Beyond Endurance: An Epic of Whitehall and the South Atlantic

by Nicholas Barker

  Various options were considered and I was in almost daily contact with Lord Shackleton and Commander Michael Ranken. Eventually Captain Tom Woodfield, himself a ship-broker and a long-serving Commanding Officer of British Antarctic Survey ships found an 18-month-old all-purpose polar vessel, the Norwegian-built Polar Circle, Lord Buxton took up the case with Michael Heseltine whilst Lord Shackleton approached the Duke of Edinburgh. On 14 October, 1991, it was finally announced in the Commons that the MOD had chartered MV Polar Circle for the forthcoming season after which the performance of the ship would be assessed for the longer term. In the event the new ship was a great success and the next stage of our crusade was to persuade relevant Government Departments to buy her outright or take her on a long-term lease.

  There were long discussions over the name of the new ship. Should she be renamed Endurance on the day the old ship was paid off? On commissioning she was indeed given this famous name and has performed excellently ever since.

  There was to be one last twist of the tale. Various museums, ports and other contenders wanted to buy the Plum and turn her into an environmental exhibition centre. The museum keepers could wait until she could run no more. But the MOD had been wounded. Come what may, they were going to sell to the highest bidder, preferably keeping her as a runner even if the sum concerned was only £200,000. This derisory figure reflected their earlier decision to classify her as unfit for normal operation.

  I wrote to Lord Cranborne (Permanent Under-Secretary of State for Defence) and asked for a stay of execution. However, the Sales Department of the MOD had already entered a contract with a city broker whose stated intention was to use her as a passenger ship in the Middle East. In the event the new owner had no such plan. He had connived with INCOM (the purchasing broker) to sell the ship on to an Indian scrap dealer.

  Three days before she was due to transit the Suez Canal I learnt of her true destination. I was horrified to hear that Endurance had been the subject of another MOD cock-up and was to end her life on a beach in India. In the remaining three days I tried to raise the money and a crew to buy her back and drive her home. Sir Jack Hayward offered a substantial contribution and we raised the asking price. But we were too late. The Red Plum died in pieces early in 1993.

  INDEX

  Acland, Sir Antony, FCO, 236

  Ainsley, Lt Cmdr Arthur, RN, 214

  Aircraft, for Navy, 6, 69

  see also Helicopters

  Allen, Richard, US National Security

  Adviser, 77

  Ambuscade, HMS, frigate, 212

  Anaya, Admiral, Argentine Naval Chief, 42, 77–78, 96–97, 106–07, 124, 128

  Anglia TV, 88, 102, 133

  Anson, Admiral E.R., 68, 225, 226

  Antarctic, 32, 61

  climate, 10–11, 12, 180, 206–07

  international sectors, 16, 83, 92

  scientific bases, 59–60, 73

  visibility hazards, 52–53

  see also South Atlantic

  Antarctic Treaty (1961), 11, 12, 16–17, 33, 83

  Antelope, HMS, frigate, 200, 205

  Antrim, HMS, destroyer, 175, 177, 184–85, 200, 207, 212

  group command, 178, 185, 188, 191, 199

  helicopters from, 180–81, 188–89

  recapture of S. Georgia, 192–93

  Ardent, HMS, destroyer (1940), 34

  Ardent, HMS, frigate, 205

  Argentina, 9, 41, 45, 62, 78–79, 241

  Antarctic survey base, 16, 32–33, 59–60

  claim to sovereignty over Falklands, 16, 21–24, 108

  economy, 16, 45, 78

  government of (Junta), 44, 76–78

  naval ‘exercise’, 144–45

  plans to invade Falklands, 78, 97–98, 124, 127, 128, 159

  and rumours of war, 113–14, 158

  scrapping of Endurance as ‘green light’, 65, 66, 70–71, 75, 78–79, 232

  and talks with Britain, 99–100, 108, 123–28

  threats of invasion (1960s–70s), 25, 239

  see also Argentine press; British Embassy; Buenos Aires;

  Falklands; South Georgia Argentine press, 123–24, 136, 144

  propaganda, 140, 165, 173, 196, 220

  Arrow, HMS, frigate, 36, 186

  Artuso, Chief Petty Officer Felix, death of, 198

  Ascension Island, 223

  Astiz, Lt Cmdr, Falklands garrison

  commander, 188, 193, 194, 196, 197

  surrender of, 193, 194, 196, 197, 198

  Atmospheric science research, 11–12, 59

  Attenborough, David, 48–49, 50–51, 54, 56

  ‘Planet Earth’ project, 47, 49

  Badcock, Captain Paul, Stena Seaspread, 202

  Bahia Bianca, Argentina, 95, 96

  Bahia Paraiso, Argentine supply ship, 51, 110, 136, 144–45

  capture of S. Georgia, 165–69

  Endurance’s search for, 153–55

  at S. Georgia, 142, 143, 148–50, 156, 172

  Ball, Lt, Endurance hydrographer, 32

  Ballaresque, Lt Cmdr Paul, Chilean Navy, 114–15

  Barber, Lord, on Franks Committee, 231

  Barff Point (Cumberland Bay), 156–57

  Barker Bank, shipping hazard, 56

  Barker, Ian, BAS staff, 172

  Barker, Captain Nicholas (author)

