Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Laura Loomer

2019-05-07T21:48:53Z

Raymondo:

Laura Elizabeth Loomer is a conservative political activist and a former reporter for Canada's The Rebel Media. Prior to June 2017 she worked for Project Veritas with James O'Keefe.

==Early life==
Loomer was raised in Arizona by a Jewish father. After high school Loomer attended Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, but left after just one semester for feeling targeted for being conservative. Loomer later transferred to Barry University in Miami, Florida.

==Career==
Loomer is a former employee of conservative activist James O'Keefe, who is known for undercover video investigations. Loomer was the New York correspondent for the conservative Canadian news site The Rebel Media, that has been referred to as the “Canadian Breitbart.”

== Notable activities ==

===Barry University stunt===

In March 2015, Loomer used a concealed video camera to record her conversations with Barry University officials, on the concept of starting a club called “Sympathetic Students in Support of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria;” the school allegedly responded asking she instead change the name to “Students in Support of the Middle East,” the video of her encounter was released by James O'Keefe with [[Project Veritas]].

Her video allegedly captured a university official "unfazed" at the notion of starting an on-campus organization that would support ISIS. Shortly after the edited video was released by O'Keefe, Loomer was suspended by Barry University for violating student code of conduct rules; criminal charges were also filed against her for taping university officials without their knowledge or consent. At the time, Loomer was an honors student in her senior year, the president of Barry University's Young Republicans Club, and majoring in communications.

===Julius Caesar play disruption===

On June 16, 2017, Loomer disrupted the 'Shakespeare in the Park' production of Julius Caesar in New York City, by walking on stage during the live performance shortly after Caesar was assassinated. Before being escorted off the stage by security, Loomer shouted “Stop the normalization of political violence against the right! This is unacceptable!”. The play portrayed a "Trump-like" Caesar with a Slovenian-accented wife. Loomer, who is pro-Trump, was arrested for disorderly conduct and trespassing. The 'Public Theater' responded by saying although they're "champions" of the First Amendment, the disruption was caused by "social media". On June 19, 2017, [[The Washington Post]] reported they didn't believe Loomer was genuinely offended by the play, that she disrupted it for attention and to collect a $1,000 bounty that was offered, to anyone who would disrupt the production. On June 20, 2017, [[The Daily Beast]] reported that ‘Free Laura', a website for soliciting donations for her arrest, was purchased by Loomer's employer Ezra Levant, the owner of [[The Rebel Media]], six hours before the play started, according to domain records. Loomer was also promoting separately a WeSearchr page for donations, that had received $12,385 from 241 contributors, receiving more money in donations than the normal penalties for the charges she was facing.

On June 19, 2017, as a guest on [[Fox News]] Hannity, Loomer admitted she knew disrupting the Shakespeare in the Park play would result in criminal charges against her, during the interview Loomer compared the "Trump-like" Caesar assassination to a May 2017 video of former CNN host [[Kathy Griffin]] holding a mask of a bloody severed head of President Donald Trump, Loomer called the Caesar play and the Griffin video "assassination porn" and accused the "left" of a systematic pattern of using free speech and art as a pretext to promote violence against President Donald Trump and the "right".

===Infiltration of Clinton campaign===

In August 2015, [[Time Magazine]] reported Loomer and two women posing as Allison Holmes, Jess Koski, and Jess Jones, infiltrated the [[Hillary Clinton]] presidential campaign in July, 2015, attempting to lure Clinton's interns into voter-election schemes that were illegal; Loomer was later identified in photographs shown to the Clinton campaign as one of the three women, it was unclear if the Clinton campaign did anything improper or illegal.

===Huma Abedin stunt===

On November 8, 2016, the day of the national election, Loomer strolled into a polling station dressed in a [[burqa]] and asked for a ballot under the name of [[Huma Abedin]].

===Anti-Sharia rally===

In June 2017, Loomer gave a speech to a crowd of anti-sharia marchers in [[New York City]] and condemned “liberals who aligned themselves with [[sharia law]]”. Loomer put a [[burqa]] on the [[Fearless Girl]] statue adjacent to the Merrill Lynch building and was assaulted by a man wanting to remove the burqa.

===Chelsea Clinton book signing===

On June 7, 2017, at a [[Chelsea Clinton]] book signing event in New York City, Loomer asked Chelsea to sign a copy of her new children's book "She Persisted" to [[Juanita Broaddrick]], one of former [[President of the United States|President]] [[Bill Clinton]]'s most persistent Bill Clinton sexual misconduct allegations. The former first daughter refused to sign it.

===Chris Cuomo video ambush===

On July 6, 2017, Loomer video ambushed [[CNN]] host [[Chris Cuomo]] on the sidewalk as he left CNN headquarters in [[Manhattan]], regarding a CNN report of an anonymous [[Reddit]] user who was the original source of a wrestling video meme retweet by [[President Donald Trump]], a GIF of Trump body-slamming and punching [[WWE]] [[Vince McMahon]] whose head was replaced by a CNN logo; after the encounter with Cuomo, Loomer complained on [[Twitter]] that he "just slammed the door of his fancy black service car on me" after asking him if "@CNNmemes" are free speech with Loomer adding "video soon", the video shows Cuomo fielding accusatory questions from Loomer before getting into a hired SUV.

==Social media censorship==

In May 2019, Facebook and its Instagram subsidiary banned Loomer and several other high-profile conservatives from using the company's services.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://lauraloomer.us/]

[[Category:Libertarian Media]]

Laura Loomer

2019-05-07T21:41:15Z

Raymondo:

Laura Elizabeth Loomer is a conservative political activist and a former reporter for Canada's The Rebel Media. Prior to June 2017 she worked for Project Veritas with James O'Keefe.

==Early life==
Loomer was raised in Arizona by a Jewish father. After high school Loomer attended Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, but left after just one semester for feeling targeted for being conservative. Loomer later transferred to Barry University in Miami, Florida.

==Career==
Loomer is a former employee of conservative activist James O'Keefe, who is known for undercover video investigations. Loomer was the New York correspondent for the conservative Canadian news site The Rebel Media, that has been referred to as the “Canadian Breitbart.”

== Notable activities ==

===Barry University stunt===

In March 2015, Loomer used a concealed video camera to record her conversations with Barry University officials, on the concept of starting a club called “Sympathetic Students in Support of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria;” the school allegedly responded asking she instead change the name to “Students in Support of the Middle East,” the video of her encounter was released by James O'Keefe with [[Project Veritas]].

Her video allegedly captured a university official "unfazed" at the notion of starting an on-campus organization that would support ISIS. Shortly after the edited video was released by O'Keefe, Loomer was suspended by Barry University for violating student code of conduct rules; criminal charges were also filed against her for taping university officials without their knowledge or consent. At the time, Loomer was an honors student in her senior year, the president of Barry University's Young Republicans Club, and majoring in communications.

===Julius Caesar play disruption===

On June 16, 2017, Loomer disrupted the 'Shakespeare in the Park' production of Julius Caesar in New York City, by walking on stage during the live performance shortly after Caesar was assassinated. Before being escorted off the stage by security, Loomer shouted “Stop the normalization of political violence against the right! This is unacceptable!”. The play portrayed a "Trump-like" Caesar with a Slovenian-accented wife. Loomer, who is pro-Trump, was arrested for disorderly conduct and trespassing. The 'Public Theater' responded by saying although they're "champions" of the First Amendment, the disruption was caused by "social media". On June 19, 2017, [[The Washington Post]] reported they didn't believe Loomer was genuinely offended by the play, that she disrupted it for attention and to collect a $1,000 bounty that was offered, to anyone who would disrupt the production. On June 20, 2017, [[The Daily Beast]] reported that ‘Free Laura', a website for soliciting donations for her arrest, was purchased by Loomer's employer Ezra Levant, the owner of [[The Rebel Media]], six hours before the play started, according to domain records. Loomer was also promoting separately a WeSearchr page for donations, that had received $12,385 from 241 contributors, receiving more money in donations than the normal penalties for the charges she was facing.

On June 19, 2017, as a guest on [[Fox News]] Hannity, Loomer admitted she knew disrupting the Shakespeare in the Park play would result in criminal charges against her, during the interview Loomer compared the "Trump-like" Caesar assassination to a May 2017 video of former CNN host [[Kathy Griffin]] holding a mask of a bloody severed head of President Donald Trump, Loomer called the Caesar play and the Griffin video "assassination porn" and accused the "left" of a systematic pattern of using free speech and art as a pretext to promote violence against President Donald Trump and the "right".

===Infiltration of Clinton campaign===

In August 2015, [[Time Magazine]] reported Loomer and two women posing as Allison Holmes, Jess Koski, and Jess Jones, infiltrated the [[Hillary Clinton]] presidential campaign in July, 2015, attempting to lure Clinton's interns into voter-election schemes that were illegal; Loomer was later identified in photographs shown to the Clinton campaign as one of the three women, it was unclear if the Clinton campaign did anything improper or illegal.

===Huma Abedin stunt===

On November 8, 2016, the day of the national election, Loomer strolled into a polling station dressed in a [[burqa]] and asked for a ballot under the name of [[Huma Abedin]].

===Anti-Sharia rally===

In June 2017, Loomer gave a speech to a crowd of anti-sharia marchers in [[New York City]] and condemned “liberals who aligned themselves with [[sharia law]]”. Loomer put a [[burqa]] on the [[Fearless Girl]] statue adjacent to the Merrill Lynch building and was assaulted by a man wanting to remove the burqa.

===Chelsea Clinton book signing===

On June 7, 2017, at a [[Chelsea Clinton]] book signing event in New York City, Loomer asked Chelsea to sign a copy of her new children's book "She Persisted" to [[Juanita Broaddrick]], one of former [[President of the United States|President]] [[Bill Clinton]]'s most persistent Bill Clinton sexual misconduct allegations. The former first daughter refused to sign it.

===Chris Cuomo video ambush===

On July 6, 2017, Loomer video ambushed [[CNN]] host [[Chris Cuomo]] on the sidewalk as he left CNN headquarters in [[Manhattan]], regarding a CNN report of an anonymous [[Reddit]] user who was the original source of a wrestling video meme retweet by [[President Donald Trump]], a GIF of Trump body-slamming and punching [[WWE]] [[Vince McMahon]] whose head was replaced by a CNN logo; after the encounter with Cuomo, Loomer complained on [[Twitter]] that he "just slammed the door of his fancy black service car on me" after asking him if "@CNNmemes" are free speech with Loomer adding "video soon", the video shows Cuomo fielding accusatory questions from Loomer before getting into a hired SUV.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://lauraloomer.us/]

[[Category:Libertarian Media]]

Laura Loomer

2019-05-07T21:37:24Z

Raymondo:

Laura Elizabeth Loomer is a conservative political activist and a former reporter for Canada's The Rebel Media. Prior to June 2017 she worked for Project Veritas with James O'Keefe.

==Early life==
Loomer was raised in Arizona by a Jewish father. After high school Loomer attended Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, but left after just one semester for feeling targeted for being conservative. Loomer later transferred to Barry University in Miami, Florida.

==Career==
Loomer is a former employee of conservative activist James O'Keefe, who is known for undercover video investigations. Loomer was the New York correspondent for the conservative Canadian news site The Rebel Media, that has been referred to as the “Canadian Breitbart.”

== Notable activities ==

===Barry University stunt===

In March 2015, Loomer used a concealed video camera to record her conversations with Barry University officials, on the concept of starting a club called “Sympathetic Students in Support of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria;” the school allegedly responded asking she instead change the name to “Students in Support of the Middle East,” the video of her encounter was released by James O'Keefe with [[Project Veritas]].

Her video allegedly captured a university official "unfazed" at the notion of starting an on-campus organization that would support ISIS. Shortly after the edited video was released by O'Keefe, Loomer was suspended by Barry University for violating student code of conduct rules; criminal charges were also filed against her for taping university officials without their knowledge or consent. At the time, Loomer was an honors student in her senior year, the president of Barry University's Young Republicans Club, and majoring in communications.

===Julius Caesar play disruption===

On June 16, 2017, Loomer disrupted the 'Shakespeare in the Park' production of Julius Caesar in New York City, by walking on stage during the live performance shortly after Caesar was assassinated. Before being escorted off the stage by security, Loomer shouted “Stop the normalization of political violence against the right! This is unacceptable!”. The play portrayed a "Trump-like" Caesar with a Slovenian-accented wife. Loomer, who is pro-Trump, was arrested for disorderly conduct and trespassing. The 'Public Theater' responded by saying although they're "champions" of the First Amendment, the disruption was caused by "social media". On June 19, 2017, [[The Washington Post]] reported they didn't believe Loomer was genuinely offended by the play, that she disrupted it for attention and to collect a $1,000 bounty that was offered, to anyone who would disrupt the production. On June 20, 2017, [[The Daily Beast]] reported that ‘Free Laura', a website for soliciting donations for her arrest, was purchased by Loomer's employer Ezra Levant, the owner of [[The Rebel Media]], six hours before the play started, according to domain records. Loomer was also promoting separately a WeSearchr page for donations, that had received $12,385 from 241 contributors, receiving more money in donations than the normal penalties for the charges she was facing.

On June 19, 2017, as a guest on [[Fox News]] Hannity, Loomer admitted she knew disrupting the Shakespeare in the Park play would result in criminal charges against her, during the interview Loomer compared the "Trump-like" Caesar assassination to a May 2017 video of former CNN host [[Kathy Griffin]] holding a mask of a bloody severed head of President Donald Trump, Loomer called the Caesar play and the Griffin video "assassination porn" and accused the "left" of a systematic pattern of using free speech and art as a pretext to promote violence against President Donald Trump and the "right".

===Infiltration of Clinton campaign===

In August 2015, [[Time Magazine]] reported Loomer and two women posing as Allison Holmes, Jess Koski, and Jess Jones, infiltrated the [[Hillary Clinton]] presidential campaign in July, 2015, attempting to lure Clinton's interns into voter-election schemes that were illegal; Loomer was later identified in photographs shown to the Clinton campaign as one of the three women, it was unclear if the Clinton campaign did anything improper or illegal.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://lauraloomer.us/]

[[Category:Libertarian Media]]

Laura Loomer

2019-05-07T21:35:51Z

Raymondo:

Laura Loomer

2019-05-07T21:34:55Z

Raymondo:

Laura Loomer

2019-05-07T21:32:44Z

Raymondo:

Laura Loomer

2019-05-07T21:28:41Z

Raymondo:

Laura Loomer

2019-05-07T21:24:14Z

Raymondo:

Laura Loomer

2019-05-07T21:22:54Z

Raymondo:

Laura Loomer

2019-05-07T21:20:21Z

Raymondo:

Laura Loomer

2019-05-07T21:17:36Z

Raymondo: Created page with "Laura Elizabeth Loomer is a conservative political activist and a former reporter for Canada's The Rebel Media. Prior to June 2017 she worked for Project Veritas with James O'..."

Laura Elizabeth Loomer is a conservative political activist and a former reporter for Canada's The Rebel Media. Prior to June 2017 she worked for Project Veritas with James O'Keefe.

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-04-12T22:44:56Z

Raymondo: /* Harriet */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn't reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==No-Man's-Land==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

As the Battle of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge commenced, 45 Commando, under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead, in the centre, moved off towards their start-lines ('Pub Garden') for the attack on Two Sisters Mountain. Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company spearheaded the attack. The Royal Marines preferred to attack under the cover of night. Such was the importance attached to lives.

'X-Ray' Company would assault the lower ridges of the southern peak ('Long Toenail') of Two Sisters from the west, 'Zulu' Company would attack the northern peak, known in 45 Commando as 'Summer Days', and 'Yankee' Company would then assault the eastern ridge. The local commander on the Two Sisters ridge was Major Ricardo Mario Cordón, second-in-command of the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Infantry Regiment.

