QE2 and the Falklands War

[Lynda Bradford]

We received an email in the Admin mail box this morning from the son of Nigel Broackes Chairman of the Trafalgar House company.  It was lovely to hear his pride in the fact that his father was referred to as the owner of QE2. But the real reason for writing to us was with the passing of Margaret Thatcher he remembered this story linking Margaret Thatcher, the Falklands and the QE2. 

Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did this morning. 

my father wasn't the captain of the qe2! he was the chairman of the company... which owned the company... which owned the company... which owned cunard...

i grew up in a world where people referred to my dad as OWNING the qe2! this wasn't completely true, but i was still incredibly proud, and i hope those that love her will understand why i make no apology for that pride.

one small anecdote, which you might like to publish to your readers, is about early 1982...

i was at a fairly well known school, near slough, and i had been caught smoking. the policy was "honour amongst thieves", so this wasn't reported to your parents... YOU were expected to tell them yourself.

it was about 8pm, and i remember shaking with fear as i held the 2p against the slot on the payphone... and it being engaged. i tried again, and again... but it was still engaged. i knew that my parents were not fans of evening phone chat, so i was quite bemused...

i kept on trying, and eventually there was a ringing tone - my mother answered. it was definitely better that SHE had answered, so i got straight to the point and blurted out my admission, my regret,  and my apologies... before she could hand the phone to my father!!

i remember my mother 'pausing', and the saying "well you ARE a lucky b*gger... the reason the line was engaged was because your father had margaret thatcher on the phone - she was asking to borrow the qe2 and the atlantic conveyor for the falklands!"

please do feel free to post this - i hope it might raise a smile or two

[ship pro]

Thanks for posting this a very interesting story!

I had met Sir Nigel and Sir Victor Mathews,Managing Director Trafalgar house, on several occassions, infact it was Sir Victor, as chairman of the Daily Express, who arranged a Ball on HMS Hermes after the Falklands, where all participants of the campaign were represented by 800 guests. I was chosen to represent Cunard and arrived in Southampton on QE2 from New York at 5.30 pm and I was HMS Hermes in Portsmouth at 7pm, several Admirals at the table mentioned how they had arrived by helicopter however, they said my mode of transport was somewhat more impressive!

[cunardqueen]

Thanks for posting this, it just shows how far reaching this forum is.

Anyone who watched the Whickers World on QE2 all those years ago and l was one, will remember Nigel Broackes being interviewed by Alan in the famous penthouse suite and that long sofa and his phrase "We couldnt buy QE2 we had to buy Cunard" and the shots of him on the bridge as QE2 sailed into Auckland.

Perhaps at some later date when time permits lm sure the rest of us on hear would love to hear more of your own personal thoughts of QE2 & as the son of the owner of QE2  and were you on that world cruise ?
Thanks again

[Rob Lightbody]

Apparently, after the Falklands, Thatcher made a visit to QE2 and landed on the heli deck in the Trafalgar House helicopter to meet Nigel Broackes in Southampton.  Does anyone have the photo of this historic occasion?

[Michael Gallagher]

I've never come across such a visit Rob and it surely would have even documented.

In the three visits she did make to the ship we made sure the band struck up 'Isn't She Lovely' as she entered the Queens Room. Carol later told me Lady T was touched by that and Carol also told me that a painting of QE2 we had specially-commissioned of QE2 (by Robert Lloyd) for Lady T took pride of place in Lady T's Belgravia home.

[cunardqueen]

Iv seen some where a photo with the Trafalgar House helicopter on the deck, but for the life of me lord knows where at..

[Michael Gallagher]

It was used all the time Myles for Trafalgar House Execs to drop in, for press to join the ship of for VVIP passengers to join. Perhaps the most use it received in one week was the 150th Anniversary Voyage in July 1990.

[Rob Lightbody]

Iv seen some where a photo with the Trafalgar House helicopter on the deck, but for the life of me lord knows where at..

A quick simple search for the word helicopter brings up your dedicated topic  :-)

https://www.theqe2story.com/forum/index.php/topic,2285.0.html

[ship pro]

With reference to Margaret Thatcher, I believe there was a photo on the front cover of one of the Trafalgar house monthly house magazines showing her getting off a helicopter on the heli deck for lunch around 1983, from memory it was an informal visit.

[cunardqueen]

From a Falklands Magazine..

[cunardqueen]

and some more

[Rob Lightbody]

The BBC are looking for crew members who were on board QE2 when she sailed for the Falklands Conflict for a programme they are making .

Can any crew members who were on board, and who want to talk to the BBC, please contact me for further information.

Thanks,

- Rob

[riskygizmo]

A recording of a presentation given by a chap from 2nd Scots Guards, found on Youtube. QE2 shows up about 25 mins in.

[riskygizmo]

Another Youtube find

[Twynkle]

A link to the website for HMS Coventry with photos of guests at the special lunch on board QE2 given for the remaining crew who lost so many colleagues when the ship sank - 25th May 1982.


http://www.hmscoventry.co.uk/viewalbum.php?id=17

[CAP]

Stumbled across this short film of QE2 being prepared and leaving for the Falklands.  Haven't seen it anywhere else in this topic so hopefully it may provide some new footage.

QE2 Leaves For The Falklands

Unfortunately no accompanying sound...

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

Very interesting pictures, they make her departure on this mission very real.

And they made me wonder : Were there any women on board QE2 on her Falklands expedition?

Also, presumably, this was the voyage during which she had the highest numbers on board, counting passengers and crew combined.

