Original subtitles

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE FALKLANDS WAR, 1982.

HIGH ON A REMOTE GLACIER, \h\hSPECIAL FORCES TROOPS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hARE TRAPPED BY HURRICANE FORCE WINDS.

RISKING CATASTROPHIC \h\hENGINE FAILURE,

ROYAL NAVY HELICOPTER PILOTS \h\h\hSTAGE A DARING RESCUE.

\hMan: IT’S NO GOOD PUTTING ON A UNIFORM

AND SAYING, "YEAH, \hI’M IN THE NAVY,

\h\hOF COURSE I CAN GO TO WAR TOMORROW."

YOU DON‘T KNOW.

Narrator: IN A LETHAL MAZE \h\h\h\h\hOF ICE AND ROCK,

THE ONLY WAY OUT IS BY RADAR.

Stanley: YOU CAN‘T SEE.

IT‘S LIKE BEING IN THE DARK-- \h\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT IT‘S WHITE.

Narrator: THREE HELICOPTERS \h\h\h\hHEAD INTO THE VOID.

ONLY ONE WILL COME BACK.

SOUTH GEORGIA--A REMOTE \hAND FORBIDDING OUTCROP

IN THE FAR SOUTH OF THE ATLANTIC.

SEVEN AND A HALF THOUSAND MILES FROM LONDON,

\h\h\hTHE ISLAND IS A BRITISH TERRITORY,

DATING BACK MORE THAN 200 YEARS.

11 MOUNTAINS SOAR OVER 6,000 FEET--

WITH MAJESTIC GLACIERS \h\hSPANNING THE GAPS.

FROM APRIL TO SEPTEMBER,

ONLY SCIENTISTS BRAVE \hTHE HOSTILE WINTER.

BUT ON MARCH 19, 1982,

ARGENTINEAN FORCES INVADE THE ISLAND,

OCCUPYING THE FEW HUMAN SETTLEMENTS.

THEN, 14 DAYS LATER, ARGENTINA \h\h\hANNEXES THE FALKLANDS--

860 MILES TO THE NORTHWEST.

THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT \h\hRESPONDS IN FORCE.

A HEAVILY ARMED TASK FORCE,

\h\h\h\hSPEARHEADED BY TWO AIRCRAFT CARRIERS,

SETS SAIL FOR THE FALKLANDS.

BUT ANOTHER, SMALLER FORCE \h\h\h\hGATHERS IN SECRET.

JUST FOUR SHIPS--WITH ORDERS \h\hTO RETAKE SOUTH GEORGIA.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hANTRIM, ONE AGING HELICOPTER

IS DESTINED TO FIRE THE OPENING SHOTS--

A WESTLAND WESSEX 3,

AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN \h\h\h\hAS HUMPHREY.

19 YEARS OLD EVEN THEN,

IT‘S NOW HOUSED IN THE NAVY‘S \h\h\h\hFLEET AIR ARM MUSEUM.

AS THE VETERAN CREW RECALLS,

THE HUMPHREY HAD A SINGLE ENGINE WITH A WORRYING FAILURE RATE.

Man: THE ONE THING I ALWAYS \hTHINK ABOUT IN RETROSPECT.

HOW MANY FAILURES THEY’D HAD \h\h\h\hON WESSEX 3 ENGINES

BEFORE WE WENT UP THERE.

Second man: WELL, I‘D HAD TWO. \h\h\h\hTWO, ONE IN THE WATER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFirst Man: YOU WERE WESSEX 3 AS WELL?

\h\h\hThird man: YEAH, I HAD QUITE A FEW HEAVY LANDINGS.

\hNarrator: BUT HUMPHREY IS A MUCH LOVED OLD WORKHORSE.

THE PILOT--LIEUTENANT COMMANDER IAN STANLEY.

Stanley: YOU GET TO THE EDGES OF A FLIGHT ENVELOPE QUITE OFTEN.

IT’S WHEN YOU GET \hTOO CLOSE TO IT

OR YOU’RE BEING PUSHED \h\h\hBY CIRCUMSTANCES

TO GET TOO CLOSE TO IT,

THAT LIFE GETS A LITTLE BIT \h\h\h\h\hMORE INTERESTING.

Narrator: STANLEY’S CREW--

CHRIS PARRY, STEWART COOPER, \h\h\h\hAND DAVE FITZGERALD.

FOUR MEN--AND THE MACHINE THAT CARRIED THEM TO WAR.

APRIL 1982.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hANTRIM, THE GRAPEVINE BUZZES

ABOUT A MYSTERIOUS TROOP \h\h\h\h\h\hOF SOLDIERS.

Parry: WE ALL SORT OF WHISPERED TO EACH OTHER, DIDN‘T WE?

ARE THESE GUYS IN THE S.A.S.?

I MEAN, WHY HAVE THEY \h\h\h\hGOT LONG HAIR,

AND WHY ARE THEY SPEAKING \h\h\hWITH IRISH ACCENTS?

Fitzgerald: WE HAD THEM \h\h\h\h\h\hIN OUR MESS,

\h\h\h\h\hAND THEY BROUGHT ALL THEIR GUNS WITH THEM.

AND THEY ACTUALLY KEPT THEIR GUNS WITH THEM,

THEY SLEPT WITH THEIR GUNS.

Narrator: THIS IS THE ELITE \h\h\h\hSPECIAL AIR SERVICE,

\h\hHARDENED BY YEARS OF COVERT OPERATIONS IN NORTHERN IRELAND.

\h\h\hNOW THEY HAVE A SPECTACULAR PLAN--

TO RETAKE SOUTH GEORGIA \h\h\h\h\hBY HELICOPTER.

Parry: THE FIRST TIME WE HEARD \h\h\h\h\hABOUT IT, OF COURSE,

WAS WHEN WE ARRIVED \hOFF SOUTH GEORGIA.

AND THEY SAID WE WANT TO GO-- \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHERE!

AND WE WENT--YOU WHAT?

Narrator: THE FLIGHT PLAN VERGES ON THE IMPOSSIBLE.

THE GATEWAY TO SOUTH GEORGIA \hIS THE FACE OF A GLACIER--

\h\hTHREE QUARTERS THE HEIGHT OF THE EMPIRE STATE BUILDING.

HIGHER STILL, THE ROUTE \h\h\hTWISTS AND CLIMBS

BETWEEN HUGE MOUNTAINS,

WHILE THE TEMPERATURE PLUMMETS.

THE DROP ZONE IS THE VERY TOP \h\h\h\h\hOF FORTUNA GLACIER,

2,000 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL AND -4 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

FROM THERE, THE SPECIAL FORCES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWILL COVER

THE LAST 9 1/2 MILES ON FOOT.

THEIR OBJECTIVE--

THE ARGENTINEAN GARRISON \h\h\hAT LEITH HARBOUR.

Parry: I REMEMBER YOU SAYING, \h"WHY ARE WE GOING UP THERE?"

AND THIS CHAP SAID TO YOU,

\h"WELL, THEY WON‘T EXPECT US TO COME FROM THAT DIRECTION!"

\h\h\h\h\hAND YOU SAID, "WELL, THEY WON’T EXPECT YOU TO COME

BY POLARIS MISSILE EITHER,

IT‘S NO GOOD REASON TO DO IT!"

AND I REMEMBER THINKING "THAT‘S A REALLY GUTSY CALL, THAT!"

Narrator: ON APRIL 21st,

THE SPECIAL FORCES \hMAKE THEIR MOVE.