  appointment to Endurance, 5–6, 37–40

  and Argentine invasion of S. Georgia, 148–49, 165–69

  BBC interview with Jeremy Harris, 219–20, 222, 224

  career, 5, 34–37

  case for Endurance, 64–66, 67–72, 84–86, 87–88

  and continuing Endurance

  campaign, 108, 122–23

  family, 35, 37, 237

  on loneliness of command, 1, 170–71, 173–74, 177

  marriage to Elizabeth, 35, 220–21, 237

  MOD displeasure with, 72, 224, 228

  press support for, 232–33, 237

  and relief of Southern Thule, 208–12

  subsequent career, 238, 240–41

  warnings to London, 105, 106, 114, 142, 152, 160, 220, 232–33

  Barker, Elizabeth, 220–21

  Barnett, Correlli, 240

  BBC film crew, with Endurance, 101, 102

  BBC World Service, 161, 176, 204

  Beagle Channel, 113, 114

  Beauchene Island, 54

  Belgrano, Argentine cruiser, 96, 200–201

  Bennett, Sir Frederick, MP, 162–63

  Bergel, Hon. Alexandra, 39, 40

  Bergel, Richard, 39

  Bicain, Lt Cmdr, captain of Santa Fe, 193, 197

  Bird, Dickie, Attenborough team, 54

  Bird Island, 103, 173, 198

  Birmingham, University of, 32

  Black, Admiral Sir Jeremy, 218

  Blake, Councillor Tim, 108

  Blanco, Ambassador, 146, 147

  Blight, Lt Cmdr, helicopter pilot, 210

  Blue Rover, RFA tanker, 202

  Bonner, Nigel, BAS, 10, 63

  BP (British Petroleum), 18

  Brain, Sir Bernard, MP, 140

  Brambleleaf, RFA tanker, 186

  Bransfield (BAS ship), 47–48, 53, 73, 130

  Brazil, 41–42, 92–94

  Brewer, Admiral George, 87

  Brilliant, HMS, ASW frigate, 186, 200, 214

  helicopters from, 189–90, 191

  Bristol, HMS, destroyer, 218, 225

  British Antarctic Survey (BAS), 18, 32, 111, 153, 198

  Grytviken base, 48, 103, 130, 142, 169

  importance of Endurance to, 73, 80, 82–83, 85

  radio information from, 2, 133, 147, 165, 199

  Rothera Base, 63, 120, 129–30

  scientific programmes, 12–13, 52, 56

  see also Bransfield; John Biscoe

  British Embassy to Argentina, 28, 44–45, 145, 236

  and Argentine naval ‘exercise’, 144–45, 152, 153, 161–62

  closure, 221–22

  reaction to Davidoff landing at
<
br />   Leith, 105, 106, 135

  see also Williams, Anthony

  British Enterprise III, MV, 212

  British Faraday Base, 59

  Bubblegum yacht, 113

  Buen Suceso, ARA, at Leith, 133–35

  Buenos Aires, visits to, 42–45, 95–96

  Buenos Aires Herald, 76, 123, 124

  Buxton, Hon. Cindy, 102, 103, 117–18, 152

  concern for safety of, 173, 175, 179

  rescue of, 198

  visit from parents, 130, 131–33

  Buxton, Lady (Maria), aboard

  Endurance, 117–21, 129–30, 131–33, 134

  Buxton, Lord, 10, 108, 135, 233

  aboard Endurance, 117–21, 129–33, 134

  letter to Prime Minister, 79–84

  member of SWAG, 58, 243

  support for Endurance, 3, 73, 84–87

  Callaghan, Lord, 3, 127, 140, 143, 234

  Cambridge, Churchill College, 240

  Cameron, Duncan and Bridget, 62

  Canberra, SS, 204, 205

  Cape Horn, 112–13

  Carrington, Lord, Foreign Secretary, 27, 66–67, 74–75, 235

  on Argentine aggression, 147

  on British-Argentine talks, 98, 125

  Franks’ criticism of, 233–34

  request for US intervention, 150–51, 159–60

  resignation, 236

  Chalfont, Lord, in Falklands (1968), 24

  Charlton, Michael, The Little Platoon, 70–71

  Chatham dockyard, 64

  Endurance refit in, 32, 39, 90

  Endurance returns to, 227–28

  Cheek, Councillor John, 108

