On 2 April 1982, Argentina invaded the British dependency of the Falklands Islands, this was followed, on 3 April by an invasion of the island of South Georgia. The same day British prime minister Margaret Thatcher dispatched a naval task force on the trip to the islands to recapture them. Thatcher decided, in the face of strong reservation from the Royal Navy Commander in Chief of the Fleet Admiral Sir John Fieldhouse, to retake South Georgia, an operation codenamed Paraquet. Thatcher and other politicians believed that this would be an easy victory that would bolster public support for the war and send a signal of intent to the Argentines. Initial moves to land British special forces units on 22 April had resulted in the loss of two helicopters to poor weather, and on learning the news, Thatcher wept for the possible loss of 17 men; they were later rescued by a third helicopter. On 25 April, a Royal Marine landing force successfully recaptured the islands, disabling an Argentine submarine and taking the garrison at Grytviken prisoner, with no British casualties.