THE STRIKE TEAM--

\h16 HIGHLY TRAINED SPECIALISTS IN ARCTIC AND MOUNTAIN WARFARE.

\h\hTHREE HELICOPTERS HEAD FOR THE GLACIER.

\h\h\h\hMOST OF THE TROOPS GO IN TWO WESSEX TROOP CARRIERS--

\h\h\hEACH WITH AMPLE ROOM FOR FULLY KITTED SOLDIERS.

HUMPHREY TAKES THE LEAD--

ACTING AS THE MISSION‘S \h\h\h\h\h\hPATHFINDER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hINSTEAD OF TROOPS, THE BULK OF THE CABIN IS FILLED

WITH RADAR NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT.

THE RADAR’S TRANSMITTER

\h\hGIVES THE WESSEX 3 ITS DISTINCTIVE HUMP.

HUMPHREY AND ITS CREW

\h\h\hNORMALLY SPECIALIZE IN ANTI-SUBMARINE WARFARE.

BUT FOR THIS MISSION,

LIEUTENANT CHRIS PARRY \h\h\hWILL IMPROVISE,

ADAPTING HUMPHREY‘S RADAR \h\h\h\h\hFOR NAVIGATION.

Parry: WHAT WE WERE BEING REQUIRED TO DO

WAS FLYING BETWEEN MOUNTAINS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN CLOUD,

BECAUSE MOST OF THE DAYS \h\h\h\hIN SOUTH GEORGIA

THE WEATHER WAS ATROCIOUS--

\h\hHEAVY CLOUD, SNOWSTORMS AND VERY HIGH WINDS INDEED,

\hAND POSSIBLY CHARTS THAT WEREN‘T ENTIRELY ACCURATE.

Narrator: CO-PILOT \h\hSTEWART COOPER

\hIS AN EXTRA PAIR OF EYES AND EARS,

MONITORING THE INSTRUMENT PANEL

\hAND THE DAUNTING MOUNTAIN TERRAIN.

AS FLIGHT PHOTOGRAPHER,

HE ALSO CAPTURES A UNIQUE RECORD OF THE MISSION.

\hCooper: YOU COULD SEE THE SCALE OF THE CLIFFS

BEHIND THE HELICOPTER.

HUGE, OVER A THOUSAND FEET, JUST IMMEDIATE RISE FROM THE SEA.

Narrator: AIRCREWMAN \h\hDAVE FITZGERALD

KEEPS A DOORWAY LOOKOUT,

IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION \h\h\h\h\hWITH HIS PILOT.

EVEN THIS BARREN LANDSCAPE MIGHT BE PATROLLED BY THE ENEMY.

Fitzgerald: YOU’RE ALWAYS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hLOOKING OUT

TO SEE THE FLASH OF SMALL ARMS \hFIRE OR SOMETHING, YOU KNOW?

AND IN FACT THE WEATHER \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWAS SO BAD

IF THEY HAD ANY SENSE THEY WERE ALL INDOORS,

AND THAT‘S WHAT WE \hWERE BANKING ON.

Narrator: THERE‘S NO SIGN \h\h\h\h\hOF ARGENTINEANS.

\hBUT THE REAL ENEMY IS ABOUT TO STRIKE.

\hParry: WE SOON HIT A REAL, A REALLY BAD WEATHER FRONT.

WE GOT BUFFETED ON THE WAY IN, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hQUITE SEVERELY.

WE WERE WORKING PRETTY HARD

TO MAKE SURE WE WEREN‘T GOING \h\h\hTO CRASH INTO SOMETHING.

Narrator: THE GLACIER LOOMS

THROUGH THICKENING CLOUD \h\h\hAND DRIVING SNOW.

WITH SOLID ICE AND ROCK \h\h\h\h\hON ALL SIDES,

IAN STANLEY IS FLYING BLIND.

THE TWO TROOP CARRIERS \h\h\h\h\hSTAY CLOSE--

ANXIOUS TO MAINTAIN \h\h\hVISUAL CONTACT

AS HUMPHREY LEADS THE WAY \h\h\h\hTO THE DROP SITE.

USING RADAR, HUMPHREY’S \hNAVIGATOR CHRIS PARRY

STRUGGLES TO FIND THE NARROW GAPS BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS.

Parry: I WAS DESPERATELY TRYING

TO FIX THE HELICOPTER‘S \h\h\h\h\h\h\hPOSITION.

AND ON THE RADAR, I COULD SEE \hTHESE MASSIVE SORT OF EDGES

AGAINST THE MOUNTAINS.

\hAND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WE WERE GETTING A MISMATCH

BETWEEN WHAT PEOPLE WERE SAYING

WAS OUT IN FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT,

\h\h\hWHAT WAS ON THE RADAR, AND WHAT WAS ON THE CHARTS.

Narrator: THE PROBLEM IS--

\hHUMPHREY‘S RADAR IS REALLY DESIGNED TO HUNT SUBMARINES.

THE RADAR BEAM BOUNCES BACK

\hWHEN A SUBMARINE BREAKS THE SURFACE OF THE OCEAN.

\h\h\hSO IT WORKS BEST IN A FLAT ENVIRONMENT.

WITH SKILL, IT CAN BE USED \h\h\h\h\hFOR NAVIGATION.

THE ECHOES FROM THE LANDSCAPE

\h\h\hGIVE A ROUGH IDEA OF THE CHANGING TERRAIN.

BUT IN THE MOUNTAINS, THE RADAR BOUNCES IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

FALSE ECHOES CAN CAUSE A FATAL \h\hCOLLISION WITH SOLID ROCK.

WITH VISIBILITY CLOSE TO ZERO,

CHRIS PARRY CROSS-CHECKS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE RADAR

WITH THE CREW‘S VERBAL UPDATES.

Parry: WE’RE PICKING UP CLUES, \hGLIMPSES OF A MOUNTAIN HERE,

GLIMPSES OF A BIT OF GLACIER THERE,

AND WE‘RE TRYING TO PIECE IT ALL TOGETHER LIKE A GIANT JIGSAW.

Narrator: AIRCREWMAN \h\hDAVE FITZGERALD

GIVES PILOT IAN STANLEY FEEDBACK FROM THE SIDE DOORWAY.

\h\h\h\h\hFitzgerald: YOU’RE REPORTING BACK

EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN SEE,

\h\hESPECIALLY ANYTHING COMING IN FROM THE SIDE.

\hI‘M TELLING HIM, YES, YOU‘RE AT 40 FEET, 50 FEET WHATEVER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: CO-PILOT STEWART COOPER

SENSES DANGER ALL AROUND.

Cooper: AS WE FLEW \h\hUP THE GLACIER

I WAS AWARE THAT THERE WERE ROCKS

AND IN FACT MOUNTAINS \h\h\hON EITHER SIDE.

I COULDN’T SEE IT BECAUSE \hIT WAS SHROUDED IN MIST,

BUT THE FACT THAT YOU KNEW \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIT WAS THERE

WAS ENOUGH TO FOCUS THE MIND, \h\h\h\hNEVER MIND YOUR EYES.

Narrator: 25 MINUTES \h\hFROM THEIR SHIP,

THEY REACH THE DROP ZONE NEAR \hTHE TOP OF FORTUNA GLACIER.

THE TWO TROOP CARRIERS \h\h\h\h\hSTAY CLOSE,

\h\hWAITING TO UNLOAD THEIR CARGOES OF MEN.

BUT IAN STANLEY WILL TEST \h\h\h\hTHE GROUND FIRST.

