When we ended last episode, the Argentinians had just seized Gryviken in South Georgia on 3rd April 1982 and had begun to move new units into the Falklands replacing the commandos who landed on the 2nd.The British cabinet had met and the Task Force was at sea within 5 days. Elements of the force converged on the Ascension Islands at the end of the second week of April 1982 and were under orders to prepare a number of options for the cabinet’s decision. Commodore Clapp and Brigadier Thompson aboard the Fearless were wrestling with how to recapture the Falklands. Thompson’s planning cell of officers was called the R Group, and were specifically instructed to concern themselves with land operations. The sea and air battle would apparently have been wrapped up by the time of their arrival at the islands. This was not what was going to happen, but they didn’t know that then obviously. Some in the cabinet preferred a lengthy blockade to any landings. But by far the biggest strategic debate early in this war was what to do about South Georgia. The island was 800 miles beyond the primary objective in hostile seas and anyone steaming there would be exposed to the Argentinian submarines. Whatever Thompson thought – sending his entire brigade to South Georgia was dangerous. So conversely the use of only a small force on the Antrim and Plymouth was less risky even if they failed to take South Georgia. Eventually the decision was taken to attack this island first and this was primarily political. The British public were baying for blood, Buenos Aires remained intransigent, Washington insiders were whispering that London was afraid of a showdown. The Antrim group was dispatched in haste to deal with South Georgia as a matter of urgency. The detached squadron led by Captain Brian Young in Antrim rendezvoused with Endurance 1000 miles north of South Georgia on 14th April. The British believed the Argentinians had placed only a small garrison on the bleak, glacier-encrusted island, but did not know that reinforcements were being sent. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.