The first attack against 'Long Toenail' came in around 11.30 PM Falklands time and Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop – a Royal Marine Troop is like an Army Platoon – managed to get very close to 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon, 'C' Company, 4th Regiment. But the attack was beaten off by rifle and machine-gun fire. Second Lieutenant Llambias-Pravaz rallied his men with the old Guarani war-cry of 'Sapukay!' The Royal Marine Commandos in 'X' Company pushed hard when prudent, but avoided rash moves.

The Argentine conscripts on 'Long Toenail' stood to their machineguns and Instalaza anti-tank rocket launchers and defied the attackers. Lieutenant Stewart's men flung themeselves again at the Argentinians but, were driven off much to the frustration of Captain Gardiner. Despite this, some Argentinians had to pull in a bit or be overrun. The combat was extremely rough being fought in cold wind over a bare rocky ridge and around huge boulders.

Eventually the Argentines had to retreat. After about 3 hours of chaotic night fighting the men of 3rd Platoon fell back from 'Long Toenail'.

The great fight at 'Long Toenail' cost Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon a third of its strength. The assault on the southern peak was supported by 40 Commando's Anti-Tank Troop and innumerable 66mm LAW anti-tank rockets. 'X Ray' Company found the Milan missiles to be a very effective way of dislodging Llambías Pravaz's defiant 3rd Platoon, but expensive at 35,000 US dollars each.

2d Lt Llambías Pravaz was one of the recent April 1982 graduates from the Army Academy. His outstanding courage was recognized by the award of the Gallantry in Combat Medal.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for 'Long Toenail', 'Zulu' Company followed by 'Yankee' Company to their right, moved off from 'Pub Garden' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by 'X-Ray' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated 'Zulu' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liaison officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

The Royal Marines now chose to demonstrate that gung-ho as they could be, they also had a human side. When the remnants of 1st Platoon, 'A' Company, 4th Regiment were withdrawn, their wounded platoon commander was overlooked in the dark and taken by the Royal Marines. When it became apparent that the Argentine Artillery was about to bombard Two Sisters, the Royal Marines moved the wounded officer to a place of safety where he could be shielded from the incoming fire.

British war correspondent Robert Fox recalls that:{{cquote|A second lieutenant with a smashed lower leg said he couldn't walk. I hoisted him so that he could put his arm on my shoulder. He was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and felt almost one and a half times my weight. I asked him how badly he was hurt. 'Agua, agua', (water, water) was all he could whimper in reply. We laid him on the ground and managed to get a helicopter to take him away.<ref>Eyewitness Falklands, Robert Fox, pp. 255-256</ref>}}

The reserve platoon under Second Lieutenant Juan Nazer had been heavily mortared and had given up ground almost immediately. Nazer's platoon had failed to prepare a firm platoon defence line facing Murrell River, possibly as a result of exhaustion following their long debilitating period on Beagle Ridge.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While 'Kilo' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, 'Lima' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before 'Lima' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of 'Lima' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez-Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-guns, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and 'Lima' Company still fighting forward, 'Juliet' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva (a paratrooper) had retreated to new positions on Tumbledown Mountain and 'Kilo' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM's for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC's, a DCM and 4 MM's for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the Royal Marines opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected a mass British helicopter-borne infantry assault to materialize from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''"Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars."''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the bitter end, ''"The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy."''<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-04-12T22:43:10Z

Raymondo: /* Harriet */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn't reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==No-Man's-Land==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

As the Battle of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge commenced, 45 Commando, under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead, in the centre, moved off towards their start-lines ('Pub Garden') for the attack on Two Sisters Mountain. Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company spearheaded the attack. The Royal Marines preferred to attack under the cover of night. Such was the importance attached to lives.

'X-Ray' Company would assault the lower ridges of the southern peak ('Long Toenail') of Two Sisters from the west, 'Zulu' Company would attack the northern peak, known in 45 Commando as 'Summer Days', and 'Yankee' Company would then assault the eastern ridge. The local commander on the Two Sisters ridge was Major Ricardo Mario Cordón, second-in-command of the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Infantry Regiment.

The first attack against 'Long Toenail' came in around 11.30 PM Falklands time and Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop – a Royal Marine Troop is like an Army Platoon – managed to get very close to 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon, 'C' Company, 4th Regiment. But the attack was beaten off by rifle and machine-gun fire. Second Lieutenant Llambias-Pravaz rallied his men with the old Guarani war-cry of 'Sapukay!' The Royal Marine Commandos in 'X' Company pushed hard when prudent, but avoided rash moves.

The Argentine conscripts on 'Long Toenail' stood to their machineguns and Instalaza anti-tank rocket launchers and defied the attackers. Lieutenant Stewart's men flung themeselves again at the Argentinians but, were driven off much to the frustration of Captain Gardiner. Despite this, some Argentinians had to pull in a bit or be overrun. The combat was extremely rough being fought in cold wind over a bare rocky ridge and around huge boulders.

Eventually the Argentines had to retreat. After about 3 hours of chaotic night fighting the men of 3rd Platoon fell back from 'Long Toenail'.

The great fight at 'Long Toenail' cost Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon a third of its strength. The assault on the southern peak was supported by 40 Commando's Anti-Tank Troop and innumerable 66mm LAW anti-tank rockets. 'X Ray' Company found the Milan missiles to be a very effective way of dislodging Llambías Pravaz's defiant 3rd Platoon, but expensive at 35,000 US dollars each.

2d Lt Llambías Pravaz was one of the recent April 1982 graduates from the Army Academy. His outstanding courage was recognized by the award of the Gallantry in Combat Medal.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for 'Long Toenail', 'Zulu' Company followed by 'Yankee' Company to their right, moved off from 'Pub Garden' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by 'X-Ray' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated 'Zulu' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liaison officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

The Royal Marines now chose to demonstrate that gung-ho as they could be, they also had a human side. When the remnants of 1st Platoon, 'A' Company, 4th Regiment were withdrawn, their wounded platoon commander was overlooked in the dark and taken by the Royal Marines. When it became apparent that the Argentine Artillery was about to bombard Two Sisters, the Royal Marines moved the wounded officer to a place of safety where he could be shielded from the incoming fire.

British war correspondent Robert Fox recalls that:{{cquote|A second lieutenant with a smashed lower leg said he couldn't walk. I hoisted him so that he could put his arm on my shoulder. He was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and felt almost one and a half times my weight. I asked him how badly he was hurt. 'Agua, agua', (water, water) was all he could whimper in reply. We laid him on the ground and managed to get a helicopter to take him away.<ref>Eyewitness Falklands, Robert Fox, pp. 255-256</ref>}}

The reserve platoon under Second Lieutenant Juan Nazer had been heavily mortared and had given up ground almost immediately. Nazer's platoon had failed to prepare a firm platoon defence line facing Murrell River, possibly as a result of exhaustion following their long debilitating period on Beagle Ridge.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-guns, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and 'Lima' Company still fighting forward, 'Juliet' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva (a paratrooper) had retreated to new positions on Tumbledown Mountain and 'Kilo' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM's for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC's, a DCM and 4 MM's for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the Royal Marines opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected a mass British helicopter-borne infantry assault to materialize from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''"Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars."''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the bitter end, ''"The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy."''<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-04-12T22:40:46Z

Raymondo: /* Aftermath */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn't reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==No-Man's-Land==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

As the Battle of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge commenced, 45 Commando, under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead, in the centre, moved off towards their start-lines ('Pub Garden') for the attack on Two Sisters Mountain. Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company spearheaded the attack. The Royal Marines preferred to attack under the cover of night. Such was the importance attached to lives.

'X-Ray' Company would assault the lower ridges of the southern peak ('Long Toenail') of Two Sisters from the west, 'Zulu' Company would attack the northern peak, known in 45 Commando as 'Summer Days', and 'Yankee' Company would then assault the eastern ridge. The local commander on the Two Sisters ridge was Major Ricardo Mario Cordón, second-in-command of the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Infantry Regiment.

The first attack against 'Long Toenail' came in around 11.30 PM Falklands time and Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop – a Royal Marine Troop is like an Army Platoon – managed to get very close to 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon, 'C' Company, 4th Regiment. But the attack was beaten off by rifle and machine-gun fire. Second Lieutenant Llambias-Pravaz rallied his men with the old Guarani war-cry of 'Sapukay!' The Royal Marine Commandos in 'X' Company pushed hard when prudent, but avoided rash moves.

The Argentine conscripts on 'Long Toenail' stood to their machineguns and Instalaza anti-tank rocket launchers and defied the attackers. Lieutenant Stewart's men flung themeselves again at the Argentinians but, were driven off much to the frustration of Captain Gardiner. Despite this, some Argentinians had to pull in a bit or be overrun. The combat was extremely rough being fought in cold wind over a bare rocky ridge and around huge boulders.

Eventually the Argentines had to retreat. After about 3 hours of chaotic night fighting the men of 3rd Platoon fell back from 'Long Toenail'.

The great fight at 'Long Toenail' cost Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon a third of its strength. The assault on the southern peak was supported by 40 Commando's Anti-Tank Troop and innumerable 66mm LAW anti-tank rockets. 'X Ray' Company found the Milan missiles to be a very effective way of dislodging Llambías Pravaz's defiant 3rd Platoon, but expensive at 35,000 US dollars each.

2d Lt Llambías Pravaz was one of the recent April 1982 graduates from the Army Academy. His outstanding courage was recognized by the award of the Gallantry in Combat Medal.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for 'Long Toenail', 'Zulu' Company followed by 'Yankee' Company to their right, moved off from 'Pub Garden' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by 'X-Ray' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated 'Zulu' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liaison officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

The Royal Marines now chose to demonstrate that gung-ho as they could be, they also had a human side. When the remnants of 1st Platoon, 'A' Company, 4th Regiment were withdrawn, their wounded platoon commander was overlooked in the dark and taken by the Royal Marines. When it became apparent that the Argentine Artillery was about to bombard Two Sisters, the Royal Marines moved the wounded officer to a place of safety where he could be shielded from the incoming fire.

British war correspondent Robert Fox recalls that:{{cquote|A second lieutenant with a smashed lower leg said he couldn't walk. I hoisted him so that he could put his arm on my shoulder. He was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and felt almost one and a half times my weight. I asked him how badly he was hurt. 'Agua, agua', (water, water) was all he could whimper in reply. We laid him on the ground and managed to get a helicopter to take him away.<ref>Eyewitness Falklands, Robert Fox, pp. 255-256</ref>}}

The reserve platoon under Second Lieutenant Juan Nazer had been heavily mortared and had given up ground almost immediately. Nazer's platoon had failed to prepare a firm platoon defence line facing Murrell River, possibly as a result of exhaustion following their long debilitating period on Beagle Ridge.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-guns, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva (a paratrooper) had retreated to new positions on Tumbledown Mountain and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM's for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC's, a DCM and 4 MM's for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the Royal Marines opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected a mass British helicopter-borne infantry assault to materialize from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''"Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars."''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the bitter end, ''"The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy."''<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-04-12T22:40:07Z

Raymondo: /* Aftermath */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn't reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==No-Man's-Land==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

As the Battle of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge commenced, 45 Commando, under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead, in the centre, moved off towards their start-lines ('Pub Garden') for the attack on Two Sisters Mountain. Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company spearheaded the attack. The Royal Marines preferred to attack under the cover of night. Such was the importance attached to lives.

'X-Ray' Company would assault the lower ridges of the southern peak ('Long Toenail') of Two Sisters from the west, 'Zulu' Company would attack the northern peak, known in 45 Commando as 'Summer Days', and 'Yankee' Company would then assault the eastern ridge. The local commander on the Two Sisters ridge was Major Ricardo Mario Cordón, second-in-command of the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Infantry Regiment.

The first attack against 'Long Toenail' came in around 11.30 PM Falklands time and Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop – a Royal Marine Troop is like an Army Platoon – managed to get very close to 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon, 'C' Company, 4th Regiment. But the attack was beaten off by rifle and machine-gun fire. Second Lieutenant Llambias-Pravaz rallied his men with the old Guarani war-cry of 'Sapukay!' The Royal Marine Commandos in 'X' Company pushed hard when prudent, but avoided rash moves.

The Argentine conscripts on 'Long Toenail' stood to their machineguns and Instalaza anti-tank rocket launchers and defied the attackers. Lieutenant Stewart's men flung themeselves again at the Argentinians but, were driven off much to the frustration of Captain Gardiner. Despite this, some Argentinians had to pull in a bit or be overrun. The combat was extremely rough being fought in cold wind over a bare rocky ridge and around huge boulders.

Eventually the Argentines had to retreat. After about 3 hours of chaotic night fighting the men of 3rd Platoon fell back from 'Long Toenail'.

The great fight at 'Long Toenail' cost Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon a third of its strength. The assault on the southern peak was supported by 40 Commando's Anti-Tank Troop and innumerable 66mm LAW anti-tank rockets. 'X Ray' Company found the Milan missiles to be a very effective way of dislodging Llambías Pravaz's defiant 3rd Platoon, but expensive at 35,000 US dollars each.

2d Lt Llambías Pravaz was one of the recent April 1982 graduates from the Army Academy. His outstanding courage was recognized by the award of the Gallantry in Combat Medal.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for 'Long Toenail', 'Zulu' Company followed by 'Yankee' Company to their right, moved off from 'Pub Garden' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by 'X-Ray' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated 'Zulu' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liaison officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

The Royal Marines now chose to demonstrate that gung-ho as they could be, they also had a human side. When the remnants of 1st Platoon, 'A' Company, 4th Regiment were withdrawn, their wounded platoon commander was overlooked in the dark and taken by the Royal Marines. When it became apparent that the Argentine Artillery was about to bombard Two Sisters, the Royal Marines moved the wounded officer to a place of safety where he could be shielded from the incoming fire.

British war correspondent Robert Fox recalls that:{{cquote|A second lieutenant with a smashed lower leg said he couldn't walk. I hoisted him so that he could put his arm on my shoulder. He was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and felt almost one and a half times my weight. I asked him how badly he was hurt. 'Agua, agua', (water, water) was all he could whimper in reply. We laid him on the ground and managed to get a helicopter to take him away.<ref>Eyewitness Falklands, Robert Fox, pp. 255-256</ref>}}

The reserve platoon under Second Lieutenant Juan Nazer had been heavily mortared and had given up ground almost immediately. Nazer's platoon had failed to prepare a firm platoon defence line facing Murrell River, possibly as a result of exhaustion following their long debilitating period on Beagle Ridge.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-guns, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva (a paratrooper) had retreated to new positions on Tumbledown Mountain and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM's for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC's, a DCM and 4 MM's for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the Royal Marines opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected a mass British helicopter-borne infantry assault to materialize from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''"Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars."''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the bitter end, ''"The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy."''<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-02-02T23:29:02Z

Raymondo: /* Wireless Ridge */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

On the night of June 8-9, Sergeant Roque Antonio Nista operating the Rasit ground surveillance radar on the western end of Longdon detected the presence of 100 Paras and Royal Marine Commandos near Murrell River. Machinegun, mortar and artillery fire disperse the British force that had planned to surprise the defenders on Mount Longdon and Two Sisters Mountain.<ref>''El mayor Carlos Carrizo Salvadores en Longdon dice: «La noche del 8 al 9, nuevamente el Sargento Nista (operador del radar) me informó sobre la presencia del enemigo, quien estaba ubicado en el mismo lugar que la vez anterior, pero ahora, separados en grupos: a 1.500 m el primero, 2.000 m el segundo, 3.000 m el tercero y 4.000 m el cuarto, tomadas estas distancias desde la posición del radar''. Martín Antonio Balza, Malvinas: Relatos de Soldados, p. 80, Círculo Militar, 1986</ref><ref>''It was unfortunate that the previous night's patrol carried out by two troops, one each from Z and Y Companies, had been forced back by a heavy artillery barrage.'' The Falklands War: The Day by Day Record from Invasion to Victory, p. 314, Marshall Cavendish Limited, 1983</ref><ref>''On the evening of 8 June 3 PARA dispatched three large fighting patrols to Mount Longdon. Each comprised a half-platoon; one was accompanied by a guide from D (Patrols) Company and the other two by Falklands islanders Terry Peck and Vernon Steen. The patrols' mission was to locate suitable approaches to the objective and to test enemy reactions to probing. Unfortunately, however, the combination of a fine night and bright moonlight prevented them from penetrating enemy positions." Task Force: The Illustrated History of the Falklands War, David Reynolds, p. 179, Sutton, 2002</ref><ref>''But perhaps his greatest single asset was the RASIT radar set, with which he could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movement within several thousand metres. It proved extremely effective in pinpointing Para patrols as they probed the defences during the nights prior to the attack." The Last Eleven: Winners of the Victoria Cross since the Second World War, Mark Adkin, p. 196, Pen & Sword, 1991</ref>

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn't knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon under 2d Lt Francisco Ramón Galíndez Matienzo, McLaughlin was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA's mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result, A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade's 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand-to-hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes.