HE AND CREWMAN DAVE FITZGERALD

\hMUST SOMEHOW FIND A SAFE LANDING SPOT.

THE ONLY TROUBLE IS

\h\h\hTHEY CAN‘T SEE MORE THAN A FEW YARDS IN ANY DIRECTION.

LOCH LOMOND, SCOTLAND. \h\h\h26 YEARS LATER.

IAN STANLEY COMES OUT OF RETIREMENT

TO FACE THE SAME CHALLENGE HE HAD ON TOP OF FORTUNA GLACIER.

HE WILL RECREATE THE WHITE-OUT CONDITIONS BY WEARING A HOOD--

A TRAINING DEVICE \hTHAT FORCES HIM

\h\hTO RELY ON HIS INSTRUMENT PANEL.

Man: YOU HAVE CONTROL.

Stanley: OK, I HAVE CONTROL.

\h\h\hNarrator: FLYING BLIND, HE MUST REACH THE DROP ZONE--

A TINY ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE LOCH.

[RADIO CHATTER]

LIKE HUMPHREY, THE HELICOPTER \h\hHAS A BUILT-IN INSTRUMENT

TO GUIDE HIM--

DOPPLER RADAR.

IT CALCULATES HIS DIRECTION \h\h\h\hAND SPEED OF TRAVEL

RELATIVE TO THE DROP ZONE.

IAN STANLEY MUST MANEUVER \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE HELICOPTER

TO KEEP THE CROSSHAIR \hWITHIN THE CIRCLE...

UNTIL FINALLY HE’S DIRECTLY \h\h\h\hOVER THE DROP ZONE.

Stanley: DOPPLER‘S INDICATING \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE MIDDLE.

Narrator: CLOSE ENOUGH \hFOR VISUAL CONTACT--

EVEN IN A BLIZZARD.

\h\h\hON FORTUNA GLACIER, STANLEY PREPARES TO LAND.

BUT ONE OF HIS INSTRUMENTS \h\h\h\h\h\hHAS A PROBLEM.

THE RADAR ALTIMETER, OR RAD-ALT, MEASURES HEIGHT

USING A BEAM OF RADAR WAVES.

IF THE HELICOPTER GOES UP,

AN ON-BOARD COMPUTER BRINGS IT \h\h\hBACK DOWN AUTOMATICALLY.

\h\h\h\hIN THEORY, THE PILOT CHOOSES THE HEIGHT HE WANTS,

AND THE COMPUTER KEEPS HIM THERE.

\h\h\hBUT ON FORTUNA GLACIER, SOMETHING STRANGE IS GOING ON.

\h\hCooper: THE RAD-ALT IS JUMPING AND JERKING,

\h\h\h\h\hAND ONE MINUTE IT’S INDICATING 50 FEET,

THE NEXT MINUTE 200 FEET.

Narrator: THE DROP ZONE IS SCARRED BY CREVASSES,

HUNDREDS OF FEET DEEP.

Cooper: I REMEMBER LOOKING OUT THAT WINDOW ON THE OTHER SIDE

AND LOOKING DOWN AND THINKING,

[beep] THAT JUST GOES \h\hALL THE WAY DOWN.

Parry: THAT’S RIGHT, BECAUSE \h\hAS I WAS SAYING TO YOU,

THIS IS REALLY DARK BLUE.

\h\h\hIT’S TRUE WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT THE INSIDE OF GLACIERS,

IT‘S REALLY DARK BLUE.

Narrator: THE RADAR ALTIMETER \h\h\hTHINKS THEY‘RE UP HIGH.

IF THEY FLY USING \hAUTOMATIC HOVER,

IT WILL DRAG THEM \hINTO THE ABYSS.

\hSO STANLEY STAYS ON MANUAL CONTROL.

HIS RAD-ALT AND DOPPLER READINGS MUST BE CONFIRMED BY HUMAN EYES.

Fitzgerald: I’M TELLING HIM, \h\hYES, YOU’RE AT 40 FEET,

\h\h\h\h\h50 FEET, WHATEVER, SO HE’S ALSO BALANCING THAT

WITH WHAT HE’S SEEING AND WHAT HE’S HEARING

FROM THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM.

Stanley: HE SAID YOU KNOW YOU’VE GOT A BIG CREVASSE

JUST OUT THE WINDOW HERE, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hYOU KNOW,

YOU’D BETTER MOVE OVER,

AS WE WERE COMING DOWN I MOVED LEFT AND TOOK UP A NEW HOVER.

Fitzgerald: YOU‘RE GOING DOWN, \h\h\h\h\h\hYOU‘RE GOING DOWN!

Fitzgerald: AND I DID SAY \hTO THE PILOT, YOU KNOW,

YOU‘RE GOING DOWN, YOU‘RE GOING DOWN.

\h\h\h\hAND IN THE END HE SAID, I AM NOT BLOODY WELL GOING DOWN.

SHUT UP!

I SAID NO, YOU’RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT,

YOU’RE NOT GOING DOWN--

IT’S JUST THE GROUND \h\h\h\hON THE RIGHT

IS COMING UP TO MEET US.

Narrator: STANLEY DECIDES \h\h\h\hTO RISK A LANDING.

Stanley: THE AIRCRAFT’S \h\h\h\h\h\hQUITE HEAVY,

\hSO THERE’S QUITE A LOT OF PRESSURE

GOING ON ONE OF THOSE WHEELS

WHICH MIGHT JUST HAVE PUNCHED

THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE \h\h\h\hA SNOW BRIDGE.

SO IT WAS A LONG TIME

BEFORE I PUT ALL THE WEIGHT \h\h\h\h\h\h\hON THE WHEELS.

Narrator: WITH HUMPHREY \h\h\h\h\h\hSAFELY DOWN,

THE TWO TROOP CARRIERS GO NEXT.

LIEUTENANT MIKE TIDD

HAS THE LIVES OF SEVEN SOLDIERS IN HIS HANDS.

Tidd: INSTEAD OF HAVING, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hYOU KNOW,

A ROCK FACE OR SOMETHING \hTO GIVE YOU REFERENCES

AS YOU, AS YOU LET YOURSELF \h\h\hDOWN ONTO THE GLACIER,

\h\h\h\hYOU WERE, YOU WERE LOOKING OUT OVER NOTHING.

\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE TWO TROOP CARRIERS

\h\hHAVE VERY LITTLE GUIDANCE EQUIPMENT.

TIDD HAS NO DOPPLER TO TELL HIM WHICH WAY HE‘S MOVING.

Tidd: YES, YOU CAN TELL \h\hWHAT YOUR HEIGHT IS,

BUT WHAT YOU CAN’T TELL

IS WHAT YOUR RELATIVE MOVEMENT \h\h\h\h\h\hTO THE GROUND IS,

AND YOU ALSO CAN’T TELL \h\h\h\h\hIF, YOU KNOW,

20 YARDS IN FRONT OF YOU

THERE IS A 3,000-FOOT \hGRANITE CLIFF FACE.

Narrator: BUT WITH IAN STANLEY \h\h\h\hBELOW HIM ON THE ICE,

TIDD DOES HAVE A WAY TO GET HIS BEARINGS.

THE FLIGHT SIMULATOR

AT ROYAL NAVAL AIR STATION \h\hCULDROSE IN CORNWALL.

MIKE TIDD IS ABOUT TO RELIVE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hHIS EXPERIENCE

TRYING TO FIND HIS WAY \h\h\hIN A SNOWSTORM.

IT WILL BE HIS FIRST HELICOPTER LANDING IN SIX YEARS.

