MARINE ENGINEERING MECHANIC 2ND CLASS H. COOKE, HMS GLASGOW. South Atlantic Medal 1982, with rosette on ribbon (officially impressed: MEM(M) 2 C H COOKE 193399Q HMS GLASGOW). Extremely Fine and accompanied by an undress ribbon bar and rosette.

MARINE ENGINEERING MECHANIC 2ND CLASS H. COOKE, HMS GLASGOW. South Atlantic Medal 1982, with rosette on ribbon (officially impressed: MEM(M) 2 C H COOKE 193399Q HMS GLASGOW). Extremely Fine and accompanied by an undress ribbon bar and rosette.

HMS Glasgow was one of five type 42 destroyers armed with Sea Dart long range anti-aircraft systems that formed part of the task force put together to re-take the Falkland Islands. Of these five, HMS Glasgow and her sister ships Sheffield and Coventry were among the first ships to arrive in the 200 mile exclusion zone imposed around the Falkland Islands. HMS Glasgow saw action early on in the war when, on 2/5/1982, her Lynx helicopter severely damaged the Argentine naval vessel Alferez Sobral. On 4/5/1982, Glasgow detected an Exocet missile that had been fired at the task force and warned the fleet. HMS Sheffield, however, failed to receive the warning and was hit, later sinking. This left Glasgow and Coventry as the only long-range defence for the fleet. Following the loss of the Sheffield a new air-defence tactic was deployed in order to maximise the effectiveness of the fleet’s remaining assets. The two type 42 destroyers were paired with two type 22 frigates armed with the short range Sea Wolf missile system, Glasgow being paired with HMS Brilliant. The pairs were then deployed well in advance of the main force in an effort to draw attacking aircraft away from the carrier groups. The defensive plan was based on the idea that, if the destroyer’s long range Sea Dart missiles failed to neutralise any threat, then the short range Sea Wolfe armed frigates would deal with any attacking aircraft at close range. On the afternoon of 12/5/1982, a wave of four Argentine Skyhawk jets of “Groupo 5” attacked Glasgow and Brilliant. Glasgow’s Sea Dart system and anti-aircraft gun both failed, but Brilliant’s Sea Wolf missiles shot down two Argentine planes and a third crashed into the sea whilst attempting to evade debris. Despite the losses from the first wave, a second wave of “Grupo 5” Skyhawks attacked. At this point Brilliant’s Sea Wolf missile system also failed and the second wave of attackers each released three bombs, one bomb passing clean through the aft engine room of HMS Glasgow without exploding, but damaging the ship’s fuel systems and disabling the two cruising engines. A third wave of incoming Argentine aircraft was detected, but they did not engage either Glasgow or Brilliant. During their return to base a fourth Argentine fighter was accounted for, being shot down over Goose Green by the occupying Argentine forces.

The bomb that his Glasgow pierced the side of the ship about 3 feet above the water line on the starboard side. A damage control team quickly plugged the hole. The exit hole on the port side of the ship was much more difficult to access, as it was behind machinery and closer to the water line, so a temporary patch was put in place, allowing Glasgow to return to the main group, and eventually return home to be repaired at Portsmouth Dockyard.

Given his rank of Marine Engineer Mechanic, and that HMS Glasgow was at “action stations” when the Argentine fighters attacked, Cooke was probably in HMS Glasgow’s engine room when the bomb struck.