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers (armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns) under ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara (wounded in action) from the Córdoba-based 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>Private Guillermo Vélez recalls:{{cquote|They were guys from Córdoba, they had just arrived in the islands from Comodoro Rivadavia ... they had never heard a bomb, and they had been put there, in the middle of hell. We, theoretically, were going to receive, by radio, the orders. There were two signals, one to attack, and another to retreat, but in the middle of that mess we never received any order. We could not hear anything other than the bombs ... The A, B and C companies of the 7th had already retreated and we, as a result, ended up being the front line ... We were doing what we could; We could barely protect ourselves and occasionally answer the fire. We joined together in groups, and in front of us placed a defence line of MAG machine guns."<ref>Crónica Documental de las Malvinas: Testimonios y Documentos de la Guerra, Hugo Gambini, P. 885, Biblioteca de Redacción, 1982</ref>}}

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Horacio Benítez:{{cquote| I was behind a rock. They were shooting at me. Under the light of the star-shell I saw this guy and I shot at him. He must have been hit because I poured a whole magazine into him and he fell. But others were coming at me. I kept on shooting but they kept coming. Some who fell got up again and kept charging on, shooting at us. By this time they were all around me ... A sergeant was wounded. He shouted that he had been hit in the stomach. Another soldier was crying out for help but you couldn't help him. A grenade fell near him and it lifted him up in the air and he fell down again. He stood up and shouted: I'm hit, and he was swearing but he was still walking. He went round several soldiers and to one he said: I'm leaving you my rifle and to another: I'm leaving you my magazine, and then he started shouting: I'm leaving, I'm leaving, I'm leaving as if it was all over. As he was walking away he was hit by a phosphorus grenade; his clothes caught fire and he started screaming. But he was also lighting up our positions because he was like a human torch and we were waving him away so that he wouldn't show up our positions in the dark. At that moment we were not really interested whether he died or not. I had eight magazines with me but I had just run out of ammunition and had used all my grenades. I wasn't thinking straight any longer. The only thought in my head was to grab more ammunition and continue fighting. Something was forcing me to do it. Perhaps deep down I was even enjoying it because that's a primal instinct. I found more ammunition but as I was reloading I saw an English soldier in front of me. As I lifted my rifle I was shot in the head. I seemed to fall in slow motion. I was left there. The shot had been deflected by the helmet and had hit me in the neck. I couldn't move my head but I could still think. I can remember wondering whether I still had my arms. I tried to move my legs and I realised I had all my limbs. I thought: I'm alive. I tried to crawl back. I couldn't stand ... Finally I passed out because I had lost so much blood. I couldn't move but I could still think. When we reached the command post they told the captain: Here's Benitez - he's dead. They wrapped me up in a blanket and put me on top of a pile of corpses. A sergeant came along, he was writing down the names of the dead. He was crying. I must have blinked or moved or something because he realised I was still alive. He pulled me out, they gave me some morphine and took me to hospital.<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 189, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

According to Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable.<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death in the close-quarter battle:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us. <ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

Major Neame's officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-02-02T23:23:52Z

Raymondo: /* Wireless Ridge */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

On the night of June 8-9, Sergeant Roque Antonio Nista operating the Rasit ground surveillance radar on the western end of Longdon detected the presence of 100 Paras and Royal Marine Commandos near Murrell River. Machinegun, mortar and artillery fire disperse the British force that had planned to surprise the defenders on Mount Longdon and Two Sisters Mountain.<ref>''El mayor Carlos Carrizo Salvadores en Longdon dice: «La noche del 8 al 9, nuevamente el Sargento Nista (operador del radar) me informó sobre la presencia del enemigo, quien estaba ubicado en el mismo lugar que la vez anterior, pero ahora, separados en grupos: a 1.500 m el primero, 2.000 m el segundo, 3.000 m el tercero y 4.000 m el cuarto, tomadas estas distancias desde la posición del radar''. Martín Antonio Balza, Malvinas: Relatos de Soldados, p. 80, Círculo Militar, 1986</ref><ref>''It was unfortunate that the previous night's patrol carried out by two troops, one each from Z and Y Companies, had been forced back by a heavy artillery barrage.'' The Falklands War: The Day by Day Record from Invasion to Victory, p. 314, Marshall Cavendish Limited, 1983</ref><ref>''On the evening of 8 June 3 PARA dispatched three large fighting patrols to Mount Longdon. Each comprised a half-platoon; one was accompanied by a guide from D (Patrols) Company and the other two by Falklands islanders Terry Peck and Vernon Steen. The patrols' mission was to locate suitable approaches to the objective and to test enemy reactions to probing. Unfortunately, however, the combination of a fine night and bright moonlight prevented them from penetrating enemy positions." Task Force: The Illustrated History of the Falklands War, David Reynolds, p. 179, Sutton, 2002</ref><ref>''But perhaps his greatest single asset was the RASIT radar set, with which he could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movement within several thousand metres. It proved extremely effective in pinpointing Para patrols as they probed the defences during the nights prior to the attack." The Last Eleven: Winners of the Victoria Cross since the Second World War, Mark Adkin, p. 196, Pen & Sword, 1991</ref>

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn't knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon under 2d Lt Francisco Ramón Galíndez Matienzo, McLaughlin was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA's mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result, A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade's 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand-to-hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us. <ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers (armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns) under ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara (wounded in action) from the Córdoba-based 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>Private Guillermo Vélez recalls:{{cquote|They were guys from Córdoba, they had just arrived in the islands from Comodoro Rivadavia ... they had never heard a bomb, and they had been put there, in the middle of hell. We, theoretically, were going to receive, by radio, the orders. There were two signals, one to attack, and another to retreat, but in the middle of that mess we never received any order. We could not hear anything other than the bombs ... The A, B and C companies of the 7th had already retreated and we, as a result, ended up being the front line ... We were doing what we could; We could barely protect ourselves and occasionally answer the fire. We joined together in groups, and in front of us placed a defence line of MAG machine guns."<ref>Crónica Documental de las Malvinas: Testimonios y Documentos de la Guerra, Hugo Gambini, P. 885, Biblioteca de Redacción, 1982</ref>}}

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable.<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

According to Private Horacio Benítez:{{cquote| I was behind a rock. They were shooting at me. Under the light of the star-shell I saw this guy and I shot at him. He must have been hit because I poured a whole magazine into him and he fell. But others were coming at me. I kept on shooting but they kept coming. Some who fell got up again and kept charging on, shooting at us. By this time they were all around me ... A sergeant was wounded. He shouted that he had been hit in the stomach. Another soldier was crying out for help but you couldn't help him. A grenade fell near him and it lifted him up in the air and he fell down again. He stood up and shouted: I'm hit, and he was swearing but he was still walking. He went round several soldiers and to one he said: I'm leaving you my rifle and to another: I'm leaving you my magazine, and then he started shouting: I'm leaving, I'm leaving, I'm leaving as if it was all over. As he was walking away he was hit by a phosphorus grenade; his clothes caught fire and he started screaming. But he was also lighting up our positions because he was like a human torch and we were waving him away so that he wouldn't show up our positions in the dark. At that moment we were not really interested whether he died or not. I had eight magazines with me but I had just run out of ammunition and had used all my grenades. I wasn't thinking straight any longer. The only thought in my head was to grab more ammunition and continue fighting. Something was forcing me to do it. Perhaps deep down I was even enjoying it because that's a primal instinct. I found more ammunition but as I was reloading I saw an English soldier in front of me. As I lifted my rifle I was shot in the head. I seemed to fall in slow motion. I was left there. The shot had been deflected by the helmet and had hit me in the neck. I couldn't move my head but I could still think. I can remember wondering whether I still had my arms. I tried to move my legs and I realised I had all my limbs. I thought: I'm alive. I tried to crawl back. I couldn't stand ... Finally I passed out because I had lost so much blood. I couldn't move but I could still think. When we reached the command post they told the captain: Here's Benitez - he's dead. They wrapped me up in a blanket and put me on top of a pile of corpses. A sergeant came along, he was writing down the names of the dead. He was crying. I must have blinked or moved or something because he realised I was still alive. He pulled me out, they gave me some morphine and took me to hospital.<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 189, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Major Neame's officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-02-02T23:20:55Z

Raymondo: /* Wireless Ridge */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

On the night of June 8-9, Sergeant Roque Antonio Nista operating the Rasit ground surveillance radar on the western end of Longdon detected the presence of 100 Paras and Royal Marine Commandos near Murrell River. Machinegun, mortar and artillery fire disperse the British force that had planned to surprise the defenders on Mount Longdon and Two Sisters Mountain.<ref>''El mayor Carlos Carrizo Salvadores en Longdon dice: «La noche del 8 al 9, nuevamente el Sargento Nista (operador del radar) me informó sobre la presencia del enemigo, quien estaba ubicado en el mismo lugar que la vez anterior, pero ahora, separados en grupos: a 1.500 m el primero, 2.000 m el segundo, 3.000 m el tercero y 4.000 m el cuarto, tomadas estas distancias desde la posición del radar''. Martín Antonio Balza, Malvinas: Relatos de Soldados, p. 80, Círculo Militar, 1986</ref><ref>''It was unfortunate that the previous night's patrol carried out by two troops, one each from Z and Y Companies, had been forced back by a heavy artillery barrage.'' The Falklands War: The Day by Day Record from Invasion to Victory, p. 314, Marshall Cavendish Limited, 1983</ref><ref>''On the evening of 8 June 3 PARA dispatched three large fighting patrols to Mount Longdon. Each comprised a half-platoon; one was accompanied by a guide from D (Patrols) Company and the other two by Falklands islanders Terry Peck and Vernon Steen. The patrols' mission was to locate suitable approaches to the objective and to test enemy reactions to probing. Unfortunately, however, the combination of a fine night and bright moonlight prevented them from penetrating enemy positions." Task Force: The Illustrated History of the Falklands War, David Reynolds, p. 179, Sutton, 2002</ref><ref>''But perhaps his greatest single asset was the RASIT radar set, with which he could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movement within several thousand metres. It proved extremely effective in pinpointing Para patrols as they probed the defences during the nights prior to the attack." The Last Eleven: Winners of the Victoria Cross since the Second World War, Mark Adkin, p. 196, Pen & Sword, 1991</ref>

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn't knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon under 2d Lt Francisco Ramón Galíndez Matienzo, McLaughlin was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA's mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result, A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade's 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand-to-hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us. <ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers (armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns) under ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara (wounded in action) from the Córdoba-based 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>Private Guillermo Vélez recalls:{{cquote|They were guys from Córdoba, they had just arrived in the islands from Comodoro Rivadavia ... they had never heard a bomb, and they had been put there, in the middle of hell. We, theoretically, were going to receive, by radio, the orders. There were two signals, one to attack, and another to retreat, but in the middle of that mess we never received any order. We could not hear anything other than the bombs ... The A, B and C companies of the 7th had already retreated and we, as a result, ended up being the front line ... We were doing what we could; We could barely protect ourselves and occasionally answer the fire. We joined together in groups, and in front of us placed a defence line of MAG machine guns."<ref>Crónica Documental de las Malvinas: Testimonios y Documentos de la Guerra, Hugo Gambini, P. 885, Biblioteca de Redacción, 1982</ref>}}

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable.<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

According to Private Horacio Benítez:{{cquote| ''I was behind a rock. They were shooting at me. Under the light of the star-shell I saw this guy and I shot at him. He must have been hit because I poured a whole magazine into him and he fell. But others were coming at me. I kept on shooting but they kept coming. Some who fell got up again and kept charging on, shooting at us. By this time they were all around me ... A sergeant was wounded. He shouted that he had been hit in the stomach. Another soldier was crying out for help but you couldn't help him. A grenade fell near him and it lifted him up in the air and he fell down again. He stood up and shouted: I''m hit,' and he was swearing but he was still walking. He went round several soldiers and to one he said: I'm leaving you my rifle' and to another: I'm leaving you my magazine, and then he started shouting: I'm leaving, I'm leaving, I'm leaving as if it was all over. As he was walking away he was hit by a phosphorus grenade; his clothes caught fire and he started screaming. But he was also lighting up our positions because he was like a human torch and we were waving him away so that he wouldn't show up our positions in the dark. At that moment we were not really interested whether he died or not. I had eight magazines with me but I had just run out of ammunition and had used all my grenades. I wasn't thinking straight any longer. The only thought in my head was to grab more ammunition and continue fighting. Something was forcing me to do it. Perhaps deep down I was even enjoying it because that's a primal instinct. I found more ammunition but as I was reloading I saw an English soldier in front of me. As I lifted my rifle I was shot in the head. I seemed to fall in slow motion. I was left there. The shot had been deflected by the helmet and had hit me in the neck. I couldn't move my head but I could still think. I can remember wondering whether I still had my arms. I tried to move my legs and I realised I had all my limbs. I thought: I'm alive. I tried to crawl back. I couldn't stand ... Finally I passed out because I had lost so much blood. I couldn't move but I could still think. When we reached the command post they told the captain: Here's Benitez - he's dead. They wrapped me up in a blanket and put me on top of a pile of corpses. A sergeant came along, he was writing down the names of the dead. He was crying. I must have blinked or moved or something because he realised I was still alive. He pulled me out, they gave me some morphine and took me to hospital''.<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 189, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Major Neame's officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-02-02T23:19:54Z

Raymondo: /* Wireless Ridge */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