IAN STANLEY‘S GOING TO GIVE HIM A FEW PROBLEMS.

\h\hStanley: JUST GOING TO CRANK THE VIZ DOWN A LITTLE BIT, MIKE.

LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT SNOW THERE.

\h\hTidd: I‘D SAY MY VIZ IS PROBABLY 100 YARDS AT MOST.

Tidd: NOT A LOT TO SEE \h\h\h\hAT THE MOMENT.

\h\hNarrator: TIDD’S LOOKING FOR SOMETHING ON THE GROUND

TO GIVE HIM THE REFERENCE POINT HE NEEDS.

AND HERE‘S HIS CHANCE.

\h\hTidd: LET‘S TAKE A PATCH OVER HERE BETWEEN THE TREES.

Stanley: THAT‘S PRETTY GOOD \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hISN‘T IT?

YOU‘VE GOT REFERENCES THERE.

\h\h\h\hTidd: YEAH, I‘VE GOT SOME REFERENCES THERE. OOPS!

Stanley: NOW WE‘RE \hGETTING TRICKY.

Narrator: ON THE WAY DOWN,

\hTIDD KEEPS THE SAME TREE IN HIS RIGHT-HAND WINDOW.

WHEN THE ROTORS KICK UP \h\h\h\hA CLOUD OF SNOW,

\h\hHE USES THE TREE TO GET HIS BEARINGS.

Tidd: COME ON, GIRL, COME ON. \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT’S IT.

Stanley: THERE YOU ARE.

LIFE IS A BIT EASIER

WHEN YOU‘VE GOT A GREAT BIG TREE TO LOOK AT, ISN‘T IT?

Tidd: YEAH, IT DOES HELP.

Stanley: GOOD LANDING, \h\h\h\h\h\hEXCELLENT.

Narrator: ON FORTUNA GLACIER, \h\hCONDITIONS ARE FAR WORSE.

BOTH TROOP CARRIERS \h\h\hMAKE IT DOWN,

\h\hBUT THE PILOTS ARE FIGHTING FOR CONTROL.

Tidd: THE WIND WAS SUCH \hTHAT IT WAS MOVING US

ACROSS THE SURFACE \h\hOF THE GLACIER

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWHICH WHEN "A," YOU’RE TRYING TO UNLOAD TROOPS,

\h\h\hAND "B," YOU’RE TRYING NOT TO FALL INTO CREVASSES,

CAN BE QUITE DISCONCERTING \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hREALLY.

Narrator: THE SPECIAL FORCES \h\hFACE A 9 1/2 MILE MARCH

TO THE ARGENTINEAN POSITION \h\h\h\h\h\h\hON THE COAST.

THE TROOPS CAN NOT BE IDENTIFIED FOR SECURITY REASONS.

\hMan: THE VISIBILITY WAS DOWN TO ZERO, BECAUSE THE BLIZZARDS

WERE WHIPPING UP ICE \hFROM THE GLACIER.

IT WAS COLDER THAN ANYTHING \h\h\h\h\hI‘VE EVER BEEN IN.

WHEN I CHECKED MY WEAPON, \hIT WAS TOTALLY ICED UP.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: BUT THE MOUNTAIN TROOPS

ARE TRAINED TO OPERATE IN HOSTILE CONDITIONS.

Parry: AT THE END OF THE DAY

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY SEEMED TO HAVE THE RIGHT KIT, THEY HAD SKIS,

\hTHEY HAD MOUNTAIN AND ARCTIC WARFARE EQUIPMENT

AND THEY SHOULD KNOW WHAT THEY‘RE DOING.

Cooper: THEY’D WALKED A FEW YARDS, YOU KNOW,

AND THEY WERE DISAPPEARING INTO THE SWIRLING SNOW AND THE MIST.

AND I REMEMBER THE FACE LOOKING UP AND THE WAVE,

AND THEN WE WENT.

Stanley: THAT WAS THE JOB DONE \hAS FAR AS WE WERE CONCERNED.

\h\h\hWE WERE VERY HAPPY TO GET OFF THE GLACIER,

VERY HAPPY TO GET BACK TO THE SHIP.

\h\hNarrator: BUT BEHIND THEM, THE TROOPS ARE GOING NOWHERE.

IAN STANLEY AND HIS TEAM

HAVEN‘T HEARD THE LAST FROM FORTUNA GLACIER.

AS NIGHT FALLS, THE SOLDIERS \hFACE THE FEROCIOUS REALITY

OF WINTER ON SOUTH GEORGIA.

IN THE GATHERING STORM,

\h\hTHE TEMPERATURE DROPS TO -4 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

WINDS REACH 115 MILES AN HOUR.

HURRICANE FORCE.

\hMan: IT WAS SO COLD THAT I COULDN‘T THINK STRAIGHT.

\h\hI COULD EVEN FEEL THE PAIN IN MY TEETH,

AND WE WERE ALL LOOKING FOR SIGNS OF FROSTBITE.

\h\hNarrator: HAMPERED BY THE DEEP CREVASSES,

\hTHE TROOPS COVER LESS THAN A MILE.

THEY ARE STILL NINE MILES \h\h\h\hFROM THEIR TARGET.

THEY TRY TO MAKE CAMP--

BUT THE TENTS ARE RIPPED FROM THEIR FROZEN HANDS.

SHIVERING IN BARE SLEEPING BAGS,

THEY‘RE RAPIDLY SEALED \hIN A SHROUD OF SNOW.

IN RELATIVE SAFETY ABOARD SHIP,

EVEN THE HELICOPTER CREWS \hARE STRUGGLING TO SLEEP.

Parry: WE WERE SO WORRIED \h\hABOUT THE RISING SEA,

NOT ONLY THE VERY CHOPPY WATER

BUT ALSO VERY, VERY LONG \h\h\h\hAND HIGH SWELL.

WE’RE BEING ROLLED AROUND \h\h\h\h\h\hIN OUR BUNKS,

THE SHIP WAS PITCHING AROUND \hREALLY, REALLY VIOLENTLY.

Narrator: BY FIRST LIGHT,

THE SITUATION ON THE GLACIER \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIS DESPERATE.

THE SOLDIERS HAVE NO DEFENSE

AGAINST FROSTBITE \hAND HYPOTHERMIA.

Man: NO ONE WANTED TO ADMIT IT,

BUT WE WERE STRUGGLING \h\h\h\h\hTO SURVIVE--

LET ALONE GET UP THE GLACIER \h\hAND ON TO THE OBJECTIVE.

Narrator: THE TROOP CAPTAIN \h\h\h\h\h\h\hADMITS DEFEAT.

\h\hHE CALLS OFF THE MISSION TO AVOID HIS MEN FREEZING TO DEATH.

THEIR ONLY CHANCE OF SURVIVAL-- TO GO OUT THE WAY THEY CAME IN.

\h\h\h\h\hParry: THESE WERE VERY HIGH QUALITY SOLDIERS,

\h\hONES WE NEEDED FOR THE FALKLANDS,

AND WE KNEW THE SITUATION \h\h\h\h\h\hTHEY WERE IN,

WE KNEW IT WAS DESPERATE.

\h\h\hWE’D SEEN IT FIRST-HAND WHAT THE CONDITIONS WERE LIKE,

AND WE DIDN’T NEED \h\hANY CONVINCING

\hTO GO BACK UP THERE, TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH.

IT WAS ONLY GOING TO BE US \h\h\hTHAT TOOK THEM OFF.

