Home | Veterans | Philip Roberts
Photo-of-Phillip-Roberts-who-was-Commander-of-the-RFA-Sir-Galahad-during-the-Falklands-war

A veteran interview with

Philip Roberts

This is from the Historical RFA website:

From 21 May to 8 June 1982 during the Falklands War RFA Sir Galahad suffered attacks by enemy aircraft. Throughout this period, Captain Roberts took personal charge of the fighting and safety of his ship, and crew and embarked force passengers. On two occasions his ship suffered severe bomb damage and had to be abandoned. Captain Roberts organised and controlled each operation…

Despite the confused and hazardous situation, Captain Roberts organised his crew and the embarked troops with considerable skill. Their safe and timely evacuation was to a large extent due to his personal qualities of leadership and courage in the face of great danger.

He was appointed as a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order on 8 October 1982.

Play video
Watch the interview

About Philip Roberts

Philip Roberts started out in the naval section of the combined cadet force then joined the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. He had just turned 17. As Philip puts it, you start out as the “lowest of the low” and work your way up. He began as a deck apprentice and by 1982 was in command of his own ship, the Sir Galahad.

Philip transports men and vehicles to the Norwegian fjords which was an indispensable time for learning the ship’s capabilities and handling, especially when it came to getting stuck in ice. From there, the Sir Galahad is called back to Plymouth ahead of the invasion of the Falklands Islands. Philip recalls in detail the make up and responsibilities of his crew and their feelings heading towards conflict. At one point they encounter such bad weather that the bow doors are damaged and need to be immediately repaired to prevent flooding. Philip is grateful for the team around him and their action, support and counsel.

As well as bad weather, submarines and mines were real threats. Philip remembers a shocking encounter when a bomb lands on his ship very near to their ammunition but, incredibly, fails to explode. He manages to get everyone off the ship and the bomb is removed packed by Kellogg’s cornflakes before being sunk. The race is then on to ensure the Sir Galahad is watertight. After previously having been displeased at being taken to war, it is the Chinese crew who really muck in to bring the repaired ship back up to scratch and ready for service. Once back in action, Philip recalls another terrible attack when they come under fire from the airforce just as they were about to discharge a number of Welsh Guards at Fitzroy. Philip describes events in blistering detail. Tragically, 50 men lost their lives and many were injured.

Philip returned to the Falklands in the early 1990s on the Grey Rover patrolling the islands. He reflects that the Falklands has been a big part of his life.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Lizzie Gray
Transcribed by:
Morgan Spice

Copyright:
All video content, web site design, graphics, images (including submitted content), text, the selection and arrangement thereof, underlying source code, software and all other material on this Web site are the copyright of Legasee Educational Trust, and its affiliates, or their content and technology providers. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Any use of materials on this Web site – including reproduction for purposes other than those noted above, modification, distribution, or republication – without the prior written permission of Legasee Educational Trust is strictly prohibited.

Home | Veterans | Philip Roberts

A veteran interview with

Philip Roberts

Photo-of-Phillip-Roberts-who-was-Commander-of-the-RFA-Sir-Galahad-during-the-Falklands-war

This is from the Historical RFA website:

From 21 May to 8 June 1982 during the Falklands War RFA Sir Galahad suffered attacks by enemy aircraft. Throughout this period, Captain Roberts took personal charge of the fighting and safety of his ship, and crew and embarked force passengers. On two occasions his ship suffered severe bomb damage and had to be abandoned. Captain Roberts organised and controlled each operation…

Despite the confused and hazardous situation, Captain Roberts organised his crew and the embarked troops with considerable skill. Their safe and timely evacuation was to a large extent due to his personal qualities of leadership and courage in the face of great danger.

He was appointed as a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order on 8 October 1982.

Related topics & talking points

Veteran gallery

Photos & memories

Keep on watching

More veteran stories...

