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Pair: Petty Officer (Writer) G. P. Baker, Royal Navy, who was serving in H.M.S. Antelope at the time of her loss off San Carlos in May 1982 South Atlantic 1982, with rosette (A./Wtr. G. P. Baker, D185150F, H.M.S. Antelope); N.A.T.O. Medal 1994, 1 clasp, Former Yugoslavia, in its case of issue, good very fine or better (2) £1200-1600 Footnote On 23 May 1982, while on air defence duty at the entrance to San Carlos Water, protecting the beachhead established two days before, H.M.S. Antelope came under attack by four Argentine A-4B Skyhawks. The first pair attacked from astern, with the flight leader breaking off his attack after one of Antelope's Sea Cats exploded under the port wing of his aircraft, but the second aircraft pressed home its attack and put a 1000lb. bomb in the Antelope's starboard side, killing one crewman. However, the bomb did not explode. The second pair of Skyhawks then attacked from the starboard quarter, one of them being hit by the ship's 20mm. cannon before crashing through Antelope's main mast. The pilot was was killed but his 1000lb. bomb pierced the frigate's hull, also without exploding. After initial damage control efforts, Antelope proceeded to more sheltered waters so that two bomb disposal technicians from the Royal Engineers could come aboard and attempt to defuse the two unexploded bombs. One of the bombs was inaccessible because of wreckage; the other had been damaged and was thought to be in a particularly dangerous condition. Three attempts by the bomb disposal team to withdraw the fuse of this bomb by remote means failed. A fourth attempt using a small explosive charge detonated the bomb, killing Staff Sergeant James Prescott instantly and severely injuring Warrant Officer Phillips, the other member of the bomb disposal team. The ship was torn open from waterline to funnel, with the blast starting major fires in both engine rooms, which spread very quickly. The starboard fire main was fractured, the ship lost all electrical power, and the commanding officer, Commander Nick Tobin, gave the order to abandon ship. Tobin was the last person to leave the ship; about five minutes after his departure, the missile magazines began exploding. Explosions continued throughout the night. The following day Antelope was still afloat, but her keel had broken and her superstructure melted into a heap of twisted metal. Antelope broke in half and sank that day. T.V. and still pictures of her demise became one of the iconic images of the Falklands War. See Dix Noonan Webb, 15 December 2011 (Lot 1056) for the D.S.C. awarded to Staff Sergeant (later Captain) J. H. Phillips, R.E., and Dix Noonan Webb, 28 March 2012 (Lot 1728) for the C.G.M. awarded to Staff Sergeant J. Prescott, R.E. Graham Paul Baker was born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire in March 1960 and entered the Royal Navy in June 1980, as an Acting Writer. In the following year he joined the ship’s company of H.M.S. Antelope, and was similarly employed at the time of her loss off San Carlos on 23 May 1983. A local newspaper takes up the story: ‘A Kidderminster sailor helped save the life of his Stourport shipmate when their frigate was ripped apart by an Argentine bomb, 8,000 miles away in the South Atlantic. And this week, back in Stoney Lane, Wyre Forest, Graham Baker and Melvin Hancox, of Gilgal, Stourport, talked about what happened. Graham was at hand straight away to rescue Melvin after a bomb blast threw him across the deck of H.M.S. Antelope, injuring his knee. “I was lying on the deck and the ship was starting to burn,” said Melvin. “There was thick black smoke everywhere. Then Graham rushed over and helped me off the ship and into a landing craft which had drawn up alongside,” he added. The Antelope had been hit by a bomb which failed to explode and a bomb disposal team was called. “We thought everything was O.K.,” said Melvin. “But they tried several different methods and did not succeed. It was quite a shock when the bomb exploded.” Graham w