Narrator: ALL THREE HELICOPTERS HEAD BACK TO SOUTH GEORGIA--

THIS TIME IN THE FURY \h\h\h\hOF THE STORM.

Parry: ON THE SECOND DAY

\h\h\h\h\hTHE WINDS WERE INFINITELY MORE VIOLENT

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND THEY WERE MORE UNPREDICTABLE AS WELL.

\hNarrator: THE CREW IS ON MAXIMUM ALERT.

\hSTEWART COOPER KNOWS THE SLIGHTEST MISTAKE

COULD BE FATAL.

IAN STANLEY FACES A CLIMB \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF 900 FEET

WITH A SINGLE SUSPECT ENGINE.

\h\hTHE VIOLENT WINDS COULD SMASH HIM BACK INTO THE SEA.

Cooper: IF YOU ARE TOO CLOSE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO A CLIFF,

YOU WILL GET PUSHED DOWN.

IT COULD BE INCREDIBLY \h\h\h\h\h\hDANGEROUS.

Fitzgerald: AS THE AIRCREWMAN \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE DOORWAY,

MY MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hREALLY,

WAS TO WATCH THE TAIL ROTOR,

BECAUSE YOU DON’T WANT \h\h\h\hTHE TAIL ROTOR

EVEN SLIGHTLY TOUCHING SOMETHING

BECAUSE IT WILL THROW YOU INTO A BIT OF A TAILSPIN.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMan: YOU’RE ALL CLEAR ON THE DISC,

ALL CLEAR ON THE TAIL...

YOU’VE GOT A BIG ROCK... \h\h\h\h\h\h\h15 YARDS.

Narrator: 26 YEARS LATER, \h\h\h\hPILOT IAN STANLEY

\h\h\hEXPERIENCES THE DANGERS OF MOUNTAIN FLYING ONCE AGAIN.

\hNEAR LOCH LOMOND HE BRACES HIMSELF

FOR UNPREDICTABLE BLASTS OF WIND

AS HE SQUEEZES THROUGH \h\h\h\hA NARROW PASS.

THE ROTORS ARE JUST A FEW FEET \h\h\h\hFROM THE MOUNTAINSIDE.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Man: DISC CLEAR, TAIL CLEAR...

Narrator: STANLEY MUST LOOK OUT FOR SUDDEN CHANGES

IN WIND SPEED AND DIRECTION.

\h\h\h\hMan: WE’RE IN RISING AIR AT THE MOMENT, I BELIEVE, SO...

\hNarrator: RIGHT NOW, STANLEY’S HITCHING A RIDE ON AN UPDRAFT--

WARM AIR RISING FROM BELOW.

Man: NINE O’CLOCK, 40 YARDS...

Narrator: THIS MEANS HE CAN USE MUCH LESS ENGINE POWER.

Man: WE’RE PULLING AROUND ABOUT 80% AT THE MOMENT, QUITE HAPPY.

\h\h\hNarrator: IT’S VITAL TO HAVE POWER IN RESERVE,

IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

ON COLD MOUNTAINS AND GLACIERS,

THE MOST DANGEROUS WIND \h\hSTRIKES FROM ABOVE.

COLD AIR IS HEAVIER \h\h\hTHAN WARM AIR,

SO IT FALLS AT HIGH SPEED \h\hDOWN ANY STEEP SLOPE.

THIS IS CALLED A KATABATIC WIND.

ON THE FACE OF A GLACIER, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hA HELICOPTER

\h\h\hIS IN CONSTANT DANGER OF THESE SUDDEN DOWNDRAFTS.

\h\hTHE PILOT MUST BE READY TO FIGHT BACK WITH MAXIMUM POWER.

Stanley: THIS IS TRUE

OF ANY SORT OF VERY STEEP CLIFF OR HILLSIDE,

DEPENDING WHERE THE WIND‘S \h\h\h\h\h\h\hCOMING FROM.

\h\h\hIF YOU’VE GOT AN ENORMOUS UPDRAFT

YOU CAN FIND YOURSELF \h\h\h\hIN A SITUATION

WITH NO POWER ON AT ALL.

AND THEN IT MIGHT CHANGE,

AND YOU’LL SUDDENLY HAVE TO TAKE A GREAT BIG HANDFUL OF POWER

TO ARREST THE RATE OF DESCENT.

YOU‘VE GOT TO FIGHT \h\h\hAGAINST THAT.

Narrator: IN SOUTH GEORGIA \h\h\h\h\hALL THREE PILOTS

\h\hRIDE A ROLLER COASTER OF RAPIDLY CHANGING WINDS.

\h\h\hTHE DOWNDRAFTS PUT HUMPHREY’S SINGLE ENGINE

UNDER MAXIMUM STRAIN.

\h\hStanley: WHAT WAS GOING THOUGH ALL OF OUR MINDS WAS,

OH, MY DEAR, I WONDER WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN

IF THE ENGINE STOPS NOW,

YOU KNOW, WHERE DO WE \h\h\h\hGO FROM HERE?

\hWE’D NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT,

LOOKING AT A SOLID WALL OF ICE

\h\h\hAND GOING HIGHER AND HIGHER AND HIGHER,

UP INTO THE CLOUD AND ON TOP OF IT.

\h\h\hNarrator: BUT AT LAST, THEY MAKE IT OVER THE FACE.

HUMPHREY LEADS THE FORMATION,

\h\hWITH CHRIS PARRY‘S RADAR SEEKING OUT THE ROUTE AHEAD.

THEY SOON LOCATE THE SOLDIERS--

\h\h\h\h\h\hBARELY ADVANCED FROM THE ORIGINAL DROP ZONE.

AFTER 26 HOURS ON THE ICE,

EVEN SPECIAL FORCES TROOPS \hARE DESPERATE TO ESCAPE.

Stanley: MIKE TIDD HAD GOT HIS GUYS IN QUITE QUICKLY.

HE COULD SEE DOWN THE GLACIER, \h\h\hHE COULD SEE A WAY OFF,

AND BECAUSE THEY WERE THERE, \h\h\h\hHE WAS READY TO GO.

Narrator: AS FLIGHT COMMANDER,

\h\h\hSTANLEY MAKES A FATEFUL DECISION.

Stanley: AND HE THOUGHT,

\h\h\h\hWELL, THERE’S A GOOD WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY HERE,

YOU KNOW, I SHOULD GRAB THIS.

AND HE ASKED, CAN I GO, \hI CAN SEE MY WAY OFF,

AND I SAID YEAH, OK, \h\h\h\hAWAY YOU GO.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: IN THESE FEROCIOUS WINDS,

VISIBILITY COMES AND GOES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN SECONDS.

Tidd: AND I HEADED OFF \h\h\hDOWN THE GLACIER

\h\hAND I GUESS I GOT ABOUT HALF A MILE DOWN THE GLACIER

\h\h\h\hAND THEN THE WIND JUST KICKED ROUND AS IT DOES THERE,

KICKED ROUND BY I DON’T KNOW, \h\h\h\h30, 40 DEGREES OR SO,

AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS \hINTO INSTANT SNOWSTORM.

Narrator: MIKE TIDD IS CAUGHT \h\h\hIN A TOTAL WHITE-OUT...

WITH NO RADAR AND NO HUMPHREY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO GUIDE HIM.

Tidd: YOU WERE LOOKING OUT \h\h\h\h\h\hOVER NOTHING.

IT WAS LIKE SORT OF \hFLOATING IN SPACE.

Narrator: AND THEN DISASTER.