Share this interview on:

https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/philip-roberts/

Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Roberts, Philip. A Veteran Interview with Philip Roberts. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 15 Sep. 2022 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/philip-roberts/. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
APA Style:
Roberts, P. (2022, September 15). A Veteran Interview with Philip Roberts [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved May 25, 2025, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/philip-roberts/
Chicago Style:
Roberts, Philip. 2022. A Veteran Interview with Philip Roberts. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, September 15. Accessed May 25, 2025. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/philip-roberts/
Harvard Style:
Roberts, P. (2022). A Veteran Interview with Philip Roberts. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 15 September. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/philip-roberts/ (Accessed: 25 May 2025)
Vancouver Style:
Roberts, P. A Veteran Interview with Philip Roberts [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2022 Sep 15 [cited 2025 May 25]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/philip-roberts/
An interview with

Linda Rudkin

Linda Rudkin’s Story: Supporting a Veteran with PTSD Amid New Battles

Content warning//

This interview contains discussions of sensitive topics such as PTSD, depression and suicidal thoughts which some viewers may find distressing.

If you are affected by these topics, please consider seeking support from a trusted person or organisation.

  Linda Rudkin’s husband Colin served with the Royal Green Jackets in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. What happened to him there has stayed with him all his life. Watch as Linda describes how Colin's experiences there led to PTSD, and their fight to get the right treatment for him As if their situation wasn't difficult enough already, now the Government's legacy enquiries are adding unwanted stress.
Service:
Project:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Kirsty Green

Kirsty shares the story of her partner’s debilitating injury and its affect on their lives.

Content warning// This interview contains discussions of sensitive topics such as PTSD and addiciton which some viewers may find distressing. If you are affected by these topics, please consider seeking support from a trusted person or organisation.   Kirsty’s partner, Glenn, completed two tours of Afghanistan but it was a tragic accident during a training exercise that turned their lives upside down. Glenn was parachuting down from 30 000 feet when he was blown off course, landed in a tree then fell to the ground. The result was a devastating spinal injury. After a period in hospital, Glenn comes home and Kirsty works hard to keep their lives on track while holding down her job and taking care of Glenn. The couple had never really spent a great deal of time living together before this and it puts a strain on their relationship, especially when Glenn is prescribed morphine which he struggles with. Glenn spends a period at the Headley Court rehabilitation centre where he receives regular medication and physiotherapy but without access to this at home, Kirsty notices a big difference in Glenn’s behaviour. He becomes increasingly angry, he won’t leave the house and Kirsty starts to suspect he has PTSD. Kirsty suggest they get a dog and this becomes a big help as Glenn has to take responsibility for it. Kirsty is even impressed that she managed to get Glenn on a holiday to Cuba. While Glenn is still managing tremendous pain he is also working hard on his rehabilitation and can walk for short periods. Kirsty reflects that they both had to grow up very quickly to be able to deal with this trauma. This experience made Kirsty realise she wants more from her life and she is now training to be a nurse. Although Kirsty joined Band of Sisters she admits it took her a while to fully engage. She wants to share her story so other know about the help and support available, she wonders if she had asked for help sooner might this have been an easier process.
Service:
Project:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Joy Lofthouse

WWII ATA Spitfire Pilot

In this interview, listen to Joy talk about her rare and exciting opportunity to fly with ATA in the famous spitfire plane. Born in Cirencester, Joy was raised in the countryside where she learned to be strong and independent, always striving to be the best she could possibly be. When her sister joined the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary), it was only a matter of time before Joy's fierce competitive edge would cause her to follow in her sister's footsteps and join up as well. Although Joy found her training quite difficult due to the tough weather conditions which made her experience more challenging; she soon found her rhythm and was accepted to fly possibly the most iconic plane from the WWII era: the spitfire. However, as the war progressed, there became less and less of a need for women pilots in the eyes of the military, so Joy's original pool was disbanded. In the interview, Joy speaks on her experience of moving pools not once but twice! She also explains how the different ranks in the ATA work, as well as talk about an intense emergency landing that forced her to hitchhike back home, in additional to what made the American bases so much more exciting.
Photo Gallery icon 1 Photo
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker