HMS Coventry, BBC2 last night.

Finally got round to watching this last night on video…..only took me a month!

On the whole I thought it was quite well done with the emphasis (rightly) on the experiences of the crews involved. The ‘low-budget’ effects didn’t detract too much from the human story.

Unfortunately the program repeated the ‘fact’ that a Lynx helicopter from HMS Coventry sank two Argentine patrol vessels with Sea Skua missiles. In fact only one vessel was present and that was attacked twice and not sunk, although it was severely damaged, many of the crew were killed, and it limped back to Argentina to take no further part in the war. In fairness this was an easy mistake to make and it is repeated in the book by David Hart-Dyke, the captain of HMS Coventry.

The most interesting part for me was the account of how HMS Coventry repeatedly requested to move further offshore (were the Sea Dart system was not compromised) and how those requests were repeatedly denied by Admiral Woodward. I’ve always thought HMS Coventry should have been further offshore and so it seems did her captain!

Well, we used to feel much trepidation when that po faced unemotional spokesman appeared on the news, even when things were going well, I don’t recall a flicker of a smile.

I wonder what happened to that spokesman, and where did he come from, probably retired on a wacking great Civil Service pension by now.

I think the MOD announcer was Ian MacDonald but I could be wrong.

I remember seeing him interviewed during a documentary about the Falklands where he said that he was absolutely terrified at the prospect of doing the announcements before a live television audience of tens-of-millions.

IIRC he had absolutely no previous television or radio experience and just before he did the first broadcast when he was shaking with fear someone in the studio advised him to ‘look straight at the camera and be sure to speak slowly and clearly’.

Poor guy…I suppose now, in the days of ‘spin’, the presentation would be much slicker…

…but the news just as bad.

But then, of course, there is no bad news anymore. :rolleyes:

A story well told – apaer from the “trick” effcts used on the original news reports. What were they trying to achieve by this?

Well, we used to feel much trepidation when that po faced unemotional spokesman appeared on the news, even when things were going well, I don’t recall a flicker of a smile.
I actually thought the affects were quite good, perhaps everyone involved with the propaganda war were actually on LSD, who knows, ask Mrs T.
I wonder what happened to that spokesman, and where did he come from, probably retired on a wacking great Civil Service pension by now.

A story well told – apaer from the “trick” effcts used on the original news reports. What were they trying to achieve by this?

Watched it too – found it very moving. Very well made even with the CGI effects. Hope that there are more programmes coming like this to remind folk what happened 20 years ago… I was just a frustrated airman who wanted to be there but was not qualified on suitable aircraft types at the time….

I too found it a very good drama documentary – and was especially surprised at the reported success rate of the Sea Dart guided missile.

Interesting that HMS Coventry was there to provide AA cover to the fleet – but had to rely on HMS Broadsword to provide AA cover for Coventry!:eek:

Ken

A better docu than I had seen before about the threats to the RN fleet, leaving a lot of the post-battle analysis out e.g. no claims of X-ship blanketing Y-ship’s radar and no conspiracies either. Told as it was on the ship, a good eye-opener.