Ben will be missed, and Harry misses Christopher and Catherine, they were for ever charging up and down the street on bikes, scooters, feet, sledges.......
Tuesday 26 March 2013
Leavers....
It was with much sadness that we bade goodbye to Ben, the history teacher just before Xmas. He left just after us, as we were due to fly back on the 19th December, so Hary, and Ben's two kids, Christopher and Catherine, had a final get together.....
Ben will be missed, and Harry misses Christopher and Catherine, they were for ever charging up and down the street on bikes, scooters, feet, sledges.......
Ben will be missed, and Harry misses Christopher and Catherine, they were for ever charging up and down the street on bikes, scooters, feet, sledges.......
Pebble Island Part 2
Pebble Island Part 1
During the October half term we visited Pebble Island. It is a fascinating island, the 3rd largest of the outer islands, and has the longest sand beach in the Falklands.
During 1982, it was used by the Argentines as a Forward Operating Base for Turbo Mentors and Pucara aircraft, and the British Task Force believed it contained a radar assembly, and was very close to San Carlos, the landing site to be used on 21st May, so it had to be attacked. Observation of Pebble also showed very heavy use of the shearing shed by the Argentine forces, so it was believed to be a command post.
The Special Air Service launched a hit and run raid on the15th May and were supported by HMS Glamorgan. There were three mission tasks:
1. Destroy the aircraft
2. Locate and destroy the radar
3. Destroy the "HQ"
In the end, only task 1 was accomplished - the radar could not be located, and there was insufficient time to destroy the "HQ". This was actually "a good thing", because the shearing shed was being used as sleeping quarters, so the SAS would have killed over 100 men in their sleeping bags.
We flew out via Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS) in a Britten Norman Islander BN2 aircraft, capable of seating 10. These planes are designed to operate on short grass runways of the type found on the islands.
40 minutes after take off from Stanley, having overflown some iconic areas from the conflict, we landed at Pebble and were welcomed by the oweners of the Lodge. Lunch quickly followed, which was a picnic of sandwiches, sausage rolls, fruit, crips, chocolate bars, drinks and boxes of dried fruit!
After lunch we had a walk around the settlement, which is very pretty, but now only has a handful of inhabitants, and 4,500 sheep.
A few wildlife pictures follow:
Harry found an oar, which we had to carry back with us!
Wreckage from the raid
Magellanic penguins
Gentoo penguins
Argentine learjet memorial - t was shot down in the conflict
Rockhopper penguins!
and centre is a macaroni penguin!
The next two pictures highlight the diffference between rockhopper....
and macaroni....the best way is the plumage!
and a lone king penguin for all 5 types of penguins found in the Falklands seen in one day!
Argentine mirage crash site....
...with a British made ejector seat!
bent cannon!
some more from around the settlement
During 1982, it was used by the Argentines as a Forward Operating Base for Turbo Mentors and Pucara aircraft, and the British Task Force believed it contained a radar assembly, and was very close to San Carlos, the landing site to be used on 21st May, so it had to be attacked. Observation of Pebble also showed very heavy use of the shearing shed by the Argentine forces, so it was believed to be a command post.
The Special Air Service launched a hit and run raid on the15th May and were supported by HMS Glamorgan. There were three mission tasks:
1. Destroy the aircraft
2. Locate and destroy the radar
3. Destroy the "HQ"
In the end, only task 1 was accomplished - the radar could not be located, and there was insufficient time to destroy the "HQ". This was actually "a good thing", because the shearing shed was being used as sleeping quarters, so the SAS would have killed over 100 men in their sleeping bags.
We flew out via Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS) in a Britten Norman Islander BN2 aircraft, capable of seating 10. These planes are designed to operate on short grass runways of the type found on the islands.
40 minutes after take off from Stanley, having overflown some iconic areas from the conflict, we landed at Pebble and were welcomed by the oweners of the Lodge. Lunch quickly followed, which was a picnic of sandwiches, sausage rolls, fruit, crips, chocolate bars, drinks and boxes of dried fruit!
After lunch we had a walk around the settlement, which is very pretty, but now only has a handful of inhabitants, and 4,500 sheep.
The Lady Liz
Damage from the conflict
Pebble Lodge - where you stay
The settlement
A few wildlife pictures follow:
Harry found an oar, which we had to carry back with us!
Wreckage from the raid
Argentine learjet memorial - t was shot down in the conflict
Rockhopper penguins!
and centre is a macaroni penguin!
The next two pictures highlight the diffference between rockhopper....
and macaroni....the best way is the plumage!
Argentine mirage crash site....
bent cannon!
some more from around the settlement
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