QE2 and the Falklands War

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

There's a photo of some of the Falklands crew here :

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,985.msg24989.html#msg24989

Thinking about this amazing voyage again, with the ship so crammed with soldiers, I wonder were the barriers between crew spaces and passenger spaces maintained as usual, or were the soldiers freely allowed into crew accommodation and leisure facilities?

Did the officers dine in the Queen's Grill?

[ship pro]

In relation to the post regarding the technical aspects of the voyage.
Before departure it was apparent they could not get enough feed water into the boilers, the ship had to sail on time because of the media coverage consequently she was towed out by 6 tugs!
she anchored off the isle of wight away from the coast, the problem was found after around 6 hours and she set off to Accention island.

Some time before the trip there had been some misalignment on the main turbine couplings, Lioyds were monitoring the situation and limited the speed to 144RPM instead of 168 RPM , which equates to around 24 knots.
So she had a leasurely trip down to south Georgia because of this, the only things that drove the re engining was fuel prices and the ease of operation of a diesel plant.
It was later determined that Lloyds had put a decimal point in the wrong place! and the speed restriction was lifted.

[Twynkle]

This must have been an extraordinary time - and thank you for giving us some details of her departure.
Supplies and stores etc - were these all provided by the MOD?
It seems as if it was a long time before she could take on more food etc
It would be interesting too, to know whether QE2 was used as a hospital ship in South Georgia.

Beyond Ships' report.
http://www.beyondships.com/QE2-Falklands-1.html
(It's easier to read in pdf format - link on page 1 of report)

[Waverley]

Linda Kitson war artist.  A display of her QE2 war drawings will be shown next to the QE2 model at the new Riverside Museum in Glasgow.

A few good photos here

 https://www.youtube.com/user/riversideappeal#p/u/2/bcvYSe-pSRs

[Rob Lightbody]

Linda Kitson war artist.  A display of her QE2 war drawings will be shown next to the QE2 model at the new Riverside Museum in Glasgow.

A few good photos here

 https://www.youtube.com/user/riversideappeal#p/u/2/bcvYSe-pSRs

Absolutely brilliant stuff!1  Thanks so much for finding and posting.  I must try to get in touch with the curator involved - David Scott.  I'd love to volunteer to help out in fact.

[Rod]

Regarding QE 2 and Canberra.   I think you will find when the official info from the campaign is released, that the UK government found out that the QE 2 was to be the #1 target as posted previously. There was also a submarine missing that the RN couldnt find, being made difficult by the fact that it was a former US sub. The political and financial cost also came into play as the government would have been responsible for replacing any ship lost as Lloyds becomes void as soon as the ship comes under MOD control. Cost for Canberra.....40 m pounds, cost for QE 2,,,132m pounds. The government still had no idea how they were going to pay for this war. Up until about 2 days before we arrived at South Georgia we were going to go to Bomb Alley.
Trust me on this.

On another topic mentioned here.
Every British ship, built in Britain, using government money for loans etc, has to be capable of being converted for war service. This includes strengthening of various ares to support guns etc. Those plans existed for QE 2 but implementation would have taken too long.. For example the forward cargo hold would have become a huge magazine with the ammo going straight up to the gun/guns on the hatch cover.

[Twynkle]

Regarding QE 2 and Canberra.   I think you will find when the official info from the campaign is released,....

The political and financial cost also came into play as the government would have been responsible for replacing any ship lost as Lloyds becomes void as soon as the ship comes under MOD control. Cost for Canberra.....40 m pounds, cost for QE 2,,,132m pounds....

Trust me on this....

Rod - your post is interesting, thanks so much.
 The official Falklands info could be released quite soon, I guess - unless it's regarded as exceptionally sensitive.
(Recently, I read Captain Hart-Dykes book about HMS Coventry - and how he and the remaining crew returned to the UK on board QE2 - his is a personal account of the previous 'Four weeks in May')
You mention Lloyds.  I wonder - are you referring to the underwriters - and / or the Register?
Regarding safety and classification etc, as she was STUFT, then wouldn't she still be subject to assessment by Lloyds for registration etc,  or maybe this is done by the RN for the MOD?

In any case, it would be really interesting to know how much of the engineers' work actually changed as she'd become a troop ship.
I guess the changes were much greater for you guys, than they were for the Deck dept??
Did you get extra crew on board before leaving Soton to give you a hand - and maybe, was there a contingent from the RN on board too?
Please forgive me if you aren't able/ allowed to answer these questions!!
Thanks again - It's so good that you are here!
Rosie.
 

[Rod]

Lloyds insurance. I think you will find that the government became the insurer.
As far as the work changing. With 3500 troops on board there was less damage than with regular passengers. The military had their own workshops that were "craned" onto the decks aft and were used by armorors etc. They were then lifted off by helicopter.
We had to install 20 washing machines and dryers in the room service pantries for the troops to use. These were mostly liberate by the crew afterwards.
The RN put a "Working Party" on board to take care of the war type things. They stayed with us there and back. One of them I met later as he became my sons high school principal!  YES in Florida! Small world.
One way in which my job changed. The Scots Guards had come straight from Buckingham Palace with shiny bayonets. After a lecture about the Geneva convention I got the task of sharpening and blackening 700 of them!

[Twynkle]

ITV News have just shown a 1982 clip of one of QE2's tenders in choppy water off South Georgia for a couple of seconds.
Sadly, there wasn't any reference to QE2 - just something about the ongoing struggle.
'Couldn't believe my eyes!'!!

[Rod]

If one of QE2's launches was in the water off South Georgia, I was on it.

[Rob Lightbody]

There are a handful of really superb photos here

http://homersykes.photoshelter.com/search?I_DSC=qe2&I_DSC_AND=t&_ACT=search

[Pat Curry]

With 3500 troops on board there was less damage than with regular passengers.

Amazing.  But pax don't face court martials for damage done. They just complain this doesn't work or that the water isn't hot enough or what have you trivia to the pursers.

That aside the Argies are sabre rattling.    Since dear Mr Cameron has decimated our forces it was inevitable that the Argies would.  

Time for a show of force, but goodness knows how.  Ark Royal is rotting in Portsmouth, the Harriers have been sent to the US for spare parts, so no more "I counted them off and I counted them back" ... but hey   ... I know of the whereabouts of a troop ship whose cv reads:

"Ship capable of carrying 3,500 troops plus crew, available for immediate sailing with gilt-edged track record.  Previous experience in same role in Falklands well documented.  Volunteer crew available, contact  QEstory website.  Governments interested in hiring the ship, please contact Nakheel +971 4 390 333 any time in the next few days.  First come, first served.
(Note: Nakheel don't celebrate Christmas   so please ring any time).

[Twynkle]

'They Couldn't Have Done It Without Us: The Merchant Navy in the Falklands War.
By John Johnson-Allen
Pub. Seafarer Books 2011
£9.95 and available on Amazon.

It will be interesting to know if / when others have read this;
at first glance, it looks comprehensive and well written.

[Rod]

There are a handful of really superb photos here

http://homersykes.photoshelter.com/search?I_DSC=qe2&I_DSC_AND=t&_ACT=search

The pic to me that exemplifies the Brits is the one of the girlfriend hooking the bra on to the crane and having it delivered to her Welsh Guard on the ship. Where else in the world would you get that?

[bobso]

Any member of the Forum on the QE2 when it went to the Falklands?---


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