Veteran relives Falklands memories

Jul 3 2007 By James Cartledge, Birmingham Mail

HE was a boy of 17 who joined the Merchant Navy to see the world. But soon Dean Bliss was plunged headlong into the Falklands War as his ship took troops to the South Atlantic, dodged an Argentine submarine and moved captured enemy soldiers.

Now aged 42 and a father-of-two, Land Rover worker Dean opens his photo album to the Birmingham Mail to publicly show his pictures of the conflict for the first time.

He recently attended a reception for Falkands veterans in the presence of Prince Charles.

"I was 17 and probably one of the youngest people down there," Dean said. "I joined up wanting to see the world and I didn't know any better at the time. I didn't think it would go as far as it did until HMS Sheffield was sunk.

"Then it all suddenly seemed very serious."

Dean, who grew up in Castle Bromwich, served as a steward aboard the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel, Tidespring.

It was sent from Gibraltar to Ascension Island and on to South Georgia, another British territory more than 800 miles from the Falklands.

Two SAS officers he looked after were killed in a helicopter crash during the conflict and the Tidespring was also confronted by the Santa Fe submarine out at sea.

"We were refuelling another ship and all the alarms went off for battle stations," Dean said. "The submarine captain had four torpedoes ready for use. He was ready to attack us. We escaped but that was the closest I came to serious danger."

The submarine was later attacked and captured by the British forces before being scuttled because it was thought too costly to repair.

Dean later left the Merchant Navy. He lives at Blandford Avenue, Castle Bromwich, and is married to 41-year-old hair-dresser Tracey.

They have two children, Park Hall School pupil Daniel, aged 13, and Paige, 11, who attends Castle Bromwich Junior School.

Dean marched under the RFA banner at commemorations to mark the 25th anniversary of the conflict in London and said he had happy memories of his time at sea.

"I would do it all again," he said.