In 1982, North Sea ferry MV Norland transported passengers and
vehicles between Hull and Rotterdam. Requisitioned as a troop ship to
take the 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment to the Falklands, the
'volunteer' merchant navy crew were told they would only go as far as
the Ascension Island and that they should think of it as an extended
North Sea booze-cruise run. However, without notice Norland's role was
changed and it became the first vessel to enter San Carlos Water, ending
up a sitting duck in 'Bomb Alley' air raids while disembarking troops
and carrying out resupply runs.
Narrowly escaping sinking, the ship was used as a shelter for survivors
and for collecting the Gurkhas from the QE2 in South Georgia, ready for
disembarking in San Carlos Bay, before repatriating Argentine POWs. Long
after the surrender, MV Norland provided a ferry service between the
Falklands and Ascension Island. While many in the war served an average
of 100 days, for the crew of the Norland it was ten months; indeed, they
were considered the first in and the last out. This is a gripping
account of non-combatant volunteers railroaded into serving in a war
they hadn't signed up for.