  Chick, John, Commercial Attache, 44, 45

  Chile, 78

  Antarctic survey base, 16, 32, 110–11

  Endurance visits, 114–16

  intelligence on Argentine build-up, 144, 153, 162–63

  Clapp, Commodore M.C., 223

  Collins, Captain Tony, 68

  Comodoro Py, Argentine destroyer, 152

  Conqueror, HMS, submarine, 186, 188, 200–201

  Coventry, HMS, destroyer, 186, 205

  Coward, Captain John, Brilliant, 186, 197–98

  Cox, Vice Admiral John, 29, 40, 65, 68, 72, 91–92

  Crabs, Magellan, gift of, 115, 174

  Cranborne, Lord, MOD, 243

  Cruz, Commander Adolfo, Chilean Navy, 115, 116

  Cumberland Bay (East and West), 156, 204–05

  Daily Express, 144

  Daily Telegraph, 140, 143

  Dalyell, Tarn, MP, 231

  Davidoff, Constantine, scrap metal merchant, 104–05, 133, 135, 137, 146

  Deacon, Leading Steward, 56, 121–22

  Deception Island, 60

  Delves, Captain Cedric, SAS, 180, 181, 182, 184, 193

  Drummond, Argentine corvette, 145, 149

  Dunlop, Captain Sam, RFA Port Austin, 176

  Eaves, Colonel Keith, 180

  Eberle, Admiral Sir James, 94, 237

  Edinburgh, HRH The Duke of, 243

  Edwards, Trevor, BAS staff, 172

  Ellerbeck, A., Flight Commander, 2, 56, 103, 139, 142, 171

  and attack on Santa Fe, 189–90

  and recapture of S. Georgia, 184, 192, 197, 198

  recce of Argentines on S. Georgia, 169, 171–72

  recce of Southern Thule, 210

  Endurance (first), 11, 58

  Endurance, HMS

  and 1981 defence cuts, 64, 74, 75

  accelerating campaign to save, 98, 101, 107–08, 143–44

  see also Times, letters to

  awarded Wilkinson Sword of Peace, 222–23

  Brazilian interest in, 92–93

  characteristics of, 30–31, 119–20, 121–22

  communications equipment, 31, 189

  confrontation with Bahia Paraiso, 140, 142–43, 145, 148–55

  correspondence with Mrs Thatcher on, 79–86

  as deterrent to Argentina, 65, 70–71, 80–81, 232

  diplomatic visits by, 41, 43–44

  escapes through Merton Passage, 155–58

  fate of, 242–44

  multiple rôle of, 5, 21, 37–38, 73–75, 81

  NB’s defence of, 64–66, 67–72, 84–86, 87–88

  ordered to Ascension I., 175

  ordered to S. Georgia (21 March), 134, 136–38

  problems of hiding, 156–57, 171, 186

  reconnaissance rôle (April), 177–81

  return to Chatham, 220–29

  return to S. Georgia (2 April), 160–61

  return to Stanley (July), 218–20

  risk of being stuck in ice, 55–56

  rôle as guardship, 20, 29, 31, 82–83, 170

  and salvage of Santa Fe, 214–17

  search for Bahia Paraiso, 153–55

  Spectator editorial on, 232–33

  support rôle during Conflict, 202–07

  survey functions of, 31–32, 61, 129–30

  weapon fit of, 29–30, 31, 75

  working relationships aboard, 48, 57, 129, 170–71, 173–74

  Escude, Dr Carlos, Argentine historian, 22–23

  Estrecho de le Maire, Cape Horn, 113

  Exeter, HMS, destroyer, 159

  Explosives

  clearing, 203

  on Santa Fe, 216–17

  Falkland Island Company, 19

  Falkland Islands, 9, 65

  Argentine invasion of, 1, 2, 160–61

  Argentinian aircraft overflights, 108, 116

  conflict, 202–08, 238–39

  economy, 15–16, 19–20, 241

  incidents at LADE office, 136

  opposition to lease-back proposal, 97, 98–99

  public opinion in, 21, 24–25, 61–62, 112

  sovereignty issue, 16, 21–24, 26–27, 83

  Falkland Islands Defence Force, 164

  FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office)

