[GP]

I saw Endurance in Portsmouth Dockyard where she laid for  a few years, has now been scrapped, see link :-

http://www.ybw.com/news-from-yachting-boating-world/hms-endurance-final-journey-scrapyard-22604

[Lutonman]

Reloading the epictures :
I have finally found some old photos I took at the time of the return, they were old slides and sadly don`t scan very well but here goes.

[John38]

What a shame, Smiler, it would have been quite a memento

[smiler]

When I had the Victory 1981 (now Scruffy Duck) in Gillingham I had a photo of the ship signed by most of the crew. As it was given to the pub I left it there, always wish I'd taken it with me when leaving as the dockyard had closed so woudn't be seeing the crew again. It soon disappeared as I returned a few months later and told it had been given away.

[John38]

RATTLING THE ENDURANCE'S RIVETS


In  1970 - 1975 I was with 216 Squadron on de Havilland Comet 4Cs

In the 1970s we had a lull in our VIP flying schedule, which our masters filled for us by giving us a load of Marines and Ship's Company for HMS Endurance who were to become famous in the forthcoming Falklands war.

We flew them down to Punta Arenas the most Southerly point of Chile, night stopping at Sal in the Cape Verdi Islands on the way. 
 
We dropped off the passengers in Punta Arenas, and took off again with an empty aircraft, but instead of flying North, we thought we would go South for a while and fly down the Straights of Magellan, for from Punta Arenas at Latitude 53.9º S. Longitude 70º.55' W to Cape Horn Latitude 57º.48' S. Longitude 67°19´ W are the straights of Magellan and the Drake Passage.

As a scruffy little boy living in the Blue Town, I had dreamt of travelling, through the books that I had read, particularly “He Sailed with Vasgo-de-Gama” and “He Sailed with Magellan”; here then was the chance to lay the ghost and do a real Magellan trip – it was magical. After a while we turned North again.

In the distance through the gin clear air we saw the red dot that was the Endurance anchored in the lonely waters disturbed only by seabird calls. We thought it would a good wheeze to drop down to below fifty feet and say hello! A sort of surprise  hello .....as they wouldn't hear us coming.

And so we screamed low up the Straights – wind screen wipers wiping away the sea spray. As we came on her, at 300mph +we stood her on her tail and with throttles wide open, gave them the benefit of four of Rolls Royce's best as we rattled every rivet in her Hull – heart attack territory for the Jolly Jack! -----GOTCHA!

Years later I saw a photo of the Endurance and realised she wasn't the same ship we had 'beaten-up' ...so I made a few enquiries. Here is the answer I got:



From : HMS ENDURANCE-CS <279-cs@a.dii.mod.uk>
Sent : 07 December 2005 22:26:22
To : "'HMS Endurance tracking project'" <enquires@visitandlearn.co.uk>, HMS ENDURANCE-MO <279-mo@a.dii.mod.uk>, "'johnsimlett'" <johnsimlett@>
CC : HMS ENDURANCE-CO <279-co@a.dii.mod.uk>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


All,
The previous HMS ENDURANCE, of 1982 Falklands Conflict fame, would have been
the vessel to which John Simlett delivered said Ship's Company. Originally
an ice strengthened Danish Vessel named 'Anita Dan', she was commissioned in
1968 and survived through until paying off in November 1991.
The present HMS ENDURANCE was initially chartered as 'Polar Circle' in 1991,
immediately voted an ideal candidate as the replacement Antarctic Patrol
Ship and shortly thereafter purchased outright and renamed HMS ENDURANCE.
Originally built and operated by Rieber Shipping as an Arctic
tourist/research vessel, she is a class 1 Ice Breaker.
Her hull is built to exacting standards with great rigidity and welded
rather than riveted. Regrettably the previous HMS ENDURANCE met her end in
the breakers yard (rivets and all!) shortly after her sale in the early
1990s.
I hope that provides an appropriate answer to John's question - does he
still fly?
GeorgeTabeart
LtCdr,RN
ChargeSurveyor
HMS ENDURANCE

[Lutonman]

I have finally found some old photos I took at the time of the return, they were old slides and sadly don`t scan very well but here goes

[Bilgerat]

My mum gave me some photos she took of the event. Apologies - they're a bit fuzzy. I was in the Sea Cadets at the time and we took our 36ft Harbour Launch out to be part of the fleet of vessels accompanying the ship on the last part of her journey home.

[carpetsteve]

I went onboard after all the crew had disembarked and had my photo taken with the Argentine flag that was on the ship, I will try and find the pictures as it is the 30th anniversary this year

[Bilgerat]

And I was there when the old Endurance returned home to Chatham after the Falklands War. I was on one of the fleet of small boats that escorted her to the Bulls Nose. And yes, not a dry eye in the house.

[Bilgerat]

...And the 'new' Endurance is to be temporarily replaced with a new (second hand) ship to be called 'Protector' after the navy broke it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/8574629.stm

and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Polarbjorn

[Medway Buoy]

Yes there is a new Endurance. The Endurance pictured above was replaced with the new Endurance in 1991.

Medway Buoy

[peterchall]

I saw a TV news item on TV a couple of days ago about HMS Endurance now. She looked different to these pictures. Is there a new HMS Endurance?

[bromptonboy]

I was on the dockside as she came in on that day - not a dry eye to be seen!. Her Captain, Nick Barker had for weeks repeatedly sent warnings to London that the Argies were up to something.

[Glen]

Just before the 1982 Falklands War the government at the time wanted to withdraw the Endurance from service to save cash. The Argentinians may have taken this as a sign that we were not really interested in the Falklands which prompted their invasion.

Glen

[Medway Buoy]

Here you are Rossco, a few pictures of the Endurance to compliment your posting.
The first picture is the Endurance with all her escorts approaching Garrison Point and what a sight it was.








Medway Buoy