Tidd: TAIL HIT, CRASHED DOWN ONTO THE, ONTO THE, THE ICE.

AND I REMEMBER LYING THERE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN MY STRAPS

THINKING MRS. TIDD‘S NOT GOING \h\h\h\hTO LIKE BEING A WIDOW.

Narrator: AS THE SUDDEN SQUALL \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hDIES AWAY,

STEWART COOPER LOOKS ON \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN HORROR.

Cooper: I REMEMBER \hA FEW EXPLETIVES

BEING UTTERED IN THE COCKPIT \h\h\h\hAS WE WATCHED THIS--

IN SLOW MOTION, ALMOST.

\h\hNarrator: THEY RUSH TO CHECK FOR CASUALTIES.

COOPER GRABS A UNIQUE SNAPSHOT.

Cooper: THE ENGINE’S \h\h\hSTILL RUNNING,

SO THERE’S STILL SOME STEAM \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOR EXHAUST

COMING OUT FROM THAT AREA.

THE CREW ARE STILL \hIN THE AIRCRAFT,

THE GUYS ARE STILL IN THE BACK,

\h\h\hAND THE DOOR HASN‘T ACTUALLY YET BEEN OPENED.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE

THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE S.A.S. FROM THE OTHER HELICOPTER

\h\h\hARE COMING OVER TO RENDER ASSISTANCE.

\h\h\hMYSELF AND IAN STAYED IN THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT

BECAUSE...THAT’S WHY I HAD TIME TO TAKE A PHOTOGRAPH.

WE COULD DO NOTHING ELSE

\hOTHER THAN JUST HOLD ON TO THE CONTROLS AND WAIT,

BECAUSE TO LET GO \hOF THE CONTROLS

\hOR LEAVE THE AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE BEEN SUICIDE,

BECAUSE THE WIND WAS SO STRONG ANYTHING COULD HAVE HAPPENED.

Narrator: THE ONLY INJURIES \h\h\h\h\h\hARE MINOR CUTS.

SIX SOLDIERS, MIKE TIDD \h\h\h\hAND HIS CREWMAN

\h\hSQUEEZE INTO HUMPHREY, IAN STANLEY‘S HELICOPTER.

\hTidd: BLESS HIM, HE SAID, GOD, YOU’RE A MESSY BUGGER,

HE SAID, AREN‘T YOU?

\h\h\hHE SAID YOU‘VE LEFT YOUR WINDSCREEN WIPER ON.

AND I SAID IF YOU CAN \h\h\hFIND THE SWITCH,

\h\h\hYOU GO AND TURN THE BLOODY THING OFF.

\hNarrator: THE OTHER 10 TROOPS PILE INTO THE THIRD HELICOPTER.

ITS PILOT, IAN GEORGESON,

KNOWS WHITE-OUT COULD STRIKE \h\h\h\hAGAIN AT ANY MOMENT.

\h\h\hWITH NO RADAR, GEORGESON MUST STAY ON HUMPHREY’S TAIL,

ALL THE WAY OFF THE GLACIER.

[RADIO CHATTER]

IN THE SIMULATOR, MIKE TIDD \h\h\h\h\hIS ABOUT TO RELIVE

\h\h\h\h\hWHAT HAPPENED TO THE THIRD HELICOPTER.

IAN STANLEY PROGRAMS \h\h\hTHE CONDITIONS

TO BE JUST LIKE THEY WERE \h\h\hON FORTUNA GLACIER.

\h\h\h\h\h\hStanley: AS WE HEAD UP THE VALLEY, WHAT WE’LL DO IS,

WE’LL JUST REDUCE THE VISIBILITY DOWN STEADILY

\h\h\hAND PROBABLY INCREASE THE TURBULENCE A LITTLE BIT.

\h\h\h\hMAKE IT LITTLE BIT MORE HARD WORK, REGRETTABLY, FOR YOU.

Tidd: THANKS, MATE.

\h\h\hStanley: THERE SHE GOES, THAT‘S THE VIZ REDUCING DOWN.

THAT‘S BETTER, THAT‘S A BIT MORE LIKE THE REAL THING.

Tidd: THAT‘S PRETTY REALISTIC, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hI‘D HAVE SAID.

Narrator: TO MAINTAIN \h\h\hVISUAL CONTACT,

\h\hTIDD MUST KEEP WITHIN JUST THREE ROTOR LENGTHS.

Stanley: RIGHT, FRED.

Narrator: NOW STANLEY \h\h\hDOES HIS WORST.

Stanley: HOLD THAT \h\hHEADING THERE,

AND WE‘LL REDUCE THE VISIBILITY A BIT FURTHER.

IF WE CAN.

\h\h\h\hOK, AND INCREASING THE TURBULENCE IF WE CAN DO THAT.

IT‘S GETTING A BIT MORE REALISTIC NOW, ISN‘T IT?

Tidd: YEAH, ALL I‘VE GOT IS HIM.

Stanley: YOU’VE STILL GOT \h\hA BIT OF GROUND THERE

TO LOOK AT, DON‘T YOU?

CAN WE REDUCE THAT GROUND VIZ \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hA BIT MORE?

\hNarrator: TIDD‘S FIGHTING TO JUDGE SCALE AND DISTANCE.

Tidd: I’M HAVING GREAT DIFFICULTY

IN HANGING ON TO HIM NOW.

\h\hStanley: YOU‘VE GOT VIRTUALLY ZERO VIZ NOW.

Tidd: YEAH.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: IT‘S A TOTAL WHITE-OUT.

Tidd: THAT MUST BE WHAT IAN HAD.

Tidd: I‘VE LOST HIM.

Stanley: WHERE ARE YOU? \hSTILL ABOUT 30 KNOTS.

Tidd: STILL ABOUT 30 KNOTS.

LET’S SEE IF I CAN PICK IT UP AGAIN.

IT‘S THE GROUND! OH!

Narrator: ON FORTUNA GLACIER,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIAN GEORGESON, FLYING THE THIRD HELICOPTER,

BECOMES THE NEXT VICTIM \h\h\hOF THE WHITE-OUT.

Cooper: AT THE VERY MOMENT \hWHEN I PUT MY HEAD ROUND

INTO THE GLASS BUBBLE \h\h\h\hOF THE WINDOW

ON THE SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT

\hI SAW HIM PLOW INTO THE GROUND.

\h\hNarrator: THE CRASH SITE RAPIDLY DISAPPEARS FROM VIEW

IN THE WHITE-OUT.

ALREADY OVERLOADED, IAN STANLEY HAS NO CHOICE

BUT TO HEAD BACK TO THE SHIP.

\hStanley: IT HAD GONE HORRIBLY WRONG AT THAT STAGE OF THE GAME,

AND I MUST ADMIT I WAS, I WAS FEELING IT A BIT,

JUST GOING OVER IN MY HEAD

IF WE COULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENTLY.

Narrator: 12 MEN ARE MISSING, \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPOSSIBLY DEAD,

SOMEWHERE ON THE GLACIER.

\hParry: WHAT WE WERE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT

IS THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD CRASHED AND EVERYBODY HAD BEEN KILLED.

WE JUST DIDN’T KNOW \hWHAT HAD HAPPENED,

WE KNEW IT HAD CRASHED \h\hINTO THE GLACIER.

AND I CAME UP ON THE RADIO \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO THE SHIP

AS SOON AS WE WERE CLEAR

AND SAID WE’RE HEADING BACK,

WE’VE GOT SO MANY PEOPLE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hON BOARD,

\h\hBUT I HAVE TO TELL YOU WE‘VE LOST OUR TWO CHICKS.

