Part III: Antarctica and Academe - Scott Polar Research Institute

Chapter 8
South Georgia and the
Falklands War : 1982
F
or many years Argentine had laid claim to the Falkland Islands and
Dependencies, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. As long ago as
l952, when I was working on and around South Georgia, an Argentine warship
had opened fire on one of our parties at the FIDS Hope Bay base.
Later I had been made aware, when visiting the Argentine Naval base of
Ushuaia in l977 (chapter --) on my way home from the Hero voyage, that their Navy
was preparing to grab the Falklands. I then arranged to visit the British Embassy in
Buenos Aires one afternoon, when I joined in the weekly staff meeting and we
discussed Antarctic and Falklands matters for 40 minutes before I had to go back to
the hotel to change and pack. I was able to give them some information I had picked
up in Ushuaia about Argentine aspirations to the Falklands. It was said that Admiral
Anaya was determined to invade the islands, but that this would not happen just yet.
Unfortunately this information wasn’t taken seriously (though to be fair it was
unconfirmed). In fact it later became clear that the FCO was seeking a solution to the
long-running Falkland Islands problem that would lead to a de-facto hand over of
the islands.
In the years leading up to l982 the situation again became tense and the
diplomatic situation getting more complicated.
On 15 December, 1981 Constantino Davidoff informed the British Embassy in Buenos
Aires of his intention to visit South Georgia to follow up his “scrap metal” contract
with Christian Salvesen. He was reminded of his obligations, under the contract’s
terms and in accordance with international law, to report to the Magistrate at King
Edward Point upon arrival.
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