SS Canberra victoriously returns home from the Falklands War. Southampton, July 11th, 1982. After the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982, which initiated the Falklands War, the Ministry of Defence requisitioned the "Canberra" as use as a troopship. Nicknamed the "Great White Whale", the "Canberra" proved vital in transporting the Parachute Regiment and Royal Marines to the islands more than 9,000 miles from the UK. Whilst the "Queen Elizabeth 2" was held to be too vulnerable to e