On the night of June 8-9, Sergeant Roque Antonio Nista operating the Rasit ground surveillance radar on the western end of Longdon detected the presence of 100 Paras and Royal Marine Commandos near Murrell River. Machinegun, mortar and artillery fire disperse the British force that had planned to surprise the defenders on Mount Longdon and Two Sisters Mountain.<ref>''El mayor Carlos Carrizo Salvadores en Longdon dice: «La noche del 8 al 9, nuevamente el Sargento Nista (operador del radar) me informó sobre la presencia del enemigo, quien estaba ubicado en el mismo lugar que la vez anterior, pero ahora, separados en grupos: a 1.500 m el primero, 2.000 m el segundo, 3.000 m el tercero y 4.000 m el cuarto, tomadas estas distancias desde la posición del radar''. Martín Antonio Balza, Malvinas: Relatos de Soldados, p. 80, Círculo Militar, 1986</ref><ref>''It was unfortunate that the previous night's patrol carried out by two troops, one each from Z and Y Companies, had been forced back by a heavy artillery barrage.'' The Falklands War: The Day by Day Record from Invasion to Victory, p. 314, Marshall Cavendish Limited, 1983</ref><ref>''On the evening of 8 June 3 PARA dispatched three large fighting patrols to Mount Longdon. Each comprised a half-platoon; one was accompanied by a guide from D (Patrols) Company and the other two by Falklands islanders Terry Peck and Vernon Steen. The patrols' mission was to locate suitable approaches to the objective and to test enemy reactions to probing. Unfortunately, however, the combination of a fine night and bright moonlight prevented them from penetrating enemy positions." Task Force: The Illustrated History of the Falklands War, David Reynolds, p. 179, Sutton, 2002</ref><ref>''But perhaps his greatest single asset was the RASIT radar set, with which he could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movement within several thousand metres. It proved extremely effective in pinpointing Para patrols as they probed the defences during the nights prior to the attack." The Last Eleven: Winners of the Victoria Cross since the Second World War, Mark Adkin, p. 196, Pen & Sword, 1991</ref>

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn't knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon under 2d Lt Francisco Ramón Galíndez Matienzo, McLaughlin was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA's mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result, A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade's 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand-to-hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us. <ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers (armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns) under ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara (wounded in action) from the Córdoba-based 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>Private Guillermo Vélez recalls:{{cquote|They were guys from Córdoba, they had just arrived in the islands from Comodoro Rivadavia ... they had never heard a bomb, and they had been put there, in the middle of hell. We, theoretically, were going to receive, by radio, the orders. There were two signals, one to attack, and another to retreat, but in the middle of that mess we never received any order. We could not hear anything other than the bombs ... The A, B and C companies of the 7th had already retreated and we, as a result, ended up being the front line ... We were doing what we could; We could barely protect ourselves and occasionally answer the fire. We joined together in groups, and in front of us placed a defence line of MAG machine guns."<ref>Crónica Documental de las Malvinas: Testimonios y Documentos de la Guerra, Hugo Gambini, P. 885, Biblioteca de Redacción, 1982</ref>}}

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable.<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

According to Private Horacio Benítez:{{cquote| I was behind a rock. They were shooting at me. Under the light of the star-shell I saw this guy and I shot at him. He must have been hit because I poured a whole magazine into him and he fell. But others were coming at me. I kept on shooting but they kept coming. Some who fell got up again and kept charging on, shooting at us. By this time they were all around me ... A sergeant was wounded. He shouted that he had been hit in the stomach. Another soldier was crying out for help but you couldn't help him. A grenade fell near him and it lifted him up in the air and he fell down again. He stood up and shouted: I''m hit,' and he was swearing but he was still walking. He went round several soldiers and to one he said: I'm leaving you my rifle' and to another: I'm leaving you my magazine, and then he started shouting: I'm leaving, I'm leaving, I'm leaving as if it was all over. As he was walking away he was hit by a phosphorus grenade; his clothes caught fire and he started screaming. But he was also lighting up our positions because he was like a human torch and we were waving him away so that he wouldn't show up our positions in the dark. At that moment we were not really interested whether he died or not. I had eight magazines with me but I had just run out of ammunition and had used all my grenades. I wasn't thinking straight any longer. The only thought in my head was to grab more ammunition and continue fighting. Something was forcing me to do it. Perhaps deep down I was even enjoying it because that's a primal instinct. I found more ammunition but as I was reloading I saw an English soldier in front of me. As I lifted my rifle I was shot in the head. I seemed to fall in slow motion. I was left there. The shot had been deflected by the helmet and had hit me in the neck. I couldn't move my head but I could still think. I can remember wondering whether I still had my arms. I tried to move my legs and I realised I had all my limbs. I thought: I'm alive. I tried to crawl back. I couldn't stand ... Finally I passed out because I had lost so much blood. I couldn't move but I could still think. When we reached the command post they told the captain: Here's Benitez - he's dead. They wrapped me up in a blanket and put me on top of a pile of corpses. A sergeant came along, he was writing down the names of the dead. He was crying. I must have blinked or moved or something because he realised I was still alive. He pulled me out, they gave me some morphine and took me to hospital.<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 189, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Major Neame's officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-02-02T23:17:53Z

Raymondo: /* Wireless Ridge */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

On the night of June 8-9, Sergeant Roque Antonio Nista operating the Rasit ground surveillance radar on the western end of Longdon detected the presence of 100 Paras and Royal Marine Commandos near Murrell River. Machinegun, mortar and artillery fire disperse the British force that had planned to surprise the defenders on Mount Longdon and Two Sisters Mountain.<ref>''El mayor Carlos Carrizo Salvadores en Longdon dice: «La noche del 8 al 9, nuevamente el Sargento Nista (operador del radar) me informó sobre la presencia del enemigo, quien estaba ubicado en el mismo lugar que la vez anterior, pero ahora, separados en grupos: a 1.500 m el primero, 2.000 m el segundo, 3.000 m el tercero y 4.000 m el cuarto, tomadas estas distancias desde la posición del radar''. Martín Antonio Balza, Malvinas: Relatos de Soldados, p. 80, Círculo Militar, 1986</ref><ref>''It was unfortunate that the previous night's patrol carried out by two troops, one each from Z and Y Companies, had been forced back by a heavy artillery barrage.'' The Falklands War: The Day by Day Record from Invasion to Victory, p. 314, Marshall Cavendish Limited, 1983</ref><ref>''On the evening of 8 June 3 PARA dispatched three large fighting patrols to Mount Longdon. Each comprised a half-platoon; one was accompanied by a guide from D (Patrols) Company and the other two by Falklands islanders Terry Peck and Vernon Steen. The patrols' mission was to locate suitable approaches to the objective and to test enemy reactions to probing. Unfortunately, however, the combination of a fine night and bright moonlight prevented them from penetrating enemy positions." Task Force: The Illustrated History of the Falklands War, David Reynolds, p. 179, Sutton, 2002</ref><ref>''But perhaps his greatest single asset was the RASIT radar set, with which he could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movement within several thousand metres. It proved extremely effective in pinpointing Para patrols as they probed the defences during the nights prior to the attack." The Last Eleven: Winners of the Victoria Cross since the Second World War, Mark Adkin, p. 196, Pen & Sword, 1991</ref>

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn't knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon under 2d Lt Francisco Ramón Galíndez Matienzo, McLaughlin was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA's mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result, A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade's 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand-to-hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us. <ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers (armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns) under ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara (wounded in action) from the Córdoba-based 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>Private Guillermo Vélez recalls:{{cquote|They were guys from Córdoba, they had just arrived in the islands from Comodoro Rivadavia ... they had never heard a bomb, and they had been put there, in the middle of hell. We, theoretically, were going to receive, by radio, the orders. There were two signals, one to attack, and another to retreat, but in the middle of that mess we never received any order. We could not hear anything other than the bombs ... The A, B and C companies of the 7th had already retreated and we, as a result, ended up being the front line ... We were doing what we could; We could barely protect ourselves and occasionally answer the fire. We joined together in groups, and in front of us placed a defence line of MAG machine guns."<ref>Crónica Documental de las Malvinas: Testimonios y Documentos de la Guerra, Hugo Gambini, P. 885, Biblioteca de Redacción, 1982</ref>}}

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable.<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

According to Private Horacio Benítez:{{cquote| I was behind a rock. They were shooting at me. Under the light of the star-shell I saw this guy and I shot at him. He must have been hit because I poured a whole magazine into him and he fell. But others were coming at me. I kept on shooting but they kept coming. Some who fell got up again and kept charging on, shooting at us. By this time they were all around me ... A sergeant was wounded. He shouted that he had been hit in the stomach. Another soldier was crying out for help but you couldn't help him. A grenade fell near him and it lifted him up in the air and he fell down again. He stood up and shouted: 'I''m hit,' and he was swearing but he was still walking. He went round several soldiers and to one he said: 'I'm leaving you my rifle' and to another: 'I'm leaving you my magazine,' and then he started shouting: 'I'm leaving, I'm leaving, I'm leaving' as if it was all over. As he was walking away he was hit by a phosphorus grenade; his clothes caught fire and he started screaming. But he was also lighting up our positions because he was like a human torch and we were waving him away so that he wouldn't show up our positions in the dark. At that moment we were not really interested whether he died or not. I had eight magazines with me but I had just run out of ammunition and had used all my grenades. I wasn't thinking straight any longer. The only thought in my head was to grab more ammunition and continue fighting. Something was forcing me to do it. Perhaps deep down I was even enjoying it because that's a primal instinct. I found more ammunition but as I was reloading I saw an English soldier in front of me. As I lifted my rifle I was shot in the head. I seemed to fall in slow motion. I was left there. The shot had been deflected by the helmet and had hit me in the neck. I couldn't move my head but I could still think. I can remember wondering whether I still had my arms. I tried to move my legs and I realised I had all my limbs. I thought: I'm alive. I tried to crawl back. I couldn't stand ... Finally I passed out because I had lost so much blood. I couldn't move but I could still think. When we reached the command post they told the captain: 'Here's Benitez - he's dead.' They wrapped me up in a blanket and put me on top of a pile of corpses. A sergeant came along, he was writing down the names of the dead. He was crying. I must have blinked or moved or something because he realised I was still alive. . He pulled me out, they gave me some morphine and took me to hospital.<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 189, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Major Neame's officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-25T14:38:55Z

Raymondo: /* Mount Longdon */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

On the night of June 8-9, Sergeant Roque Antonio Nista operating the Rasit ground surveillance radar on the western end of Longdon detected the presence of 100 Paras and Royal Marine Commandos near Murrell River. Machinegun, mortar and artillery fire disperse the British force that had planned to surprise the defenders on Mount Longdon and Two Sisters Mountain.<ref>''El mayor Carlos Carrizo Salvadores en Longdon dice: «La noche del 8 al 9, nuevamente el Sargento Nista (operador del radar) me informó sobre la presencia del enemigo, quien estaba ubicado en el mismo lugar que la vez anterior, pero ahora, separados en grupos: a 1.500 m el primero, 2.000 m el segundo, 3.000 m el tercero y 4.000 m el cuarto, tomadas estas distancias desde la posición del radar''. Martín Antonio Balza, Malvinas: Relatos de Soldados, p. 80, Círculo Militar, 1986</ref><ref>''It was unfortunate that the previous night's patrol carried out by two troops, one each from Z and Y Companies, had been forced back by a heavy artillery barrage.'' The Falklands War: The Day by Day Record from Invasion to Victory, p. 314, Marshall Cavendish Limited, 1983</ref><ref>''On the evening of 8 June 3 PARA dispatched three large fighting patrols to Mount Longdon. Each comprised a half-platoon; one was accompanied by a guide from D (Patrols) Company and the other two by Falklands islanders Terry Peck and Vernon Steen. The patrols' mission was to locate suitable approaches to the objective and to test enemy reactions to probing. Unfortunately, however, the combination of a fine night and bright moonlight prevented them from penetrating enemy positions." Task Force: The Illustrated History of the Falklands War, David Reynolds, p. 179, Sutton, 2002</ref><ref>''But perhaps his greatest single asset was the RASIT radar set, with which he could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movement within several thousand metres. It proved extremely effective in pinpointing Para patrols as they probed the defences during the nights prior to the attack." The Last Eleven: Winners of the Victoria Cross since the Second World War, Mark Adkin, p. 196, Pen & Sword, 1991</ref>

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn’t knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon under 2d Lt Francisco Ramón Galíndez Matienzo, McLaughlin was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA’s mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade’s 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand to hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us. <ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers (armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns) under ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara (wounded in action) from the Córdoba-based 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>Private Guillermo Vélez recalls:{{cquote|They were guys from Córdoba, they had just arrived in the islands from Comodoro Rivadavia ... they had never heard a bomb, and they had been put there, in the middle of hell. We, theoretically, were going to receive, by radio, the orders. There were two signals, one to attack, and another to retreat, but in the middle of that mess we never received any order. We could not hear anything other than the bombs ... The A, B and C companies of the 7th had already retreated and we, as a result, ended up being the front line ... We were doing what we could; We could barely protect ourselves and occasionally answer the fire. We joined together in groups, and in front of us placed a defence line of MAG machine guns."<ref>Crónica Documental de las Malvinas: Testimonios y Documentos de la Guerra, Hugo Gambini, P. 885, Biblioteca de Redacción, 1982</ref>}}

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| "I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable."<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Major Neame’s officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, a another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-25T14:26:56Z

Raymondo: /* Mount Longdon */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

On the night of June 8-9, Sergeant Roque Antonio Nista operating the Rasit ground surveillance radar on the western end of Longdon detected the presence of 100 Paras and Royal Marine Commandos near Murrell River. Machinegun, mortar and artillery fire disperse the British force that had planned to surprise the defenders on Mount Longdon and Two Sisters Mountain.<ref>''El mayor Carlos Carrizo Salvadores en Longdon dice: «La noche del 8 al 9, nuevamente el Sargento Nista (operador del radar) me informó sobre la presencia del enemigo, quien estaba ubicado en el mismo lugar que la vez anterior, pero ahora, separados en grupos: a 1.500 m el primero, 2.000 m el segundo, 3.000 m el tercero y 4.000 m el cuarto, tomadas estas distancias desde la posición del radar''. Martín Antonio Balza, Malvinas: Relatos de Soldados, p. 80, Círculo Militar, 1986</ref><ref>''It was unfortunate that the previous night's patrol carried out by two troops, one each from Z and Y Companies, had been forced back by a heavy artillery barrage.'' The Falklands War: The Day by Day Record from Invasion to Victory, p. 314, Marshall Cavendish Limited, 1983</ref><ref>''On the evening of 8 June 3 PARA dispatched three large fighting patrols to Mount Longdon. Each comprised a half-platoon; one was accompanied by a guide from D (Patrols) Company and the other two by Falklands islanders Terry Peck and Vernon Steen. The patrols' mission was to locate suitable approaches to the objective and to test enemy reactions to probing. Unfortunately, however, the combination of a fine night and bright moonlight prevented them from penetrating enemy positions" Task Force: The Illustrated History of the Falklands War, David Reynolds, p. 179, Sutton, 2002</ref>

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn’t knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon under 2d Lt Francisco Ramón Galíndez Matienzo, McLaughlin was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA’s mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade’s 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand to hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us. <ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers (armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns) under ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara (wounded in action) from the Córdoba-based 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>Private Guillermo Vélez recalls:{{cquote|They were guys from Córdoba, they had just arrived in the islands from Comodoro Rivadavia ... they had never heard a bomb, and they had been put there, in the middle of hell. We, theoretically, were going to receive, by radio, the orders. There were two signals, one to attack, and another to retreat, but in the middle of that mess we never received any order. We could not hear anything other than the bombs ... The A, B and C companies of the 7th had already retreated and we, as a result, ended up being the front line ... We were doing what we could; We could barely protect ourselves and occasionally answer the fire. We joined together in groups, and in front of us placed a defence line of MAG machine guns."<ref>Crónica Documental de las Malvinas: Testimonios y Documentos de la Guerra, Hugo Gambini, P. 885, Biblioteca de Redacción, 1982</ref>}}

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| "I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable."<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Major Neame’s officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, a another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-25T14:04:30Z

Raymondo: /* Mount Longdon */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn’t knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon under 2d Lt Francisco Ramón Galíndez Matienzo, McLaughlin was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA’s mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade’s 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand to hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us. <ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers (armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns) under ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara (wounded in action) from the Córdoba-based 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>Private Guillermo Vélez recalls:{{cquote|They were guys from Córdoba, they had just arrived in the islands from Comodoro Rivadavia ... they had never heard a bomb, and they had been put there, in the middle of hell. We, theoretically, were going to receive, by radio, the orders. There were two signals, one to attack, and another to retreat, but in the middle of that mess we never received any order. We could not hear anything other than the bombs ... The A, B and C companies of the 7th had already retreated and we, as a result, ended up being the front line ... We were doing what we could; We could barely protect ourselves and occasionally answer the fire. We joined together in groups, and in front of us placed a defence line of MAG machine guns."<ref>Crónica Documental de las Malvinas: Testimonios y Documentos de la Guerra, Hugo Gambini, P. 885, Biblioteca de Redacción, 1982</ref>}}

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| "I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable."<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Major Neame’s officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, a another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-22T02:20:40Z

Raymondo: /* Aftermath */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==No-Man's-Land==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

As the Battle of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge commenced, 45 Commando, under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead, in the centre, moved off towards their start-lines ('Pub Garden') for the attack on Two Sisters Mountain. Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company spearheaded the attack. The Royal Marines preferred to attack under the cover of night. Such was the importance attached to lives.

