HMS Endurance (1967)

HMS Endurance was a Royal Navy ice patrol vessel that served from 1967 to 1991. She came to public notice when she was involved in the Falklands War of 1982.

Service history
Formerly a Danish vessel, the Anita Dan, built in 1956 by Grogerwerft for the Lauritzen Lines, she was the first Royal Navy vessel named Endurance. Acquired by the Royal Navy in 1967, she was converted by Harland & Wolff and renamed.

The vessel maintained a British presence in Antarctica and the Falkland Islands during the southern summer months. She also supported the British Antarctic Survey. She had a bright red hull, as is common for polar vessels to aid visibility but otherwise uncommon for the Royal Navy, so she was nicknamed The Red Plum by her crew. In February 1972 when the cruise ship Lindblad Explorer ran aground, Endurance was in the vicinity under Captain Rodney Bowden and assisted in the rescue.

The Royal Navy intended to decommission the vessel in 1982, following the defence review of John Nott, but the Falklands War intervened.

The battle for the Falklands
Endurance was due to be withdrawn from the navy on 15 April 1982 under the 1981 defence review. Indeed her withdrawal from Antarctic patrol without replacement was perceived in Britain as having encouraged the Argentine invasion, and the subsequent Franks Report (1983) acknowledged it as a factor (Main entry Events leading to the Falklands War).

On 19 March 1982, while the ship was at Stanley, South Georgia was occupied by Argentinian civilians. The Endurance, commanded by Captain Nick Barker, was sent to order the Argentinians off the island. Endurance had a small Royal Marines detachment and took further Marines from NP (Naval Party) 8901, and sailed on 21 March for South Georgia. Arriving on 25 March, she encountered the Argentinian transport ARA Bahía Buen Suceso, which had landed 100 troops, and Endurance landed her marines before returning to the Falklands on 30 March. She joined up with the British task force in April and landed SBS soldiers at Hound Bay on South Georgia on 22 April. With the threat of a submarine presence, other vessels moved into deeper waters but Endurance moved into sea ice near the shore. On 25 April, two Wasp ASW helicopters flying from Endurance assisted in attacks on the submarine ARA Santa Fe, which was later abandoned by her crew. When the Argentinian forces surrendered on the 26th, the Endurance remained in the vicinity of the island as a guard.

Endurance also participated in the rescue of Cindy Buxton and Annie Price, wildlife film-makers who were caught up in the war while working on South Georgia.

Afterwards
Toward the end of her life she acquired the nickname HMS Encumbrance due to reliability problems.

In 1989 she struck an iceberg and although she was repaired, a survey in 1991 declared that the hull was not sound enough for a return to Antarctica and she was finally decommissioned. She was replaced by the MV Polar Circle, later renamed HMS Endurance.