Retaking the islands
Portsmouth ships were in the thick of the action in the Falklands, as the decision was imminent on whether to launch a task force to retake the islands.
Portsmouth in there fighting, city ship softens up invaders
Portsmouth ships once again played a vital role in tightening the grip on the Argentine forces in the Falklands at the weekend.
In the daring and brilliantly-executed Commando raid on Pebble Island, a Portsmouth-based destroyer shelled shore positions.
Sea Harrier jets from the carriers HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible were responsible for the repeat raid on Port Stanley airfield, and for the attack on two Argentinian vessels in the Falklands Sound.
The raids reinforced speculation that an invasion of the islands is imminent, and some sources believe such action could only be a few days away.
Cmdr Tony Provost, commander of Invincible, told a reporter that ‘time is running out’. Troops could not be kept waiting around at sea forever, he said.
The weekend’s events began on Saturday morning, when a band of 50 commandos landed on Pebble Island and made their way towards a vital Argentinian airstrip and ammunition dump. They were covered by heavy fire from a Portsmouth-based destroyer.