On 2 April 1982 Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. For the Argentines, the British possession of the islands - which they called the Malvinas - was a long-standing affront to national pride. They traced their claim back to the days of the Spanish empire, of which both the Falklands and Argentina had been a part.

Above is a map of the Falkland Islands.

An Argentine invasion soldier.

Much to the surprise of Argentina, Britain’s government, led by Margaret Thatcher, proclaimed it was prepared to fight to reclaim the islands and ordered a task force to be assembled to fight a war 8,000 miles away from the British Isles.

By 5 April the first of more than 100 ships set sail for the South Atlantic, carrying 27,000 personnel. The UN Security Council threw its weight behind the British claim to the islands and US Secretary of State Alexander Haig attempted to find a diplomatic solution.

Argentina had 12,000 mainly conscripted soldiers and about 40 vessels. Its superior air power was limited by the islands' remoteness.

The Royal Navy is normally supported in its peacetime operations by the ships and personnel of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The photo above shows Atlantic Conveyor being refueled by RFA Tidepool during her journey South.

However, the scale and distance from bases of Operation Corporate made it clear that further shipping would be necessary. This was provided by Ships Taken Up From Trade (STUFT). These ships came from all parts of the merchant fleet – from the giant Queen Elizabeth II to small tugs.

On 7 April the British set up a 200-mile military "exclusion zone" around the Falklands; it came into force on 12 April. Keen to keep up momentum and provide an early success the British re-took the small island of South Georgia, raising the union jack on 25 April.

The British task force depended on its two aircraft carriers and it was with this in mind that Mrs Thatcher said she had permitted the controversial sinking by nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror of Argentine cruiser General Belgrano, resulting in the deaths of 368 of Belgrano's crew on 2 May.

HMS Conqueror sails alongside HMS Penelope.

On 4 May, HMS Sheffield was attacked by an Argentine air-launched Exocet missile.

Landings at San Carlos on the 21 May were successful, but Argentine air attacks proved costly. The photo shows the British Task Force under attack in San Carlos Water.

Escorts Ardent and Antelope were lost in San Carlos Water and several other ships were damaged.

Before the beachhead had broken out, on 25 May both HMS Coventry and the Atlantic Conveyor went down - the latter with the loss of its troop-carrying Chinook helicopters and key equipment necessary to re-capture the islands.

The burnt out hull of Atlantic Conveyor.

Sea Harrier taking off from HMS Invincible.

A Sea Harrier from 801 NAS returns to HMS Invincible during the Falklands Conflict.

On 29 May, Argentines surrendered at Goose Green. On 8 June RFAs Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram were bombed and on 12 June Glamorgan was hit by a shore-launched Exocet.

14 June saw the Falklands being retaken with the Argentine surrender at Stanley. The photo above shows Naval Party 8901 (Royal Marines) outside Government House Port Stanley after the surrender

Hostilities formally ceased on 20 June 1982. By the time the task force returned to Portsmouth the conflict had claimed 913 lives - 655 Argentines, 255 British troops and three Falkland islanders.