and returned to Museum and in Chatham Historic to another of the Royal Navy’s
information of related Falklands
by a huge concentration of land demonstrating to King Philip their station with the Grand Fleet Dockyard. golden threads.
events at the museum visit
and maritime force – much of it of Spain the long arm of British in the North Sea – all within the It is a treasure trove of material, This one links the Louisbourg
www.royalnavalmuseum.org
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11_NN_Apr.indd 1 16/3/07 14:59:19
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