'X-Ray' Company would assault the lower ridges of the southern peak ('Long Toenail') of Two Sisters from the west, 'Zulu' Company would attack the northern peak, known in 45 Commando as 'Summer Days', and 'Yankee' Company would then assault the eastern ridge. The local commander on the Two Sisters ridge was Major Ricardo Mario Cordón, second-in-command of the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Infantry Regiment.

The first attack against 'Long Toenail' came in around 11.30 PM Falklands time and Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop – a Royal Marine Troop is like an Army Platoon – managed to get very close to 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon, 'C' Company, 4th Regiment. But the attack was beaten off by rifle and machine-gun fire. Second Lieutenant Llambias-Pravaz rallied his men with the old Guarani war-cry of 'Sapukay!' The Royal Marine Commandos in 'X' Company pushed hard when prudent, but avoided rash moves.

The Argentine conscripts on 'Long Toenail' stood to their machineguns and Instalaza anti-tank rocket launchers and defied the attackers. Lieutenant Stewart's men flung themeselves again at the Argentinians but, were driven off much to the frustration of Captain Gardiner. Despite this, some Argentinians had to pull in a bit or be overrun. The combat was extremely rough being fought in cold wind over a bare rocky ridge and around huge boulders.

Eventually the Argentines had to retreat. After about 3 hours of chaotic night fighting the men of 3rd Platoon fell back from 'Long Toenail'.

The great fight at 'Long Toenail' cost Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon a third of its strength. The assault on the southern peak was supported by 40 Commando's Anti-Tank Troop and innumerable 66mm LAW anti-tank rockets. 'X Ray' Company found the Milan missiles to be a very effective way of dislodging Llambías Pravaz's defiant 3rd Platoon, but expensive at 35,000 US dollars each.

2d Lt Llambías Pravaz was one of the recent April 1982 graduates from the Army Academy. His outstanding courage was recognized by the award of the Gallantry in Combat Medal.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for 'Long Toenail', 'Zulu' Company followed by 'Yankee' Company to their right, moved off from 'Pub Garden' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by 'X-Ray' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated 'Zulu' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

The Royal Marines now chose to demonstrate that gung-ho as they could be, they also had a human side. When the remnants of 1st Platoon, 'A' Company, 4th Regiment were withdrawn, their wounded platoon commander was overlooked in the dark and taken by the Royal Marines. When it became apparent that the Argentine Artillery was about to bombard Two Sisters, the Royal Marines moved the wounded officer to a place of safety where he could be shielded from the incoming fire.

British war correspondent Robert Fox recalls that:{{cquote|A second lieutenant with a smashed lower leg said he couldn't walk. I hoisted him so that he could put his arm on my shoulder. He was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and felt almost one and a half times my weight. I asked him how badly he was hurt. 'Agua, agua', (water, water) was all he could whimper in reply. We laid him on the ground and managed to get a helicopter to take him away.<ref>Eyewitness Falklands, Robert Fox, pp. 255-256</ref>}}

The reserve platoon under Second Lieutenant Juan Nazer had been heavily mortared and had given up ground almost immediately. Nazer's platoon had failed to prepare a firm platoon defence line facing Murrell River, possibly as a result of exhaustion following their long debilitating period on Beagle Ridge.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-guns, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva (a paratrooper) had retreated to new positions on Tumbledown Mountain and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the Royal Marines opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected a mass British helicopter-borne infantry assault to materialize from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the bitter end, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-21T15:08:09Z

Raymondo: /* Wireless Ridge */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn’t knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon, he was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA’s mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade’s 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand to hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us. <ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers (armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns) under ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara (wounded in action) from the Córdoba-based 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>Private Guillermo Vélez recalls:{{cquote|They were guys from Córdoba, they had just arrived in the islands from Comodoro Rivadavia ... they had never heard a bomb, and they had been put there, in the middle of hell. We, theoretically, were going to receive, by radio, the orders. There were two signals, one to attack, and another to retreat, but in the middle of that mess we never received any order. We could not hear anything other than the bombs ... The A, B and C companies of the 7th had already retreated and we, as a result, ended up being the front line ... We were doing what we could; We could barely protect ourselves and occasionally answer the fire. We joined together in groups, and in front of us placed a defence line of MAG machine guns."<ref>Crónica Documental de las Malvinas: Testimonios y Documentos de la Guerra, Hugo Gambini, P. 885, Biblioteca de Redacción, 1982</ref>}}

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| "I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable."<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Major Neame’s officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, a another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-21T15:01:10Z

Raymondo: /* Wireless Ridge */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn’t knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon, he was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA’s mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade’s 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand to hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us. <ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers (armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns) under ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara (wounded in action) from the Córdoba-based 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>Private Guillermo Vélez recalls:{{cquote| "They were guys from Córdoba, they had just arrived in the islands from Comodoro Rivadavia ... they had never heard a bomb, and they had been put there, in the middle of hell. We, theoretically, were going to receive, by radio, the orders. There were two signals, one to attack, and another to retreat, but in the middle of that mess we never received any order. We could not hear anything other than the bombs ... The A, B and C companies of the 7th had already retreated and we, as a result, ended up the front line ... We were doing what we could; We could barely protect ourselves and occasionally answer the fire. We joined together in groups, and in front of us placed a first line of MAG machine guns."<ref>Crónica Documental de las Malvinas: Testimonios y Documentos de la Guerra, Hugo Gambini, P. 885, Biblioteca de Redacción, 1982</ref>}}

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| "I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable."<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Major Neame’s officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, a another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-21T14:57:55Z

Raymondo: /* Wireless Ridge */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn’t knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon, he was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA’s mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade’s 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand to hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us.<ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers (armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns under ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara (wounded in action) from the Córdoba-based 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>of the 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>.Private Guillermo Vélez recalls:{{cquote| "They were guys from Córdoba, they had just arrived in the islands from Comodoro Rivadavia ... they had never heard a bomb, and they had been put there, in the middle of hell. We, theoretically, were going to receive, by radio, the orders. There were two signals, one to attack, and another to retreat, but in the middle of that mess we never received any order. We could not hear anything other than the bombs ... The A, B and C companies of the 7th had already retreated and we, as a result, ended up the front line ... We were doing what we could; We could barely protect ourselves and occasionally answer the fire. We joined together in groups, and in front of us placed a first line of MAG machine guns."<ref>Crónica Documental de las Malvinas: Testimonios y Documentos de la Guerra, Hugo Gambini, P. 885, Biblioteca de Redacción, 1982</ref>}}

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| "I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable."<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Major Neame’s officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, a another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-21T13:37:46Z

Raymondo: /* Wireless Ridge */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn’t knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon, he was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA’s mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade’s 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand to hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us.<ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns under the wounded ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>of the 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>.

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| "I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable."<ref>Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Major Neame’s officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, a another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-21T13:36:20Z

Raymondo: /* Wireless Ridge */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn’t knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon, he was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA’s mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade’s 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand to hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us.<ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns under the wounded ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>of the 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>.

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Private Patricio Pérez:{{cquote| "I was carrying two rifles and I noticed that there was a sniper who was pinning me down. I wanted to come out of the rock and kill him but I couldn't because the firing was so intense. At that moment I heard somebody shout that he had seen the sniper. I came out, saw that he was leaning over the rock and shot at him and his gun fell silent. I saw him fall but I don't know whether he was wounded or dead. That kind of combat among the rocks is like a Western, but it all happens so fast that you don't quite realise what is going on ... What I felt at that moment was mostly hatred. I wanted revenge. I had forgotten fear by then, what sort of risk I was taking; the only thing I wanted to do, my obsession, was to avenge my fallen comrades. Whenever I saw one of my friends hit it was worse, it just made me want to continue fighting, it didn't matter for how long or at what cost. I didn't care about death at that time, the main thing was revenge ... We sent the wounded down and returned to the battle and fought on for four hours. Luckily after the surrender I found out that Horacio had survived. People greeted the surrender with relief. They were all crying. That wasn't how I reacted. I had been fighting for many hours and I was not prepared to give up my rifle until forced to do so. It's different for those who had been in actual combat. I couldn't give my rifle back until they took it away from me, and when I did give it back I made sure it was completely unusable.".<ref>Michael Bilton, Peter Kosminsky, Speaking Out: Untold Stories from the Falklands War, p. 192, Andre Deutsch, 1989</ref>}}

Major Neame’s officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, a another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-20T00:23:32Z

Raymondo: /* Harriet */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==No-Man's-Land==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

As the Battle of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge commenced, 45 Commando, under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead, in the centre, moved off towards their start-lines ('Pub Garden') for the attack on Two Sisters Mountain. Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company spearheaded the attack. The Royal Marines preferred to attack under the cover of night. Such was the importance attached to lives.

'X-Ray' Company would assault the lower ridges of the southern peak ('Long Toenail') of Two Sisters from the west, 'Zulu' Company would attack the northern peak, known in 45 Commando as 'Summer Days', and 'Yankee' Company would then assault the eastern ridge. The local commander on the Two Sisters ridge was Major Ricardo Mario Cordón, second-in-command of the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Infantry Regiment.

The first attack against 'Long Toenail' came in around 11.30 PM Falklands time and Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop – a Royal Marine Troop is like an Army Platoon – managed to get very close to 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon, 'C' Company, 4th Regiment. But the attack was beaten off by rifle and machine-gun fire. Second Lieutenant Llambias-Pravaz rallied his men with the old Guarani war-cry of 'Sapukay!' The Royal Marine Commandos in 'X' Company pushed hard when prudent, but avoided rash moves.

The Argentine conscripts on 'Long Toenail' stood to their machineguns and Instalaza anti-tank rocket launchers and defied the attackers. Lieutenant Stewart's men flung themeselves again at the Argentinians but, were driven off much to the frustration of Captain Gardiner. Despite this, some Argentinians had to pull in a bit or be overrun. The combat was extremely rough being fought in cold wind over a bare rocky ridge and around huge boulders.

Eventually the Argentines had to retreat. After about 3 hours of chaotic night fighting the men of 3rd Platoon fell back from 'Long Toenail'.

The great fight at 'Long Toenail' cost Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon a third of its strength. The assault on the southern peak was supported by 40 Commando's Anti-Tank Troop and innumerable 66mm LAW anti-tank rockets. 'X Ray' Company found the Milan missiles to be a very effective way of dislodging Llambías Pravaz's defiant 3rd Platoon, but expensive at 35,000 US dollars each.

2d Lt Llambías Pravaz was one of the recent April 1982 graduates from the Army Academy. His outstanding courage was recognized by the award of the Gallantry in Combat Medal.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for 'Long Toenail', 'Zulu' Company followed by 'Yankee' Company to their right, moved off from 'Pub Garden' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by 'X-Ray' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated 'Zulu' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

The Royal Marines now chose to demonstrate that gung-ho as they could be, they also had a human side. When the remnants of 1st Platoon, 'A' Company, 4th Regiment were withdrawn, their wounded platoon commander was overlooked in the dark and taken by the Royal Marines. When it became apparent that the Argentine Artillery was about to bombard Two Sisters, the Royal Marines moved the wounded officer to a place of safety where he could be shielded from the incoming fire.

British war correspondent Robert Fox recalls that:{{cquote|A second lieutenant with a smashed lower leg said he couldn't walk. I hoisted him so that he could put his arm on my shoulder. He was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and felt almost one and a half times my weight. I asked him how badly he was hurt. 'Agua, agua', (water, water) was all he could whimper in reply. We laid him on the ground and managed to get a helicopter to take him away.<ref>Eyewitness Falklands, Robert Fox, pp. 255-256</ref>}}

The reserve platoon under Second Lieutenant Juan Nazer had been heavily mortared and had given up ground almost immediately. Nazer's platoon had failed to prepare a firm platoon defence line facing Murrell River, possibly as a result of exhaustion following their long debilitating period on Beagle Ridge.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-guns, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva (a paratrooper) had retreated to new positions on Tumbledown Mountain and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the Royal Marines opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the bitter end, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-20T00:22:21Z

Raymondo: /* Harriet */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==No-Man's-Land==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

As the Battle of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge commenced, 45 Commando, under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead, in the centre, moved off towards their start-lines ('Pub Garden') for the attack on Two Sisters Mountain. Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company spearheaded the attack. The Royal Marines preferred to attack under the cover of night. Such was the importance attached to lives.

'X-Ray' Company would assault the lower ridges of the southern peak ('Long Toenail') of Two Sisters from the west, 'Zulu' Company would attack the northern peak, known in 45 Commando as 'Summer Days', and 'Yankee' Company would then assault the eastern ridge. The local commander on the Two Sisters ridge was Major Ricardo Mario Cordón, second-in-command of the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Infantry Regiment.

The first attack against 'Long Toenail' came in around 11.30 PM Falklands time and Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop – a Royal Marine Troop is like an Army Platoon – managed to get very close to 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon, 'C' Company, 4th Regiment. But the attack was beaten off by rifle and machine-gun fire. Second Lieutenant Llambias-Pravaz rallied his men with the old Guarani war-cry of 'Sapukay!' The Royal Marine Commandos in 'X' Company pushed hard when prudent, but avoided rash moves.

The Argentine conscripts on 'Long Toenail' stood to their machineguns and Instalaza anti-tank rocket launchers and defied the attackers. Lieutenant Stewart's men flung themeselves again at the Argentinians but, were driven off much to the frustration of Captain Gardiner. Despite this, some Argentinians had to pull in a bit or be overrun. The combat was extremely rough being fought in cold wind over a bare rocky ridge and around huge boulders.

Eventually the Argentines had to retreat. After about 3 hours of chaotic night fighting the men of 3rd Platoon fell back from 'Long Toenail'.

The great fight at 'Long Toenail' cost Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon a third of its strength. The assault on the southern peak was supported by 40 Commando's Anti-Tank Troop and innumerable 66mm LAW anti-tank rockets. 'X Ray' Company found the Milan missiles to be a very effective way of dislodging Llambías Pravaz's defiant 3rd Platoon, but expensive at 35,000 US dollars each.

