2nd April Destroyers and frigates exercising off Gibraltar under Rear Admiral 'Sandy' Woodward were ordered south. They were joined by the carriers Hermes and Invincible, loaded with Sea Harrier fighters as well as amphibious ships and merc
26th April Admiral Woodward's task group rendezvous with mid-Atlantic destroyers
29th April Task force arrives at exclusion zone
19th May War cabinet gives AdmiralWoodward the go ahead for landing plan