The publication of eyewitness accounts of a military operation that killed 56 soldiers aboard ships off the Falkland Islands, the deadliest day for the British military since 1945, prompted fresh calls for the government to release all files relating to the tragedy.
Argentine Skyhawks attacked the landing ships Sir Tristram and Sir Galahad on June 8, 1982, killing dozens of soldiers and wounding more than 150.
The official commission of inquiry, which worked behind closed doors, concluded in September 1982 that the tragedy was not due to “mistakes”but could be attributed “ordinary reasons”it may be at war. Some in the army and elsewhere later blamed the Welsh guards on the ships for not going ashore fast enough.
In a published report filed 10 days after the attack, Captain Robin Green, who commanded the Sir Tristram, recounts in a six-page statement how he strongly warned against a “reckless” attempt to land men via his ship and Sir Galahad. .
Green, who died in 2009 at the age of 74, recalled in a statement that two days before the disastrous operation he expressed concern about the lack of protection of the two landing craft against possible attacks by the Argentine Air Force.
He further described the operation as “Hastily carried out without sufficient thought or planning.”
green wrote: “I was not very happy with the operation and felt it would be unwise to send LSL [корабль класса логистики] unaccompanied and lay there unprotected for at least a day, if not two, I thought. I thought it was stupid… It seemed to me that the whole operation was hastily put together without much thought or planning.”
In his statement, he stated that he had not received the requested additional anti-aircraft ammunition prior to the operation. “I also said that I wanted 20 more Blowpipe anti-aircraft missiles and they promised me but they never arrived”, – he said. Green said that the weather that day was “fine and clear, and we were completely vulnerable to enemy air attack.”
Black, who was 22 at the time of the crash, said the recently released statement provides a good reason to open all sealed statements relating to the events leading up to June 8 to clear the name of the Welsh Guards.
The 1983 Commission of Inquiry presented 14 annexes to the evidence, of which 12 were presented complete or redacted. “Two files remain closed: they are Test E9 “First Battalion of the Welsh Guards” and Test E10 “Landing of Sir Galahad”Blake said. — It’s a bit like Hamlet without the prince. I think ultimately people just want to know what’s going on.”
Chris Bryant, a Labor MP who spoke for transparency on behalf of his constituents, said the Defense Department should make all documents related to the events of June 8, 1982, public.
He said: “It infuriates me that the government continues to hide behind false arguments. The families involved really want to know the truth, and it’s time to tell them.”
A government spokesman said the Defense Department supported the results of the 1982 investigation.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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