2d Lt Llambías Pravaz was one of the recent April 1982 graduates from the Army Academy. His outstanding courage was recognized by the award of the Gallantry in Combat Medal.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for 'Long Toenail', 'Zulu' Company followed by 'Yankee' Company to their right, moved off from 'Pub Garden' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by 'X-Ray' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated 'Zulu' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

The Royal Marines now chose to demonstrate that gung-ho as they could be, they also had a human side. When the remnants of 1st Platoon, 'A' Company, 4th Regiment were withdrawn, their wounded platoon commander was overlooked in the dark and taken by the Royal Marines. When it became apparent that the Argentine Artillery was about to bombard Two Sisters, the Royal Marines moved the wounded officer to a place of safety where he could be shielded from the incoming fire.

British war correspondent Robert Fox recalls that:{{cquote|A second lieutenant with a smashed lower leg said he couldn't walk. I hoisted him so that he could put his arm on my shoulder. He was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and felt almost one and a half times my weight. I asked him how badly he was hurt. 'Agua, agua', (water, water) was all he could whimper in reply. We laid him on the ground and managed to get a helicopter to take him away.<ref>Eyewitness Falklands, Robert Fox, pp. 255-256</ref>}}

The reserve platoon under Second Lieutenant Juan Nazer had been heavily mortared and had given up ground almost immediately. Nazer's platoon had failed to prepare a firm platoon defence line facing Murrell River, possibly as a result of exhaustion following their long debilitating period on Beagle Ridge.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva (a paratrooper) had retreated to new positions on Tumbledown Mountain and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the Royal Marines opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the bitter end, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-20T00:19:23Z

Raymondo: /* Aftermath */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==No-Man's-Land==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

As the Battle of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge commenced, 45 Commando, under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead, in the centre, moved off towards their start-lines ('Pub Garden') for the attack on Two Sisters Mountain. Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company spearheaded the attack. The Royal Marines preferred to attack under the cover of night. Such was the importance attached to lives.

'X-Ray' Company would assault the lower ridges of the southern peak ('Long Toenail') of Two Sisters from the west, 'Zulu' Company would attack the northern peak, known in 45 Commando as 'Summer Days', and 'Yankee' Company would then assault the eastern ridge. The local commander on the Two Sisters ridge was Major Ricardo Mario Cordón, second-in-command of the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Infantry Regiment.

The first attack against 'Long Toenail' came in around 11.30 PM Falklands time and Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop – a Royal Marine Troop is like an Army Platoon – managed to get very close to 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon, 'C' Company, 4th Regiment. But the attack was beaten off by rifle and machine-gun fire. Second Lieutenant Llambias-Pravaz rallied his men with the old Guarani war-cry of 'Sapukay!' The Royal Marine Commandos in 'X' Company pushed hard when prudent, but avoided rash moves.

The Argentine conscripts on 'Long Toenail' stood to their machineguns and Instalaza anti-tank rocket launchers and defied the attackers. Lieutenant Stewart's men flung themeselves again at the Argentinians but, were driven off much to the frustration of Captain Gardiner. Despite this, some Argentinians had to pull in a bit or be overrun. The combat was extremely rough being fought in cold wind over a bare rocky ridge and around huge boulders.

Eventually the Argentines had to retreat. After about 3 hours of chaotic night fighting the men of 3rd Platoon fell back from 'Long Toenail'.

The great fight at 'Long Toenail' cost Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon a third of its strength. The assault on the southern peak was supported by 40 Commando's Anti-Tank Troop and innumerable 66mm LAW anti-tank rockets. 'X Ray' Company found the Milan missiles to be a very effective way of dislodging Llambías Pravaz's defiant 3rd Platoon, but expensive at 35,000 US dollars each.

2d Lt Llambías Pravaz was one of the recent April 1982 graduates from the Army Academy. His outstanding courage was recognized by the award of the Gallantry in Combat Medal.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for 'Long Toenail', 'Zulu' Company followed by 'Yankee' Company to their right, moved off from 'Pub Garden' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by 'X-Ray' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated 'Zulu' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

The Royal Marines now chose to demonstrate that gung-ho as they could be, they also had a human side. When the remnants of 1st Platoon, 'A' Company, 4th Regiment were withdrawn, their wounded platoon commander was overlooked in the dark and taken by the Royal Marines. When it became apparent that the Argentine Artillery was about to bombard Two Sisters, the Royal Marines moved the wounded officer to a place of safety where he could be shielded from the incoming fire.

British war correspondent Robert Fox recalls that:{{cquote|A second lieutenant with a smashed lower leg said he couldn't walk. I hoisted him so that he could put his arm on my shoulder. He was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and felt almost one and a half times my weight. I asked him how badly he was hurt. 'Agua, agua', (water, water) was all he could whimper in reply. We laid him on the ground and managed to get a helicopter to take him away.<ref>Eyewitness Falklands, Robert Fox, pp. 255-256</ref>}}

The reserve platoon under Second Lieutenant Juan Nazer had been heavily mortared and had given up ground almost immediately. Nazer's platoon had failed to prepare a firm platoon defence line facing Murrell River, possibly as a result of exhaustion following their long debilitating period on Beagle Ridge.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva had retreated and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the Royal Marines opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the bitter end, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-18T23:54:13Z

Raymondo:

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==No-Man's-Land==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

As the Battle of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge commenced, 45 Commando, under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead, in the centre, moved off towards their start-lines ('Pub Garden') for the attack on Two Sisters Mountain. Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company spearheaded the attack. The Royal Marines preferred to attack under the cover of night. Such was the importance attached to lives.

'X-Ray' Company would assault the lower ridges of the southern peak ('Long Toenail') of Two Sisters from the west, 'Zulu' Company would attack the northern peak, known in 45 Commando as 'Summer Days', and 'Yankee' Company would then assault the eastern ridge. The local commander on the Two Sisters ridge was Major Ricardo Mario Cordón, second-in-command of the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Infantry Regiment.

The first attack against 'Long Toenail' came in around 11.30 PM Falklands time and Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop – a Royal Marine Troop is like an Army Platoon – managed to get very close to 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon, 'C' Company, 4th Regiment. But the attack was beaten off by rifle and machine-gun fire. Second Lieutenant Llambias-Pravaz rallied his men with the old Guarani war-cry of 'Sapukay!' The Royal Marine Commandos in 'X' Company pushed hard when prudent, but avoided rash moves.

The Argentine conscripts on 'Long Toenail' stood to their machineguns and Instalaza anti-tank rocket launchers and defied the attackers. Lieutenant Stewart's men flung themeselves again at the Argentinians but, were driven off much to the frustration of Captain Gardiner. Despite this, some Argentinians had to pull in a bit or be overrun. The combat was extremely rough being fought in cold wind over a bare rocky ridge and around huge boulders.

Eventually the Argentines had to retreat. After about 3 hours of chaotic night fighting the men of 3rd Platoon fell back from 'Long Toenail'.

The great fight at 'Long Toenail' cost Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon a third of its strength. The assault on the southern peak was supported by 40 Commando's Anti-Tank Troop and innumerable 66mm LAW anti-tank rockets. 'X Ray' Company found the Milan missiles to be a very effective way of dislodging Llambías Pravaz's defiant 3rd Platoon, but expensive at 35,000 US dollars each.

2d Lt Llambías Pravaz was one of the recent April 1982 graduates from the Army Academy. His outstanding courage was recognized by the award of the Gallantry in Combat Medal.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for 'Long Toenail', 'Zulu' Company followed by 'Yankee' Company to their right, moved off from 'Pub Garden' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by 'X-Ray' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated 'Zulu' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

The Royal Marines now chose to demonstrate that gung-ho as they could be, they also had a human side. When the remnants of 1st Platoon, 'A' Company, 4th Regiment were withdrawn, their wounded platoon commander was overlooked in the dark and taken by the Royal Marines. When it became apparent that the Argentine Artillery was about to bombard Two Sisters, the Royal Marines moved the wounded officer to a place of safety where he could be shielded from the incoming fire.

British war correspondent Robert Fox recalls that:{{cquote|A second lieutenant with a smashed lower leg said he couldn't walk. I hoisted him so that he could put his arm on my shoulder. He was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and felt almost one and a half times my weight. I asked him how badly he was hurt. 'Agua, agua', (water, water) was all he could whimper in reply. We laid him on the ground and managed to get a helicopter to take him away.<ref>Eyewitness Falklands, Robert Fox, pp. 255-256</ref>}}

The reserve platoon under Second Lieutenant Juan Nazer had been heavily mortared and had given up ground almost immediately. Nazer's platoon had failed to prepare a firm platoon defence line facing Murrell River, possibly as a result of exhaustion following their long debilitating period on Beagle Ridge.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva had retreated and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the death, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-18T23:08:42Z

Raymondo: /* Two Sisters */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==Patrol action==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

As the Battle of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge commenced, 45 Commando, under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead, in the centre, moved off towards their start-lines ('Pub Garden') for the attack on Two Sisters Mountain. Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company spearheaded the attack. The Royal Marines preferred to attack under the cover of night. Such was the importance attached to lives.

'X-Ray' Company would assault the lower ridges of the southern peak ('Long Toenail') of Two Sisters from the west, 'Zulu' Company would attack the northern peak, known in 45 Commando as 'Summer Days', and 'Yankee' Company would then assault the eastern ridge. The local commander on the Two Sisters ridge was Major Ricardo Mario Cordón, second-in-command of the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Infantry Regiment.

The first attack against 'Long Toenail' came in around 11.30 PM Falklands time and Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop – a Royal Marine Troop is like an Army Platoon – managed to get very close to 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon, 'C' Company, 4th Regiment. But the attack was beaten off by rifle and machine-gun fire. Second Lieutenant Llambias-Pravaz rallied his men with the old Guarani war-cry of 'Sapukay!' The Royal Marine Commandos in 'X' Company pushed hard when prudent, but avoided rash moves.

The Argentine conscripts on 'Long Toenail' stood to their machineguns and Instalaza anti-tank rocket launchers and defied the attackers. Lieutenant Stewart's men flung themeselves again at the Argentinians but, were driven off much to the frustration of Captain Gardiner. Despite this, some Argentinians had to pull in a bit or be overrun. The combat was extremely rough being fought in cold wind over a bare rocky ridge and around huge boulders.

Eventually the Argentines had to retreat. After about 3 hours of chaotic night fighting the men of 3rd Platoon fell back from 'Long Toenail'.

The great fight at 'Long Toenail' cost Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon a third of its strength. The assault on the southern peak was supported by 40 Commando's Anti-Tank Troop and innumerable 66mm LAW anti-tank rockets. 'X Ray' Company found the Milan missiles to be a very effective way of dislodging Llambías Pravaz's defiant 3rd Platoon, but expensive at 35,000 US dollars each.

2d Lt Llambías Pravaz was one of the recent April 1982 graduates from the Army Academy. His outstanding courage was recognized by the award of the Gallantry in Combat Medal.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for 'Long Toenail', 'Zulu' Company followed by 'Yankee' Company to their right, moved off from 'Pub Garden' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by 'X-Ray' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated 'Zulu' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

The Royal Marines now chose to demonstrate that gung-ho as they could be, they also had a human side. When the remnants of 1st Platoon, 'A' Company, 4th Regiment were withdrawn, their wounded platoon commander was overlooked in the dark and taken by the Royal Marines. When it became apparent that the Argentine Artillery was about to bombard Two Sisters, the Royal Marines moved the wounded officer to a place of safety where he could be shielded from the incoming fire.

British war correspondent Robert Fox recalls that:{{cquote|A second lieutenant with a smashed lower leg said he couldn't walk. I hoisted him so that he could put his arm on my shoulder. He was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and felt almost one and a half times my weight. I asked him how badly he was hurt. 'Agua, agua', (water, water) was all he could whimper in reply. We laid him on the ground and managed to get a helicopter to take him away.<ref>Eyewitness Falklands, Robert Fox, pp. 255-256</ref>}}

The reserve platoon under Second Lieutenant Juan Nazer had been heavily mortared and had given up ground almost immediately. Nazer's platoon had failed to prepare a firm platoon defence line facing Murrell River, possibly as a result of exhaustion following their long debilitating period on Beagle Ridge.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva had retreated and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the death, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-18T22:50:24Z

Raymondo: /* Two Sisters */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==Patrol action==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

45 Commando's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's plan was for 'X-Ray' Company to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south western peak ('Long Toenail') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Commando's Milan Troop. 'Zulu' Company would then assault the northern peak ('Summer Days'), and 'Yankee' Company would clear the eastern end of Two Sisters.

On June 11th, 45 Commando less 'X-Ray' Company left their positions behind Mount Kent and moving around the north side, reached the main start line ('Pub Garden') as planned. Meanwhile, Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company, marching down between Mount's Kent and Challenger and heavily weighed down, especially by the MILAN, arrived at the start line over two hours late. After a short rest, they began their move towards 'Long Toenail' at 11.00 pm local time.

''X-Ray'' Company headed across the open ground towards ''Long Toenail'' led by Lieutenant James Kelly's 1 Troop, and less than a mile short of the peak, Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop took over the lead, but halfway up was stopped by heavy machine gun fire and forced back. The enemy positions were hit by Milans and some mortar fire, and now Lieutenant Chris Caroe's 2 Troop pushed on to the summit under naval artillery fire. Reaching there, they were forced back by Argentinian shellfire, but shortly returned driving off the Argentinian 3rd Platoon.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for ''Long Toenail'', ''Zulu'' Company followed by ''Yankee'' Company to their right, moved off from ''Pub Garden'' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by ''X-Ray'' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated ''Zulu'' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

The Royal Marines now chose to demonstrate that gung-ho as they could be, they also had a human side. When the remnants of 1st Platoon, 'A' Company, 4th Regiment were withdrawn, their wounded platoon commander was overlooked in the dark and taken by the Royal Marines. When it became apparent that the Argentine Artillery was about to bombard Two Sisters, the Royal Marines moved the wounded officer to a place of safety where he could be shielded from the incoming fire.

British war correspondent Robert Fox recalls that:{{cquote|A second lieutenant with a smashed lower leg said he couldn't walk. I hoisted him so that he could put his arm on my shoulder. He was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and felt almost one and a half times my weight. I asked him how badly he was hurt. 'Agua, agua', (water, water) was all he could whimper in reply. We laid him on the ground and managed to get a helicopter to take him away.<ref>Eyewitness Falklands, Robert Fox, pp. 255-256</ref>}}

The reserve platoon under Second Lieutenant Juan Nazer had been heavily mortared and had given up ground almost immediately. Nazer's platoon had failed to prepare a firm platoon defence line facing Murrell River, possibly as a result of exhaustion following their long debilitating period on Beagle Ridge.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva had retreated and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the death, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-18T22:44:37Z

Raymondo: /* Two Sisters */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==Patrol action==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

45 Commando's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's plan was for ''X-Ray'' Company to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south western peak (''Long Toenail'') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Commando's Milan Troop. ''Zulu'' Company would then assault the northern peak (''Summer Days''), and ''Yankee'' Company would clear the eastern end of Two Sisters.

On June 11th, 45 Commando less ''X-Ray'' Company left their positions behind Mount Kent and moving around the north side, reached the main start line (''Pub Garden'') as planned. Meanwhile, Captain Ian Gardiner's ''X-Ray'' Company, marching down between Mount's Kent and Challenger and heavily weighed down, especially by the Milans, arrived at the start line over two hours late. After a short rest, they began their move towards ''Long Toenail'' at 11.00 pm local time.