  assessment of Argentine threat, 67, 78, 127

  Franks’ criticism of, 233–34

  intelligence of imminent invasion, 163–64, 236

  and landings at Leith, 106–07, 135

  remit of Military Attachés, 235–36

  Fearn, Robin, FCO, 10, 29, 223, 236, 240

  support for Endurance, 67–68, 74

  Fieldhouse, Admiral Sir John, C-in-C

  Fleet, 68, 140–41, 143, 240

  letters to NB, 223–24

  Fiennes, Ranulph, 10

  Finding, Tim, helicopter pilot, 102–03, 184, 190

  Fish, economic potential of, 14, 15, 241

  Fitzroy, survey team, 46–47

  Fontanot, Mario, Uruguayan officer, 95, 111–12

  Fort Austin, RFA, 143, 159, 175, 176

  Fortuna Glacier, S. Georgia, 179–80, 181–83

  Foster, Marion, Pebble Mill team, 55

  Fox, Captain ‘Freddy’, MOD, 172

  Franks Enquiry (1982–3)

  on JIC, 127, 233–34

  report, 233–34, 235, 238, 239–40

  sensitivity of, 224, 226, 236

  on sovereignty issue, 23–24

  Franks, Lord, chairman of Enquiry, 4, 231

  Fuchs, Sir Vivian, 10, 40, 109

  Furze, Commander Chris, JSE leader, 131

  Galtieri, General Leopoldo, member of Argentine Junta, 77, 78, 96, 97, 123

  Gemmil, Campbell, BAS staff, 172

  George, Admiral A.S., 65

  Germany, Antarctic research, 32, 60–61, 73

  Gilding, Major Robin, RM, 54

  Glasgow, HMS, destroyer, 186

  Gow, Ian, PPS to Margaret Thatcher, 86

  Gozney, Richard, British Embassy, 146–47

  Granville, Argentine corvette, 145, 149, 169

  Grass Island, SAS troops on, 184–85, 194, 198

  Great Britain

  Antarctic sector, 16, 32

  condominium proposal, 24–25

  Falklands lease-back proposal, 24, 26–27, 97–98

  and occupation of Southern Thule, 25, 49–50


  and scheduled talks with Argentina, 99–100, 108

  and sovereignty issue, 21–24

  see also British Antarctic Survey; British Embassy; FCO; MOD

  Green, Michael, NB’s First Lieutenant, xiv, 2, 112, 170, 204

  Green, Warrant Officer, RM, 216

  Grytviken, 48–49, 103, 130

  attack on Argentine positions at, 179, 191–93

  Buxtons’ visit to, 132–33

  church, 48, 133, 148

  Ernest Shackleton’s grave at, 48, 105

  Guerrico, Argentine corvette, 167, 169, 172

  Gulf Oil, 17

  Haig, General Al, US Secretary of State, 151

  Halifax, Admiral Sir David, 186, 187

  Hamilton, Captain John, SAS, 179, 181, 182

  Harding, G.W., Ambassador to Brazil, 92–93

  Harris, Jeremy, BBC reporter, 219–20

  Hart-Dyke, Captain David, RN, 205

  Hayward, Admiral, US C-in-C Navy, 151

  Hayward, Sir Jack, 244

  Headland, Bob, Scott Institute, 140

  Healey, Denis, MP, 20, 69, 70, 140

  Heap, Dr John, FCO Polar dept, 10, 11, 29, 87–88

  Heath, J.M., Ambassador to Chile, 162–63

  Helicopters

  accident at Royal Bay, 101–04

  Argentine, 142, 167–68

  to land SAS on S. Georgia, 179, 180–84

  used against Santa Fe submarine, 188–90

  Wasps (on Endurance), 29–30, 57–58, 137, 154, 189–90, 191

  Hercombe, Peter, Pebble Mill

  producer, 55

  Hermes, HMS, carrier, 200

  Heseltine, Michael, MP, 243

  Higgins, Rear Admiral William, 227

  Hill, Admiral J.R., 1

  Hill-Norton, Admiral of the Fleet

  Lord, 3, 81

  Hindle Glacier, 102

  Hope Bay, 60, 110

  Hunt, Lady (Mavis), xiii, 46

  with Endurance, 55, 56, 101–04

  Hunt, Sir Rex, Governor of Falklands, 27–28, 46, 57, 222

  on Argentine intentions, 137, 143

  and Argentine invasion, 161–62, 163–65

  on British diplomatic

  procrastination, 98–99

  and landings on Leith, 104–06, 133–36, 137

  and return of Endurance (July), 218, 219–20

  and sovereignty talks, 108

  on television films of Falklands, 61–62

  trips on Endurance, xiii–xv, 55, 56–57, 101–04

  visits to scientific bases, 59–60, 103–04, 105

  Hurst, W., Navigating Officer, 2, 56, 156–58, 171

  Husvik, S. Georgia, 49, 105

  Hutchinson, Patricia, Ambassador to Uruguay, 95

  Hydrographic work, by Endurance, 15, 31–32, 111