WARSHIPS
HMS Berwick
HMS Lowestoft
HMS Apollo
HMS Jupiter
HMS Arrow
HMS Minerva
HMS Andromeda
HMS Andromeda
RFA Argus
SHORE BASES
HMS Ganges
HMS Dryad
HMS Sultan
HMS Collingwood
Kyle of Lochalsh







































After the best came the worst, HMS Minerva a total nightmare, what's even worse I spent awhole three years onboard. The ship itself was no different from other Leanders I'd had (well slightly different weapon fit) it was the ships company that made it bad. Don't get me wrong they weren't all that bad, just the odd three or four that ruined it for all the rest.

I became "leading hand of the mess" which made things worse because all the trouble makers just happened to be in my mess. Still it wasn't all bad there were some good lads onboard.


minpic
minpic1
Exocet Leander HMS Minerva,
with 965 single bedstead long
range air Radar
The Minerva at a bouy in Port Stanley
harbour Xmas 1984

We did a tour of the Falklands over Christmas 1984 which turned out to be quite interesting, during the tour we visited South Georgia, the burial place of Earnest Shackleton, seeing his grave is something I will never forget. The only building left standing at Grytviken (the capital) is the Church, which is maintained by visiting ships. There are also massive Elephant seals just laying about all over the place, which seem quite friendly until you get too close!

dave
portstanley
Me heading towards South Georgia
for a break
The throbbing Metropolis of Port Stanley

highstreet
whaling
Gritviken high street, mmmmm
makes you wonder why 350 people
lost their lives
The infamous South Georgia
whaling station, this is where all the fighting began.