Operation Keyhole

Operation Keyhole was a British special operation to recapture Thule Island in the South Sandwich Islands during Operation Corporate in the 1982 Falklands War. The operation took place from 19 to 20 June 1982.

Background

A base, called Corbeta Uruguay, had been built by Argentina in part to reinforce its territorial claims on British-held territory in the South Atlantic. Ostensibly a meteorological research station, it was also used by Argentine military personnel. The British government became aware of the base in December 1976. Between then and the outbreak of the 1982 war, Britain had sought unsuccessfully to reach a diplomatic solution to the problem.

Operation

After the Argentine surrender on the Falkland Islands on 14 June 1982, a task force composed of frigate , patrol ship , tanker RFA ''Olmeda'' and tug ''Salvageman'' sailed to the South Sandwich Islands with instructions to end the Argentine presence there.

Reconnaissance marines from ''Endurance'' and 42 Commando Royal Marines were landed on Thule Island covertly to observe Argentine activities. They encountered harsh conditions on the island with an air temperature of minus 20 degrees Celsius and a gale gusting to 60 miles per hour, the chill factor caused an effective drop to minus 52 degrees. ''Yarmouth'' demonstrated her intention by firing her gun and several helicopters flew around the base. Under the threat of the Royal Marines party and the ships cruising in front of the base, the Argentinians raised a white flag. Royal Marines who were forced to lower the Union Flag on South Georgia on 3 April, now hoisted the Union Flag on Thule Island. The final surrender of the war was signed in the wardroom of ''Endurance'' with all commanders present.

Ten prisoners (one civilian and nine military personnel) were evacuated to the tanker ''Olmeda'', accompanied by ''Yarmouth'', and they departed for South Georgia. The Argentine base "Corbeta Uruguay" was closed and the buildings sealed to make them weatherproof. The other ships ''Endurance'' and MS ''Salvageman'' followed and were back at Cumberland East Bay, South Georgia, by 24 June 1982. No deaths or injuries were sustained on either side.

Aftermath

In March 1983, a UK spokesman said that on 19 December 1982, the research vessel, HMS ''Hecate'', had discovered someone had been back to the base, had lowered the British flag, and raised the Argentinian flag in its place. The spokesman said: "We haven't a clue what went on and God only knows who it was—scrap metal merchants, someone in their cups (drunk) or the Argentine military". To prevent any attempt by Argentina to return to Thule Island, the base was later demolished, in February 1983, by crew from HMS ''Ariadne'' and the supply ship '' RFA Tidespring.'' The flagpole, two weather beacons, and a fully provisioned hut were left intact.

See also

*Hope Bay incident

References

External links

Images of the operation and of the destruction of the Corbeta Uruquay base

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keyhole, Operation
Keyhole
Falklands War in South Georgia
Keyhole
Battles and conflicts without fatalities
1982 in the Falkland Islands Dependencies