Tidd: IAN GEORGESON AND HIS TEAM

WERE REALLY GOOD BUDDIES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF MINE.

I FELT AS THOUGH I‘D BEEN \h\hKICKED IN THE STOMACH.

Narrator: BUT THEIR WORRIES \h\hPROVE TO BE SHORT LIVED.

Tidd: THERE WAS A CALL \hUP FROM THE OPS ROOM

ON THE TACTICAL INTERCOM,

TO SAY THEY’D MANAGED TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT

WITH IAN GEORGESON AND CO,

AND THAT THEY WERE ALL ALIVE.

Narrator: WITH THE TEMPERATURE \h\hAT -4 DEGREES AND FALLING,

THE DOWNED MEN TAKE SHELTER \hIN A HELICOPTER LIFE RAFT.

ALREADY FREEZING, THE TROOPS

FACE ANOTHER NIGHT \hON THE GLACIER.

\h\h\hPARRY AND STANLEY GO BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD.

\h\hHUMPHREY IS NOW THE ONLY HELICOPTER LEFT FOR THE JOB

\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE ENTIRE SOUTH GEORGIA TASK FORCE.

Parry: WE THOUGHT WE’D ACTUALLY RUN OUT OF LIVES THE DAY BEFORE,

AND WE WONDERED WHETHER \hWE HAD ANY LIVES LEFT

FOR ANOTHER MISSION UP ON THAT GLACIER.

Narrator: ANOTHER RESCUE ATTEMPT MEANS ENORMOUS RISK.

THEY HAVE TO SOMEHOW PACK 16 MEN

INTO AN AGING HELICOPTER \h\h\h\hBUILT FOR FOUR.

Stanley: WE DECIDED WE‘D GIVE IT ONE MORE GO BEFORE IT GOT DARK.

Parry: I WROTE A LETTER \h\h\h\h\h\hTO MY WIFE,

I ENCLOSED MY WEDDING RING.

\h\hA LOT OF THINGS WERE GOING ROUND IN MY HEAD.

\h\h\h\hWHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THE TWO OTHER AIRCRAFT,

THE FACT WE WERE A SINGLE ENGINE HELICOPTER, OLD AIRCRAFT,

I‘D SEEN THE CONDITIONS AND...

JUST IN CASE, JUST IN CASE.

Narrator: STANLEY PLANS \h\h\hTO COME IN HIGH--

THE BEST VANTAGE POINT \h\h\hFOR THE SEARCH.

BUT NOW HE’S ABOVE \hTHE CLOUD LAYER,

\h\hHOPING AGAINST HOPE FOR THE CLOUDS TO PART.

Stanley: AND AS WE CAME \h\h\h\h\h\hOVER THE TOP

OF WHERE THE GLACIER WOULD BE,

\h\hI DON’T KNOW WHAT IT WAS, BUT WE LOOKED DOWN AND THERE,

BIG HOLE IN THE CLOUD, \h\h\h\hA RED DINGHY.

Parry: WE COULD LOOK DOWN, THROUGH SOME OF THE CLOUD,

THROUGH WHAT WE CALL \h\h\hSUCKER‘S GAPS.

IT‘S WHERE GAPS APPEAR \h\h\h\hIN THE CLOUD.

YOU GO FOR THEM OF COURSE

\h\h\h\h\h\hAND IT CLOSES UP AS YOU‘RE GOING THROUGH IT.

THAT‘S WHY IT‘S CALLED \h\h\hA SUCKER‘S GAP.

Stanley: WE JUST THOUGHT HERE’S A CHANCE, LET’S GO FOR IT,

AND WE DIVED STRAIGHT DOWN \h\h\h\h\hTHROUGH THE HOLE

AND LANDED ALONGSIDE THEM.

Parry: IT’S ONLY A SUCKER’S GAP

\h\h\hIF IT CLOSES UP AS YOU GO THROUGH IT.

IT’S AN INSPIRED PIECE \h\h\h\hOF AIRMANSHIP

IF YOU TAKE YOUR CHANCES.

Narrator: TO SAVE WEIGHT,

\h\h\hTHE CREW MUST PERSUADE THE SOLDIERS TO ABANDON THEIR GEAR,

\h\h\hBUT THEY INSIST ON KEEPING THEIR GUNS.

\hFitzgerald: I SAID, OK, YOU CAN KEEP YOUR WEAPONS,

BUT JUST MAKE SURE \hYOU UNLOAD THEM.

\h\hParry: WELL, GETTING 12 GUYS INTO AN ANTI-SUBMARINE WESSEX 3

IS RATHER LIKE THE COMPETITION

TO GET HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU CAN \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hINTO A MINI.

\h\h\hAND A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF COOPERATION IS REQUIRED

TO GET ALL THESE PEOPLE.

AND THESE WERE BIG GUYS \h\h\h\h\hIN MOST CASES.

Stanley: WE JUST KEPT \h\h\hCRAMMING THEM IN

WHEREVER WE COULD FIND A SPACE.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE 4 CREWMEN, 10 SOLDIERS, AND 2 DOWNED AIRMEN

\h\hSQUEEZE IN AROUND THE VITAL RADAR GEAR.

\h\h\hHUMPHREY IS NOW MORE THAN 1,400 POUNDS

OVER THE MAXIMUM TAKEOFF WEIGHT.

\hBUT IAN STANLEY KNOWS THAT THE WIND, FOR ONCE,

IS BLOWING IN HIS FAVOR.

Stanley: THE FACT IT WAS WINDY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND IT WAS COLD

WAS TO OUR ADVANTAGE.

Parry: WELL, I MEAN, THE FACT \h\h\hWE WERE A TON OVERWEIGHT

WHEN WE TOOK OFF,

I REMEMBER THINKING AT THE TIME, AND WE DISCUSSED IT, OF COURSE,

\h\h\hWE ACTUALLY HAD TO WAIT FOR SOME OF THE WIND TO GET UP

BEFORE WE COULD ACTUALLY LIFT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN SAFETY.

\hNarrator: HUMPHREY DRAGS ITS TIRED OLD BONES ALOFT.

\hFOR THE FIRST TIME IN ALMOST 30 HOURS,

THE SOLDIERS CAN DRAW \h\h\h\hA WARM BREATH.

Parry: AND I WAS SURE I COULD SMELL BURNING.

HALF A DOZEN OF THEM HAD LIT UP THEIR CIGARETTES.

AND I’M THINKING HANG ON,

WE’RE SITTING ON A HALF A TON \h\h\h\hOF AVIATION FUEL HERE,

AND THESE GUYS ARE LIGHTING UP.

I SAID TO THE PILOTS, CAN YOU SMELL BURNING?

Narrator: BUT EVEN THE PILOTS \h\h\hARE FEELING THE TENSION.

THE GREATEST DANGER \hIS STILL TO COME--

LANDING BACK ON DECK.

THE STANDARD PROCEDURE...

HOVER ALONGSIDE,

THEN MATCH THE UP AND DOWN \h\hRHYTHM OF THE DECK...

\hBEFORE TIMING THE LANDING AT THE SHIP’S HIGHEST POINT.

\hHEAVILY OVERLOADED, STANLEY FEARS HUMPHREY’S SINGLE ENGINE

WILL FAIL AT THE WORST \h\h\hPOSSIBLE MOMENT.