[riskygizmo]

Great find, Cap. Rather wonderful to see the Guards Officers embarked in Service Dress. They were going to war, but they were doing it in style. And who's the fleet footed Engineer at 1.05 in ?

[Rod]

Very interesting pictures, they make her departure on this mission very real.

And they made me wonder : Were there any women on board QE2 on her Falklands expedition?

Also, presumably, this was the voyage during which she had the highest numbers on board, counting passengers and crew combined.

Yes there women on board, some of the laundry staff stayed, at that time in the QE2's life most, if not all of the laundry staff were women, and yes, the total amount of "souls " carried was probably the greatest.

[Rob Lightbody]

Stumbled across this short film of QE2 being prepared and leaving for the Falklands.  Haven't seen it anywhere else in this topic so hopefully it may provide some new footage.

QE2 Leaves For The Falklands

http://www.movietone.com/N_POPUP_Player.cfm?action=playVideo&assetno=73581

Unfortunately no accompanying sound...

Amazing footage.  I'm always amazed to see how they 'sliced the back off her' to create the helicopter decks etc.  Must have seemed radical at the time, and yet a neat engineering solution.  It almost looks like it was meant to be adapted that way.

[Michael Gallagher]

Jacqui Hodgson, currently Hotel Manager on Queen Elizabeth, went down to the Falklands on QE2.

[Rob Lightbody]

Jacqui Hodgson, currently Hotel Manager on Queen Elizabeth, went down to the Falklands on QE2.

That's fantastic to hear that there is still that sort of link 30 years later. It would be great to hear more of her story. Do you think she'd share it with us?

[CAP]

Was Cunard paid for QE2's time out of commercial service during the conversion, active service and subsequent decommissioning for the campaign? If so, on what basis?

[Michael Gallagher]

Cunard received a daily pre-agareed rate for each day she was a STUFT and a different daily rate for the period she was being converted back to passenger service. The Government covered the costs of returning structures to their origianl condition (ie removal of helipads) but did not cover soft furnishings or things like Cunard turning the Spa into the Golden Door, the first phase of the Club Lido  and any other 'changes' along those lines.

[CAP]

Presumably, like earlier requisitions, the rate was calculated from a combination of the vessels speed and GWT.  Therefore, the rules being consistent and applicable to all commercial vessels called up?

[Rob Lightbody]

The BBC are looking for crew members who were on board QE2 when she sailed for the Falklands Conflict for a programme they are making .

Can any crew members who were on board, and who want to talk to the BBC, please contact me for further information.

Thanks,

- Rob

The BBC researcher has not taken the courtesy to reply to me, however I understand from Michael at Cunard that they elected to do a feature based on the Canberra's band instead.

I suspect, therefore, that all the emails and correspondence was a waste of my/our time, but as soon as they confirm this for sure, I'll let you know.

It was only a proposed project, and we gave it our best shot, and we put them in touch with lots of quality contacts.

[Michael Gallagher]

The BBC decided to reunited the band that went down to the Falklands on the Canberra and some P&O nurses. Although the reuniting took place on Queen Mary 2!

[riskygizmo]

The Beeb may have re-thought their film about the Falklands, but ITV news are having a week of articles celebrating 175 years of Cunard, starting with this.

http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2013-07-25/cunards-losses/

I don't know if the vid will play outside the UK, though.

[Rob Lightbody]

The Beeb may have re-thought their film about the Falklands, but ITV news are having a week of articles celebrating 175 years of Cunard, starting with this.

http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/update/2013-07-25/cunards-losses/

I don't know if the vid will play outside the UK, though.

Thanks, didn't know about this at all! Quite a scoop for Cunard! Looking forward to following it through the week.

[Rod]

It does Risky...Thanks!

[June Ingram]

Just wanted to mention that our QE2 sailed off to the Falklands last Monday, May 12 in 1982. 

[Adam Hodson]

Just wanted to mention that our QE2 sailed off to the Falklands last Monday, May 12 in 1982.

Thanks June. Our QE2 has so many anniversaries!

[Rod]

I did not forget!

[Adam Hodson]

I did not forget!

Great! 

[June Ingram]

I did not forget!

Rod, I knew you would not forget !

[Hank Hargrove]

Rob's right as any ship with a UK port of registry can be commandeered by the Government in time of war if needed.  In the unlikely event Britain were to face another Falkands type situation requiring large scale maritime forces then it is entirely feasible that both QM2 and QV could be taken up in the same way as their illustrious predecessors and used in a troop carrying capacity.  I say unlikely because it is doubtful there would be sufficient RN capability available to mount another campaign of the magnitude seen in '82 but yes, it's entirely possible should the need arise. 

To be honest, I don't think Argentina can launch an attack either. They've cut their military far more than the UK has.

[Rod]

Rod, I knew you would not forget !

June and all, It is hard to forget such a life changing event. Being issued a Prisoner of War card, to be carried at all times, "just show it to your captors, they will respect it"  Yeah right!!!! At a certain point, ALL ships company, came under Military Discipline, cannot remember the exact date, but that allowed us, for certain transgressions, to be tried by Court Martial and SHOT! That kind of had an impact too!

BTW in the write up under Risky Gizmos vid...Atlantic Conveyor was not torpedoed, it was hit by an Exocet missile.

[June Ingram]

Thank you, Rod, very much for your post and information and remembrances !  June

[Adam Hodson]

Thank you, Rod, very much for your post and information and remembrances !  June

I second that.

[Hank Hargrove]

Thank you very much Rod!


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