The British depended on complex logistical arrangements to recapture the
Falkland Islands in 1982, as the British forces were operating 13,000
kilometres (8,000 mi) from home. The Royal Navy's ships were augmented
by ships taken up from trade (STUFT), and a base was developed on remote
Ascension Island. The 3rd Commando Brigade was landed in May on East
Falkland, but struggled to build up its supplies as the Argentine air
forces made repeated attacks on ships. SS Atlantic Conveyor was struck
by a missile, and sank with Chinook and Wessex helicopters (example
pictured) on board, along with vital stores. This forced the 3rd
Commando Brigade to yomp across East Falkland. Forward Brigade
Maintenance Areas (FBMAs) were established, and ammunition was delivered
to gun positions by helicopters to enable the artillery to support the
attacks on the mountains ringing Port Stanley. The successful conclusion
of these battles resulted in the surrender of the Argentine forces in
June.
Read more: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_logistics_in_the_Falklands_War>
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Today's selected anniversaries:
1660:
At London's Gresham College, Robert Boyle, John Wilkins,
Christopher Wren and other leading scientists founded a learned society
now known as the Royal Society.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Society>
1943:
World War II: U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt, British
prime minister Winston Churchill, and Soviet premier Joseph Stalin (all
three pictured) met at the Tehran Conference to discuss war strategy
against the Axis powers.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tehran_Conference>
1987:
South African Airways Flight 295 suffered a catastrophic in-
flight fire and crashed into the Indian Ocean east of Mauritius, killing
all 159 on board.
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_African_Airways_Flight_295>
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Wiktionary's word of the day:
turducken:
(US, cooking) A dish, usually roasted, consisting of a deboned turkey
stuffed with a deboned duck that has been stuffed with a small deboned
chicken, and also containing stuffing.
<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/turducken>
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Wikiquote quote of the day:
You must love those you lead before you can be an effective
leader. You can certainly command without that sense of commitment, but
you cannot lead without it.
--Eric Shinseki
<https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Eric_Shinseki>