Stanley: YOU NEED MORE POWER TO COME ALONGSIDE THE SHIP,

\h\h\hBECAUSE YOU’RE USING IT TO STAY IN TUNE WITH THE SHIP

BEFORE YOU LAND.

\hParry: WITH ALL THOSE S.A.S. GUYS IN THE BACK,

WE WERE THINKING IF WE DID DITCH OVER THE SEA,

ARE ANY OF US GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS,

\hBECAUSE IT WOULD BE A REAL BUN FIGHT INSIDE TO GET OUT.

\h\h\h\h\hAND THE WESSEX 3 DIDN’T HAVE A GREAT RECORD

FOR STAYING ON THE SURFACE \h\h\hONCE YOU‘D DITCHED.

\h\h\h\hStanley: NO, WELL, IT INVARIABLY ROLLS OVER,

AND WITH THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE \h\h\h\hWHO WERE IN THE BACK,

I WOULDN’T HAVE PUT \h\h\hANY CONFIDENCE

IN EVERYONE GETTING OUT, \h\h\h\h\hTO BE HONEST.

Narrator: THE NIGHTMARE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hPROSPECT--

DITCHING IN THE FREEZING \h\h\h\hSOUTH ATLANTIC.

THIS IS THE ROYAL NAVY‘S UNDERWATER ESCAPE UNIT.

THE DREADED DUNKER--

WHERE AIRCREW ARE TRAINED \h\h\hTO ACT FAST, OR DIE.

CHRIS PARRY AND IAN STANLEY \h\hARE ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE

THE ORDEAL OF A DECK LANDING \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGONE WRONG.

A FLOODED HELICOPTER...

IN NEAR TOTAL DARKNESS...

ROLLING INTO THE DEEP.

Parry: IT ENABLES YOU TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT YOURSELF.

HAVE I GOT THE BOTTLE FOR IT?

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO \h\hANSWER IN WARTIME AS WELL,

HAVE I GOT THE BOTTLE?

Narrator: OFF SOUTH GEORGIA,

THIS WOULD BE A FREEZING, \h\h\h\hSTORM-TOSSED SEA.

Cooper: IT HOPEFULLY IS AN INSTINCTIVE REACTION

TO GET YOURSELF OUT.

BUT WHETHER YOU’D SURVIVE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE SEA

IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMATTER.

Cooper: I THINK FOUR MINUTES \h\h\h\hAND YOU’D BE DEAD--

NOT MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

Narrator: THE LIVES OF 16 MEN \h\hIN THE HANDS OF ONE PILOT.

\h\h\h\hIAN STANLEY IS ABOUT TO RELIVE THE TROOP RESCUE--

WITH HIS FIRST DECK LANDING \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN 23 YEARS.

JOINING HIM AGAIN, CHRIS PARRY.

THE TEAM THAT FLEW HUMPHREY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hANTRIM.

Parry: JUST LIKE THE OLD TIMES?

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hStanley: JUST GETTING THE EYEBALLS

MOVING AROUND A LITTLE BIT.

GET THEM BACK UP TO SPEED AGAIN.

Narrator: APPROACHING THE SHIP, HUMPHREY’S PASSENGERS

STEEL THEMSELVES FOR LANDING \h\h\h\hON THE HEAVING DECK.

\h\h\hFitzgerald: I KNEW THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE

A BIT OF A HEAVY LANDING,

OR AS IAN LIKED TO CALL IT, MORE OF A CONTROLLED CRASH.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Parry: AND YOU’VE GOT TO \h\h\h\h\h\hBEAR IN MIND

\h\hTHAT QUITE A FEW OF THOSE S.A.S. GUYS

\h\h\h\hHAD ALREADY BEEN IN TWO CRASHES THAT DAY,

\h\h\h\hAND THEY WERE IN THE THIRD AIRCRAFT NOW.

DOES LIGHTNING STRIKE \h\h\h\h\hTHREE TIMES,

\hI RECKON SOME OF THEM MUST HAVE BEEN THINKING.

Narrator: IF HUMPHREY’S \h\h\h\h\hENGINE FAILS,

STANLEY WILL HAVE TO DITCH \h\h\hIN THE FREEZING SEA.

Stanley: I’M CLEAR TO MOVE OVER.

Cooper: GOD FORBID, IF ONE WHEEL GOES OVER THE SIDE OF THE DECK,

THE AIRCRAFT IS GONE.

Fitzgerald: SMACKED IT \h\h\h\h\hON THE DECK,

SLAMMED THE BRAKES ON \h\hAND WE WERE THERE.

QUITE A RELIEF.

Man: WELL, FOR THE FIRST ONE FOR AGES, THAT WAS SPOT ON.

NO PROBLEMS AT ALL WITH THAT.

Parry: ENJOYED THAT?

SO DID WE.

Narrator: BY SAVING THE LIVES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF 16 SOLDIERS

AND FOUR FELLOW AIRMEN,

STANLEY’S CREW AVERTS \h\hA SHATTERING BLOW

TO BRITISH MORALE.

Stanley: AND AT THAT STAGE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE GAME,

I MUST ADMIT IT DAWNED ON ME-- WELL, THAT WAS JOLLY EXCITING.

LET‘S NOT HAVE ANY MORE OF THAT.

LET‘S DO SOMETHING VERY BORING.

AND IT DIDN‘T HAPPEN.

[LAUGHTER]

Narrator: HUMPHREY AND ITS CREW GO ON TO PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE

IN THE WAR WITH ARGENTINA.

\h\hTWO DAYS LATER, THEY‘RE BACK IN THE ANTI-SUBMARINE BUSINESS.

\h\h\hTHEY FIRE THE FIRST SHOTS OF THE SOUTH GEORGIA CAMPAIGN--

DEPTH CHARGES, DISABLING \hA VITAL ENEMY VESSEL.

THE BRITISH SHIPS ARE NOW FREE

TO BOMBARD THE ARGENTINEANS \h\h\h\h\h\hINTO SURRENDER.

\h\hTHEY MAKE A FAMOUS SIGNAL TO PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER

IN DOWNING STREET.

\h\h\h\h\h\hJohn Nott: THE WHITE ENSIGN FLIES

ALONGSIDE THE UNION JACK \h\h\hIN SOUTH GEORGIA.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!

\h\h\h\hMargaret Thatcher: JUST REJOICE AT THAT NEWS,

AND CONGRATULATE OUR FORCES \h\h\h\h\h\hAND THE MARINES!

GOOD NIGHT, GENTLEMEN.

Narrator: 26 DAYS LATER,

\h\h\h\h\hHUMPHREY JOINS THE FULL-SCALE INVASION

THAT BRINGS THE FALKLAND ISLANDS BACK INTO BRITISH HANDS.

BUT THE SUCCESS OF THE ENTIRE \hWAR BEGAN ON SOUTH GEORGIA--

WITH ONE HELICOPTER \h\h\hAND ITS CREW.

Stanley: AFTERWARDS \h\h\hYOU MIGHT SAY,

MY GOD, THAT WAS FRIGHTENING.

BUT JUST THE ABILITY TO GET ON \h\h\hAND DO THE JOB, I THINK,

IS TESTAMENT TO TRAINING.

Parry: I THINK THE CHEMISTRY \h\h\h\hWAS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT

BETWEEN THE FOUR OF US.

Stanley: I THINK IT WAS \h\h\h\h\hEXTRAORDINARY

LEADERSHIP, PERSONALLY.

Parry: IT WAS EXTRAORDINARY.

I THINK ALL OF US CAN SAY

\hIT WAS EXTRAORDINARY, YOU‘RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.