''X-Ray'' Company headed across the open ground towards ''Long Toenail'' led by Lieutenant James Kelly's 1 Troop, and less than a mile short of the peak, Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop took over the lead, but halfway up was stopped by heavy machine gun fire and forced back. The enemy positions were hit by Milans and some mortar fire, and now Lieutenant Chris Caroe's 2 Troop pushed on to the summit under naval artillery fire. Reaching there, they were forced back by Argentinian shellfire, but shortly returned driving off the Argentinian 3rd Platoon.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for ''Long Toenail'', ''Zulu'' Company followed by ''Yankee'' Company to their right, moved off from ''Pub Garden'' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by ''X-Ray'' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated ''Zulu'' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

The Royal Marines now chose to demonstrate that gung-ho as they could be, they also had a human side. When the remnants of 1st Platoon, 'A' Company, 4th Regiment were withdrawn, their wounded platoon commander was overlooked in the dark and taken by the Royal Marines. When it became apparent that the Argentine Artillery was about to bombard Two Sisters, the Royal Marines moved the wounded officer to a place of safety where he could be shielded from the incoming fire.

British war correspondent Robert Fox recalls that:{{cquote|A second lieutenant with a smashed lower leg said he couldn't walk. I hoisted him so that he could put his arm on my shoulder. He was about 6 foot 4 inches tall and felt almost one and a half times my weight. I asked him how badly he was hurt. 'Agua, agua', (water, water) was all he could whimper in reply. We laid him on the ground and managed to get a helicopter to take him away.<ref>Eyewitness Falklands, Robert Fox, pp. 255-256</ref>}}

The reserve platoon under Second Lieutenant Juan Nazer had been heavily mortared and had given up ground almost immediately. Nazer's platoon had failed to prepare a firm platoon defence line facing Murrell River, possibly as a result of exhaustion following their long debilitating period on Beagle Ridge.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva had retreated and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the death, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-18T22:41:54Z

Raymondo: /* Two Sisters */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==Patrol action==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

45 Commando's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's plan was for ''X-Ray'' Company to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south western peak (''Long Toenail'') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Commando's Milan Troop. ''Zulu'' Company would then assault the northern peak (''Summer Days''), and ''Yankee'' Company would clear the eastern end of Two Sisters.

On June 11th, 45 Commando less ''X-Ray'' Company left their positions behind Mount Kent and moving around the north side, reached the main start line (''Pub Garden'') as planned. Meanwhile, Captain Ian Gardiner's ''X-Ray'' Company, marching down between Mount's Kent and Challenger and heavily weighed down, especially by the Milans, arrived at the start line over two hours late. After a short rest, they began their move towards ''Long Toenail'' at 11.00 pm local time.

''X-Ray'' Company headed across the open ground towards ''Long Toenail'' led by Lieutenant James Kelly's 1 Troop, and less than a mile short of the peak, Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop took over the lead, but halfway up was stopped by heavy machine gun fire and forced back. The enemy positions were hit by Milans and some mortar fire, and now Lieutenant Chris Caroe's 2 Troop pushed on to the summit under naval artillery fire. Reaching there, they were forced back by Argentinian shellfire, but shortly returned driving off the Argentinian 3rd Platoon.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for ''Long Toenail'', ''Zulu'' Company followed by ''Yankee'' Company to their right, moved off from ''Pub Garden'' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by ''X-Ray'' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated ''Zulu'' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva had retreated and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the death, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-18T22:05:13Z

Raymondo:

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==Patrol action==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

45 Commando's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's plan was for ''X-Ray'' Company to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south western peak (''Long Toenail'') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Commando's Milan Troop. ''Zulu'' Company would then assault the northern peak (''Summer Days''), and ''Yankee'' Company would clear the eastern end of Two Sisters.

On June 11th, 45 Commando less ''X-Ray'' Company left their positions behind Mount Kent and moving around the north side, reached the main start line (''Pub Garden'') as planned. Meanwhile, Captain Ian Gardiner's ''X-Ray'' Company, marching down between Mount's Kent and Challenger and heavily weighed down, especially by the Milans, arrived at the start line over two hours late. After a short rest, they began their move towards ''Long Toenail'' at 11.00 pm local time.

''X-Ray'' Company headed across the open ground towards ''Long Toenail'' led by Lieutenant James Kelly's 1 Troop, and less than a mile short of the peak, Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop took over the lead, but halfway up was stopped by heavy machine gun fire and forced back. The enemy positions were hit by Milans and some mortar fire, and now Lieutenant Chris Caroe's 2 Troop pushed on to the summit under naval artillery fire. Reaching there, they were forced back by Argentinian shellfire, but shortly returned driving off the Argentinian 3rd Platoon.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for ''Long Toenail'', ''Zulu'' Company followed by ''Yankee'' Company to their right, moved off from ''Pub Garden'' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by ''X-Ray'' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated ''Zulu'' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had been instrumental in rousing the Royal Marines and had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989</ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

One thing is for certain. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The Argentinians no longer held the peaks and began to withdraw towards Mount Tumbledown. The 6th Regiment rifle platoon (under 2d Lt. Aldo Eugenio Franco) entrusted with covering this withdrawal was most effective and a number of Argentinian NCOs and conscripts in this platoon were decorated for their bravery on Two Sisters and Tumbledown. Franco, determined to avenge the defeat, became an Army commando after the war, and was badly wounded battling Marxist guerrillas that had taken over the 3rd Reg

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva had retreated and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the death, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-18T22:04:04Z

Raymondo: /* Two Sisters */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==Patrol action==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

45 Commando's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's plan was for ''X-Ray'' Company to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south western peak (''Long Toenail'') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Commando's Milan Troop. ''Zulu'' Company would then assault the northern peak (''Summer Days''), and ''Yankee'' Company would clear the eastern end of Two Sisters.

On June 11th, 45 Commando less ''X-Ray'' Company left their positions behind Mount Kent and moving around the north side, reached the main start line (''Pub Garden'') as planned. Meanwhile, Captain Ian Gardiner's ''X-Ray'' Company, marching down between Mount's Kent and Challenger and heavily weighed down, especially by the Milans, arrived at the start line over two hours late. After a short rest, they began their move towards ''Long Toenail'' at 11.00 pm local time.

''X-Ray'' Company headed across the open ground towards ''Long Toenail'' led by Lieutenant James Kelly's 1 Troop, and less than a mile short of the peak, Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop took over the lead, but halfway up was stopped by heavy machine gun fire and forced back. The enemy positions were hit by Milans and some mortar fire, and now Lieutenant Chris Caroe's 2 Troop pushed on to the summit under naval artillery fire. Reaching there, they were forced back by Argentinian shellfire, but shortly returned driving off the Argentinian 3rd Platoon.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for ''Long Toenail'', ''Zulu'' Company followed by ''Yankee'' Company to their right, moved off from ''Pub Garden'' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by ''X-Ray'' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated ''Zulu'' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had been instrumental in rousing the Royal Marines and had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989<ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

One thing is for certain. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The Argentinians no longer held the peaks and began to withdraw towards Mount Tumbledown. The 6th Regiment rifle platoon (under 2d Lt. Aldo Eugenio Franco) entrusted with covering this withdrawal was most effective and a number of Argentinian NCOs and conscripts in this platoon were decorated for their bravery on Two Sisters and Tumbledown. Franco, determined to avenge the defeat, became an Army commando after the war, and was badly wounded battling Marxist guerrillas that had taken over the 3rd Reg

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva had retreated and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the death, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-18T22:03:05Z

Raymondo:

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==Patrol action==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

45 Commando's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's plan was for ''X-Ray'' Company to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south western peak (''Long Toenail'') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Commando's Milan Troop. ''Zulu'' Company would then assault the northern peak (''Summer Days''), and ''Yankee'' Company would clear the eastern end of Two Sisters.

On June 11th, 45 Commando less ''X-Ray'' Company left their positions behind Mount Kent and moving around the north side, reached the main start line (''Pub Garden'') as planned. Meanwhile, Captain Ian Gardiner's ''X-Ray'' Company, marching down between Mount's Kent and Challenger and heavily weighed down, especially by the Milans, arrived at the start line over two hours late. After a short rest, they began their move towards ''Long Toenail'' at 11.00 pm local time.

''X-Ray'' Company headed across the open ground towards ''Long Toenail'' led by Lieutenant James Kelly's 1 Troop, and less than a mile short of the peak, Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop took over the lead, but halfway up was stopped by heavy machine gun fire and forced back. The enemy positions were hit by Milans and some mortar fire, and now Lieutenant Chris Caroe's 2 Troop pushed on to the summit under naval artillery fire. Reaching there, they were forced back by Argentinian shellfire, but shortly returned driving off the Argentinian 3rd Platoon.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for ''Long Toenail'', ''Zulu'' Company followed by ''Yankee'' Company to their right, moved off from ''Pub Garden'' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by ''X-Ray'' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated ''Zulu'' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had been instrumental in rousing the Royal Marines and had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon. <ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989<ref>}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

One thing is for certain. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The Argentinians no longer held the peaks and began to withdraw towards Mount Tumbledown. The 6th Regiment rifle platoon (under 2d Lt. Aldo Eugenio Franco) entrusted with covering this withdrawal was most effective and a number of Argentinian NCOs and conscripts in this platoon were decorated for their bravery on Two Sisters and Tumbledown. Franco, determined to avenge the defeat, became an Army commando after the war, and was badly wounded battling Marxist guerrillas that had taken over the 3rd Reg

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva had retreated and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the death, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-18T22:01:29Z

Raymondo: /* Two Sisters */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==Patrol action==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

45 Commando's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's plan was for ''X-Ray'' Company to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south western peak (''Long Toenail'') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Commando's Milan Troop. ''Zulu'' Company would then assault the northern peak (''Summer Days''), and ''Yankee'' Company would clear the eastern end of Two Sisters.

On June 11th, 45 Commando less ''X-Ray'' Company left their positions behind Mount Kent and moving around the north side, reached the main start line (''Pub Garden'') as planned. Meanwhile, Captain Ian Gardiner's ''X-Ray'' Company, marching down between Mount's Kent and Challenger and heavily weighed down, especially by the Milans, arrived at the start line over two hours late. After a short rest, they began their move towards ''Long Toenail'' at 11.00 pm local time.

''X-Ray'' Company headed across the open ground towards ''Long Toenail'' led by Lieutenant James Kelly's 1 Troop, and less than a mile short of the peak, Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop took over the lead, but halfway up was stopped by heavy machine gun fire and forced back. The enemy positions were hit by Milans and some mortar fire, and now Lieutenant Chris Caroe's 2 Troop pushed on to the summit under naval artillery fire. Reaching there, they were forced back by Argentinian shellfire, but shortly returned driving off the Argentinian 3rd Platoon.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for ''Long Toenail'', ''Zulu'' Company followed by ''Yankee'' Company to their right, moved off from ''Pub Garden'' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by ''X-Ray'' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated ''Zulu'' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had been instrumental in rousing the Royal Marines and had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:{{cquote|Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon. (Martin Middlebrook, The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, p. 239, Viking, 1989<ref>The Fight for the Malvinas: The Argentine Forces in the Falklands War, Martin Middlebrook, p. 239, Viking, 1989}}

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

One thing is for certain. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The Argentinians no longer held the peaks and began to withdraw towards Mount Tumbledown. The 6th Regiment rifle platoon (under 2d Lt. Aldo Eugenio Franco) entrusted with covering this withdrawal was most effective and a number of Argentinian NCOs and conscripts in this platoon were decorated for their bravery on Two Sisters and Tumbledown. Franco, determined to avenge the defeat, became an Army commando after the war, and was badly wounded battling Marxist guerrillas that had taken over the 3rd Reg

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva had retreated and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the death, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-18T21:35:18Z

Raymondo: /* Harriet */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==Patrol action==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

45 Commando's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's plan was for ''X-Ray'' Company to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south western peak (''Long Toenail'') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Commando's Milan Troop. ''Zulu'' Company would then assault the northern peak (''Summer Days''), and ''Yankee'' Company would clear the eastern end of Two Sisters.

On June 11th, 45 Commando less ''X-Ray'' Company left their positions behind Mount Kent and moving around the north side, reached the main start line (''Pub Garden'') as planned. Meanwhile, Captain Ian Gardiner's ''X-Ray'' Company, marching down between Mount's Kent and Challenger and heavily weighed down, especially by the Milans, arrived at the start line over two hours late. After a short rest, they began their move towards ''Long Toenail'' at 11.00 pm local time.

''X-Ray'' Company headed across the open ground towards ''Long Toenail'' led by Lieutenant James Kelly's 1 Troop, and less than a mile short of the peak, Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop took over the lead, but halfway up was stopped by heavy machine gun fire and forced back. The enemy positions were hit by Milans and some mortar fire, and now Lieutenant Chris Caroe's 2 Troop pushed on to the summit under naval artillery fire. Reaching there, they were forced back by Argentinian shellfire, but shortly returned driving off the Argentinian 3rd Platoon.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for ''Long Toenail'', ''Zulu'' Company followed by ''Yankee'' Company to their right, moved off from ''Pub Garden'' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by ''X-Ray'' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated ''Zulu'' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response. The return enemy fire including mortars and artillery was so heavy, killing four men, that Lieutenant Clive Dytor led his men of 8 Troop forward in a bayonet charge towards the summit, followed by 7 Troop in a firefight that still left them short of their objective.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed. The Argentinian mortars on Two Sisters were out of ammunition. However, the Marines lost two platoon commanders who were wounded to fire from the heavy mortars of the 6th Regiment's B Company in the valley between Mount Longdon and Two Sisters Mountain.

On their right, ''Yankee'' Company swung further right to come up alongside them, managing to knock out some of Major Cordon's machine guns holding up ''Zulu'' Company. 8 Troop was then able to advance towards the top covered by 7 Troop, and went on to clear enemy positions on the southern side of their objective, while 7 Troop went on to do the same on the northern side. Two and a half hours after crossing the start line, ''Zulu'' Company had taken the enemy strongpoint of ''Summer Days''. During this time, 9 Troop stayed back in reserve after suffering casualties from Major Jaimet's mortars. ''Yankee'' Company now moved between the Two Sisters peaks and below ''Zulu'' Company's 8 Troop, and headed for the eastern part of Two Sisters under heavy fire. Pushing on, and again using anti-armour weapons against enemy positions, all of Two Sisters was in 45 CDO's hands before dawn. As they reorganized and dug in, heavy Argentinian shelling started. Lieutenant-Colonel Whitehead prepared to move ahead towards Tumbledown Mountain, but was stopped by Brigadier Thompson. 45 Commando had now taken one of the main Argentinian defenses for the loss of seven Marines and a Sapper of the Royal Engineers killed by small-arms and mortars.

The Argentinians no longer held the peaks and began to withdraw towards Mount Tumbledown. The 6th Regiment rifle platoon (under 2d Lt. Aldo Eugenio Franco) entrusted with covering this withdrawal was most effective and a number of Argentinian NCOs and conscripts in this platoon were decorated for their bravery on Two Sisters and Tumbledown.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva had retreated and ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK. WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES. MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED. ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the death, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-18T21:23:26Z

Raymondo: /* Aftermath */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==Patrol action==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

45 Commando's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's plan was for ''X-Ray'' Company to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south western peak (''Long Toenail'') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Commando's Milan Troop. ''Zulu'' Company would then assault the northern peak (''Summer Days''), and ''Yankee'' Company would clear the eastern end of Two Sisters.

On June 11th, 45 Commando less ''X-Ray'' Company left their positions behind Mount Kent and moving around the north side, reached the main start line (''Pub Garden'') as planned. Meanwhile, Captain Ian Gardiner's ''X-Ray'' Company, marching down between Mount's Kent and Challenger and heavily weighed down, especially by the Milans, arrived at the start line over two hours late. After a short rest, they began their move towards ''Long Toenail'' at 11.00 pm local time.

