HMS Antrim and the Falklands War

HMS Antrim was a County class guided missile destroyer (GMD) or destroyer light guided (DLG). She was commanded by Captain Brian Young Royal Navy, a senior captain who had been a fixed-wing Fleet Air Arm pilot and seen action at Suez. He carried a heavy burden, initially as the commanding officer of the Flagship and subsequently in command of the retaking of South Georgia and then responsible for the Force air defence in Falkland Sound.

When the events leading to the start of the war occurred, Antrim was off Gibraltar wearing the flag of Rear Admiral Sandy Woodward who was i/c of Exercise Springtrain comprising 26 ships. The exercise had finished, and ships were steaming north to UK and Easter leave.

On 2 April Argentina invaded the Falklands and the Admiral received a signal from the Commander in Chief in Northwood:

Assume command of HM Ships (names given) and proceed to the Falklands.

Aim. Recover the Falklands

Short, concise, and unambiguous!

The ships swung round and headed South immediately, into the night and towards an unknown and uncertain future.