HMS Ardent sunk
THIS is the news from the Falklands on May 22, on the day HMS Ardent was sunk. Frigate sunk: 20 missing The Devonport-based frigate HMS Ardent has been sunk in the bloody battles around the Falkland Islands. About 20 of her crew are missing and another 30 are injured, the Defence Secretary (Mr John Nott) said today.
Ardent was hit by bombs and rockets in Argentine air attacks during yesterday’s landings.
She sank after ‘valiant efforts’ to save her, said Mr Nott.
Mr Nott said three other warships sustained minor damage in the attacks, and a fourth has an unexploded
Argentine bomb in its engine room - but it is still capable of fighting. The Defence Secretary paid tribute to the men of the task force, who had behaved in the best traditions of the Services, he said.
Ardent’s commanding officer is Commander Alan West, RN.
HMS Ardent (2,750 tons) was laid down at the Yarrow shipyard, Glasgow, in February 1974, and launched in May 1975. Meanwhile, intelligence sources disclosed today that a major counter-attack by 4,500 crack Argentinian Marines based at Port Stanley on Britain’s foothold in the Falklands is expected within 30 hours.
The Argentinians are believed to be armed with French-built AMX-13 tanks and armoured personnel carriers.