September 1st 1982: MV Stena Seaspread begins to be refitted as a diving support vessel, and will return to the Falklands to lead Operation Blackleg; the mission to recover or destroy sensitive information and weapons systems on board the wreck of HMS Coventry.

September 1st 1982: Vice Admiral Derek Reffell visits HMS Diomede. The acknowledged specialist in amphibious & carrier borne warfare & combined ops who was the natural choice to lead the task force, but who instead found himself banned from Northwood for the duration of the war.

Cartoon Rick here, closing September 1st, and I'll be back from 19.00 with a BIG announcement... meanwhile, this photo of me on the film Mary Queen of Scots came up on my memories, so I thought I'd let you giggle at it for a while until I return...

September 2nd 1982: RFA Regent reaches Ascension where she takes on board 849 tons of bunkers to keep the other ships going. The tireless work of the Royal Fleet Auxiliaries made the impossible possible in the longest military supply chain in history.

September 2nd 1982: Defence Secretary John Nott announces that he will not be standing for reelection in 1984, but is retained in his post until then. He states that it is a decision made in December. A sort of elongated "here today, gone tomorrow" move. nytimes.com/1982/09/02/wor…

UPDATE: So the new Dunkirk story is accelerating at pace to be out for Christmas... it is an incredible untold story, pieced together over 17 years from interviews with survivors of both sides and fragments of records, telling the lost tale of a new Band of Brothers...

September 3rd 1982: The world economy struggles as Argentina begins defaulting on debts. Rumours abound that Argentina has now declared a moritorium on its $36.6 billion foreign debt, and gold prices soar as people invest in something more solid... nytimes.com/1982/09/03/bus…

September 3rd is Merchant Navy Day, to honour and commemorate all who served to sustain and support our efforts around the world. The Merchant Navy played such a huge part in the Falklands war that victory would have been impossible without them. Today, we honour their service.

September 5th 1982: At 14:50 a sonar contact hits HMS Diomede and the task force goes to action stations, falling out again at 15:30. Probably nosey Russians just having a look, but the mystery sub will be back...