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Southby-Tailyour and Johnston safely navigated the first
hour of the trip, mainly using the middle of the river for
depth reasons, when ‘suddenly, we hit solid ground. The
craft slewed against the tide, which, though rising, was also
pushing us harder aground. There had been no warning, no
unexplained ripples on the surface of the otherwise flat
waters. The undeniable sound and feel of a steel ship grinding
harder into solid rocks and shifting stones quivered through
the deck. Colour Sergeant Johnston slammed both engines
into reverse - a process with a ‘V’ drive, which takes precious
seconds to engage. The slope was too gentle, which meant
that, although any damage would be minimal, we would have
travelled some way across and up the shoal. Astern of us
Colour Sergeant Davies had seen the gap between our two
stern lights suddenly widen and guessed what had happened.
Without altering course he slowed down and brought his
bows close to our transom. His crew, waiting for just such an
event, and without orders, passed two warps, crossed over,
one for each of our quarters. As soon as turns had been taken
around the Staghorns Tango One backed away against the
flood stream. Both craft set their engines to full astern and
with the same, but psychologically more satisfying noise, we
slid off into deep water. The lines were slipped; I plotted the
position of the shoal, judged which side lay the deepest water
and the convoy set off again at slightly reduced speed. The
teasing between myself and my cox’n took on a different
note. Relief on my part and a smile on his. “Like to change
places, boss? We need younger eyes for this sort of thing!” I
reminded him that the safety of the vessel was his
responsibilty; I was merely a ‘local pilot’ in an advisory
capacity!’
The rest of the first trip to pick up 42 Commando passed
without incident; in total Johnston had to do four passages in
these tricky waters, mainly navigating by instinct alone,
‘almost exactly at high water we disembarked the second
wave at Port San Carlos while Brian Johnston poured us all a
well-earned tot... however, the new day was not yet over; the
offloading rota was short of two LCUs so we returned to San
Carlos Waters at best speed.’
Daylight and Dangerous Waters
The fleet were subject to almost continual air-attack, and on
the 25th, ‘during the day there were a number of air raids. I
watched one from the bridge of an LCU while it unloaded
cargo across Bonners Bay jetty and recorded seeing a pilot
eject over H.M.S. Fearless. He landed in the water alongside
the ship and was rescued by Colour Sergeant Johnston. He
had a badly torn knee but was otherwise in fair shape.’
Having successfully landed 3 Commando Brigade, the LCUs
were once again heavily occupied with the arrival of the
Army’s 5th Infantry Brigade (consisting of 1st Battalion
Welsh Guards, 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, 1/7th Gurkha
Rifles, along with equipment and support units) in the first
week of June; whilst the Scots Guards were succesfully landed
at Bluff Cove, confusion over orders delayed the landing of
the Welsh Guards; with the result that only half the battalion
were landed by Foxtrot One and Foxtrot Four at Bluff Cove;
on the 7th June, six out of eight available LCUs (including
Johnston’s) were employed unloading the LSL Sir Tristram
at Fitzroy, ‘as sunset grew nearer I made my way back to
‘clock in’ with the Army headquarters to discover that at dusk
we were due to lose the four Intrepid LCUs, leaving us to rejuggle
the offload priorities, procedures and timings... We
knew we could not complete the task that night, but if we
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worked fast, I suggested, she might, just might, be ready to
sail the following night.
During this conversation it was suggested that we send one
of the two LCUs to Darwin to collect the Brigade radio
vehicles so urgently needed [5th Brigade forward positions
had no radio contact]. While the collection of the radios was
vital for 5 Brigade, there were distinct disadvantages in
transporting them by LCU. On the other hand there were
two other ways of getting the vehicles to Fitzroy - overland
or slung beneath a Sea King. These, though, were also
fraught with difficulties, not least of which was the average
speed over the peat at that time of year and the lack of
helicopters.... Now that we had lost Intrepid’s four we
needed both the remaining LCUs, working flat out, to
ensure that Sir Tristram was unloaded in time for her return
journey to San Carlos after dark. Secondly, as we could not
tell the garrison at Darwin that the LCU would be on its way,
I was hesitant to risk it when I knew that the Gurkhas had
orders to destroy anything that moved up Choiseul Sound.....
Thirdly, if I did send a LCU it would not be available until
the next night as Gurkhas or no Gurkhas, it was clearly a
target for Pucara over the Sound by day.... I was being
cautious, but also trying to ensure that the LSL was given the
first priority.... The unloading of the LSL and the safety of
the LCU were, rightly or wrongly, uppermost in my mind at
that stage.... During a brief discussion with Colour Sergeant
Johnston he helped me with my decision by stating: “LCUs
have been shot up by the Royal Navy on both flanks [he had
been challenged twice when on a run back from Teal Inlet]
and I would rather not face the Gurkhas. My luck may not
last.” These were to be tragically prophetic words.’
In the early hours of the 8th June, Southby-Tailyour was
‘woken by Barnie Rolfe-Smith to tell me that MV Monsunen
has returned from GG and has comms with the RN and is
prepared to escort Foxtrot Four up Choiseul Sound so I have
now ordered Colour Sergeant Johnston to sail but to make
absolutely certain that he remains in comms with Monsunen
in whatever way he and they deem fit to ensure that the
Gurkhas know they are transiting the Sound. Told him that
under no circumstances is he to sail back until dark tonight
regardless of who orders him to do so.’
On the evening of the fateful day that Southby-Tailyour
witnessed the air-attack on Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram he
received news about Foxtrot Four - ‘2000. “F4 reported
sinking - 6 wounded 11 dead or missing.”
A cool army signaller had managed to get a message through
while his Land Rover remained chained to the sinking LCU.’
Southby-Tailyour immediately sent out Foxtrot One to look
for survivors, ‘my thoughts, though, were for Colour
Sergeant Johnston and his men.
“Who the hell ordered F4 to sail back in daylight down
Choiseul Sound I would like to know.”
‘I do know now. Colour Sergeant Johnston, having loaded
his craft, turned to the senior passenger and said: “Bugger the
orders. The Brigade needs these vehicles forward now. We’ll
sail.” He was a brave man who was to be awarded,
posthumously, the Queen’s Gallantry Medal.’
Returning from Goose Green Foxtrot Four had been attacked
by four Argentinian aircraft, three of these aircraft were
eventually shot down. Johnston and his crew are
commemorated on the memorial at San Carlos, there is also
a memorial to the crew of Foxtrot Four on Lively Island.