''X-Ray'' Company headed across the open ground towards ''Long Toenail'' led by Lieutenant James Kelly's 1 Troop, and less than a mile short of the peak, Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop took over the lead, but halfway up was stopped by heavy machine gun fire and forced back. The enemy positions were hit by Milans and some mortar fire, and now Lieutenant Chris Caroe's 2 Troop pushed on to the summit under naval artillery fire. Reaching there, they were forced back by Argentinian shellfire, but shortly returned driving off the Argentinian 3rd Platoon.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for ''Long Toenail'', ''Zulu'' Company followed by ''Yankee'' Company to their right, moved off from ''Pub Garden'' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by ''X-Ray'' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated ''Zulu'' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response. The return enemy fire including mortars and artillery was so heavy, killing four men, that Lieutenant Clive Dytor led his men of 8 Troop forward in a bayonet charge towards the summit, followed by 7 Troop in a firefight that still left them short of their objective.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed. The Argentinian mortars on Two Sisters were out of ammunition. However, the Marines lost two platoon commanders who were wounded to fire from the heavy mortars of the 6th Regiment's B Company in the valley between Mount Longdon and Two Sisters Mountain.

On their right, ''Yankee'' Company swung further right to come up alongside them, managing to knock out some of Major Cordon's machine guns holding up ''Zulu'' Company. 8 Troop was then able to advance towards the top covered by 7 Troop, and went on to clear enemy positions on the southern side of their objective, while 7 Troop went on to do the same on the northern side. Two and a half hours after crossing the start line, ''Zulu'' Company had taken the enemy strongpoint of ''Summer Days''. During this time, 9 Troop stayed back in reserve after suffering casualties from Major Jaimet's mortars. ''Yankee'' Company now moved between the Two Sisters peaks and below ''Zulu'' Company's 8 Troop, and headed for the eastern part of Two Sisters under heavy fire. Pushing on, and again using anti-armour weapons against enemy positions, all of Two Sisters was in 45 CDO's hands before dawn. As they reorganized and dug in, heavy Argentinian shelling started. Lieutenant-Colonel Whitehead prepared to move ahead towards Tumbledown Mountain, but was stopped by Brigadier Thompson. 45 Commando had now taken one of the main Argentinian defenses for the loss of seven Marines and a Sapper of the Royal Engineers killed by small-arms and mortars.

The Argentinians no longer held the peaks and began to withdraw towards Mount Tumbledown. The 6th Regiment rifle platoon (under 2d Lt. Aldo Eugenio Franco) entrusted with covering this withdrawal was most effective and a number of Argentinian NCOs and conscripts in this platoon were decorated for their bravery on Two Sisters and Tumbledown.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the death, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

2019-01-18T21:19:57Z

Raymondo: /* Aftermath */

During the 1982 [[Falklands/Malvinas War]] the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando ''raids''.

==Patrol action==

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation ''Corporate''.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape<ref>''The Argentines must have put up a good fight because British records show that their patrol had to call on artillery shelling and smoke so that they could withdraw.'' Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, pg 228, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:{{cquote|A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus [[M72 LAW|66 mm rocket launchers]] and [[2-inch mortar|2-inch]] [[mortar (weapon)|mortar]]s, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.<ref>Bruce Quarrie, The Worlds Elite Forces, pp.53-54, Octopus Books Limited, 1985</ref>}}

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

==Two Sisters==

45 Commando's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's plan was for ''X-Ray'' Company to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south western peak (''Long Toenail'') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Commando's Milan Troop. ''Zulu'' Company would then assault the northern peak (''Summer Days''), and ''Yankee'' Company would clear the eastern end of Two Sisters.

On June 11th, 45 Commando less ''X-Ray'' Company left their positions behind Mount Kent and moving around the north side, reached the main start line (''Pub Garden'') as planned. Meanwhile, Captain Ian Gardiner's ''X-Ray'' Company, marching down between Mount's Kent and Challenger and heavily weighed down, especially by the Milans, arrived at the start line over two hours late. After a short rest, they began their move towards ''Long Toenail'' at 11.00 pm local time.

''X-Ray'' Company headed across the open ground towards ''Long Toenail'' led by Lieutenant James Kelly's 1 Troop, and less than a mile short of the peak, Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop took over the lead, but halfway up was stopped by heavy machine gun fire and forced back. The enemy positions were hit by Milans and some mortar fire, and now Lieutenant Chris Caroe's 2 Troop pushed on to the summit under naval artillery fire. Reaching there, they were forced back by Argentinian shellfire, but shortly returned driving off the Argentinian 3rd Platoon.

Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for ''Long Toenail'', ''Zulu'' Company followed by ''Yankee'' Company to their right, moved off from ''Pub Garden'' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by ''X-Ray'' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated ''Zulu'' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response. The return enemy fire including mortars and artillery was so heavy, killing four men, that Lieutenant Clive Dytor led his men of 8 Troop forward in a bayonet charge towards the summit, followed by 7 Troop in a firefight that still left them short of their objective.

''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed. The Argentinian mortars on Two Sisters were out of ammunition. However, the Marines lost two platoon commanders who were wounded to fire from the heavy mortars of the 6th Regiment's B Company in the valley between Mount Longdon and Two Sisters Mountain.

On their right, ''Yankee'' Company swung further right to come up alongside them, managing to knock out some of Major Cordon's machine guns holding up ''Zulu'' Company. 8 Troop was then able to advance towards the top covered by 7 Troop, and went on to clear enemy positions on the southern side of their objective, while 7 Troop went on to do the same on the northern side. Two and a half hours after crossing the start line, ''Zulu'' Company had taken the enemy strongpoint of ''Summer Days''. During this time, 9 Troop stayed back in reserve after suffering casualties from Major Jaimet's mortars. ''Yankee'' Company now moved between the Two Sisters peaks and below ''Zulu'' Company's 8 Troop, and headed for the eastern part of Two Sisters under heavy fire. Pushing on, and again using anti-armour weapons against enemy positions, all of Two Sisters was in 45 CDO's hands before dawn. As they reorganized and dug in, heavy Argentinian shelling started. Lieutenant-Colonel Whitehead prepared to move ahead towards Tumbledown Mountain, but was stopped by Brigadier Thompson. 45 Commando had now taken one of the main Argentinian defenses for the loss of seven Marines and a Sapper of the Royal Engineers killed by small-arms and mortars.

The Argentinians no longer held the peaks and began to withdraw towards Mount Tumbledown. The 6th Regiment rifle platoon (under 2d Lt. Aldo Eugenio Franco) entrusted with covering this withdrawal was most effective and a number of Argentinian NCOs and conscripts in this platoon were decorated for their bravery on Two Sisters and Tumbledown.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of ''Yankee'' Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:{{cquote|We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.<ref>The FN FAL Battle Rifle, Bob Cashner, Page 57, Bloomsbury Publishing 2013</ref>}}

==Harriet==

While ''Kilo'' Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, ''Lima'' Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before ''Lima'' Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of ''Lima'' Company was then sent forward to the next objective just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and ''Lima'' Company still fighting forward, ''Juliet'' Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time ''Kilo'' Company had cleared the summit. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.

==Aftermath==

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th ''Monte Caseros'' Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper ''Chester Chronicle'', Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that ''Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.''<ref>[http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/ex-marine-chris-caroe-chester-recalls-5179719 Ex-marine Chris Caroe from Chester recalls the Falklands War]</ref>For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and rifle teams protecting the northern peak had fought to the death, ''The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.''<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/falklandislands/9164691/Falklands-War-hero-explains-why-he-entered-the-church-after-being-awarded-the-Military-Cross.html Falklands War hero explains why he entered the church after being awarded the Military Cross]</ref>

== Notes ==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.britlink.org/overseas-territories/falkland-islands/falklands-war-1982/ Falkland’s War 1982]

*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9X3kGKhwPQ "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"]

[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:Wars]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-18T15:56:43Z

Raymondo: /* Mount Longdon */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). There was a Rasit radar set on Longdon, with which the defenders could scan the countryside at night to reveal any hostile troop movements. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn’t knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon, he was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA’s mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade’s 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand to hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us.<ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns under the wounded ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>of the 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>.

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Major Neame’s officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, a another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-18T15:46:52Z

Raymondo: /* Mount Longdon */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit ('Full Back'), and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one ('Fly Half'). As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn’t knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon, he was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA’s mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade’s 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand to hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us.<ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns under the wounded ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>of the 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>.

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Major Neame’s officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, a another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-18T15:44:17Z

Raymondo: /* Mount Longdon */

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War)]], the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland Islands in April 1982, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) were deployed as part of [[3 Commando Brigade]] to retake the Islands in [[Operation Corporate]].

==Mount Longdon==

Having landed at Port San Carlos on May 21, 3 PARA marched across the East Falkland via Teal Inlet to the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House from where they began to send out patrols to harass the defenders and map out the area around Mount Longdon situated to the north west of [[Port Stanley]], the capital of the Islands.

Before the British 3rd and 5th Brigades could retake Port Stanley, it was essential that the high ground around the capital was taken. This included Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of June 11/12, to coincide with attacks on Two Sisters Mountain by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux's 42 Commando.

On June 10, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 300 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th ''La Plata'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Antonio Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Carlos Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined. British sappers later counted 1,500 frozen anti-personnel mines on the western lower slopes of Mount Longdon. Miraculously all but two mines failed to detonate.<ref>[https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/feature-sunderland-falklands-veterans-remember-the-battle-of-mount-longdon-1-4623600 Sunderland Falklands veterans remember the Battle of Mount Longdon]</ref>

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores, second-in-command of the 7th 'La Plata' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, was the senior officer on the eastern summit, and Marine Captain Sergio Andrés Dachary on the western one. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. A marine heavy machine-gun position was causing considerable problems for Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon who took the brunt of the enemy fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant Ian McKay. It was whilst attempting to destroy this position with a hand grenade that McKay was killed in action. Sergeant-Major Sammy Dougherty, was first to reach Ian. In 2012, he revealed: ''"Ian’s right hand had practically gone. He must have had a grenade in his hand and been shot and killed before releasing it."''<ref>[https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/the-falklands-untold-story-of-the-hero-para-795309 McKay VC: Untold story of the hero Para who sacrificed his life to help free the Falklands... and earned the last Victoria Cross of the 20th Century]</ref>For his act Sergeant McKay was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]]. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack the Marine heavy machine gun position on the northern slopes. Unfortunately the enemy heavy machine-gun wasn’t knocked out.

Meanwhile, A Company was supporting the attacking Paras from the northern side of Mount Longdon. However, they were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ''Full Back''. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards. The Argentinians continued to defend ''Full Back'' but Milan missiles and artillery support systematically destroyed their remaining bunkers. Second Lieutenants John Kearton and Ian Moore mustered their platoons near the western summit and had briefed them on how to deal with the enemy reinforcements. They then attacked First Lieutenant Raúl Fernando Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), clearing it of the eastern peak with rifle, grenade and bayonet in close quarters combat.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon, he was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the aid post.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on June 12. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

The Argentinians lost thirty-one dead, 120 wounded and fifty prisoners. The night battle, previous patrol actions and retaliatory artillery bombardment cost 3 PARA 23 killed and about 70 wounded.<ref>''"We'd lost something like twenty-two guys up to that point, dead, but three times more than that were wounded."'' Bloody Hell: The Price Soldiers Pay, Daniel Hallock, pg. 60, Plough Publishing House, 1999</ref><ref>''"Our battalion had lost twenty-three men there, with more than sixty wounded."'' Forward Into Hell, Vincent Bramley, John Blake Publishing</ref>

19-year-old Private Grant Grinham, badly wounded in the action, in an interview with the ''Leicester Mercury'' in 2017, reported that the Argentinian conscripts had fought well:{{cquote|Those Argentinian lads on Mount Longdon fought their hearts out. They were determined defenders. The battle was in the balance. We fought for every inch of ground. The Heavy Machine Gunners were regular Marines and their confidence was high. They were armed with .50-cal machine guns which would stop a car, and were well up for the fight. They're a big heavy weapon, mostly used in an anti-aircraft role. It was a formidable defensive weapon for us to engage. They also had snipers all along Mount Longdon who were very accurate. They had night sights and were far superior to anything we had - contrary to reports. It was a very difficult battle.<ref>[http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/the-falklands-war-paratrooper-lost-a-leg-and-saw-friends-killed-but-would-do-it-all-again/story-30241617-detail/story.html The Falklands War: Paratrooper 'lost a leg and saw friends killed but would do it all again']</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

Briefly under command of Brigadier Tony Wilon's 5 Infantry Brigade, elements of 2 PARA conducted a helicopter insertion deep behind forward [[Argentinian Army]] Special Forces patrols and [[Argentinian Air Force]]'s Observation Posts (OPs) on June 2. They liberated the settlements of Bluff Cove and Fitzroy, opening a southern flank of operations.

On the morning of 12 June, it became clear that the attacks on Mount Longdon had been successful. 2 PARA marched around the back of Longdon to take up their positions for the assault on Wireless Ridge. As the action was expected to be concluded quickly, they took only their weapons and as much ammunition as possible, leaving most other gear behind in the camp. On Bluff Cove Peak, the 2 PARA’s mortars and heavy machine guns were attacked by Argentinian A-4 Skyhawks, which delayed their planned move forward, although they suffered no casualties.

On the night of June 13/14, 2 PARA deployed 3 PARA and, supported by British light tanks and [[Royal Navy warships]], attacked Wireless Ridge. During the attack British artillery fired 6,000 rounds with their 105 mm guns and as the British Paratroopers began their final push, they were further backed by naval fire and the 76mm and 30mm guns mounted on the light tanks.<ref>«During the course of the battle British field artillery pumped 6,000 105mm shells onto Wireless Ridge, while two frigates lobbed about 600 4.5in shells on to the eastern slopes.» The Falklands War 1982, Duncan Anderson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 2014</ref>After their heavy losses at Goose Green, the Paras were taking no chances.

By the time 2 PARA reached their first objective, ''Rough Diamond'', the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's C Company survivors under Company Sergeant-Major Raúl Ibáñez<ref>[http://www.lavoz.com.ar/malvinas/intimidades-batalla-final Intimidades de la batalla final]</ref>had withdrawn. As a result A and B Companies were convinced the Argentinian 7th Infantry Regiment's A Company on the “Apple Pie” objective had been defeated, and began to advance confidently, but they encountered heavy fire when they left their trenches. It later emerged that Private Roberto Arturo Sañisky had been instrumental in rousing the exhausted conscripts sheltering from the British bombardment.<ref>Malvinas: La guerra íntima (2005 TV Documentary directed by Ricardo Kon)</ref>The British Paratroopers retreated back to their positions and ordered massive retaliation from the British machine-gunners and the guns of the ''Blues and Royals'' light tanks. A and B Companies were able to advance again and this time take ''Apple Pie''.

Major Philip Neame's D Company then began the final assault from the western end of Wireless Ridge, under the cover of heavy fire from HMS Ambuscade’s 4.5 inch gun, the light tanks, twelve 105 mm artillery pieces, several mortars and anti-tank rockets.

In spite of the British Artillery's sustained barrage the remaining Argentinians put up resistance. Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez had now barely 100 men left, including a signals platoon under the wounded Lieutenant Jorge Alberto Guidobono. The signallers were ordered to prepare for hand to hand combat. Guidobono shouted encouragement to his men. The signallers fought in little groups from boulders, shooting at enemy flashes and Private Graham Carter of 'D' Company, 2 PARA, came within a whisker of death:{{cquote|I had a bullet bounce off my helmet, then when our artillery shells came in on us, one landed 15 feet away-but thankfully was a dud. It could have killed at least three of us.<ref>The scars of War, Hugh McManners, p. 325, HarperCollins, 1993</ref>}}

D Company took the first half of the objective after a hard fight with Guidobono's signallers and 30 Argentinian paratroopers armed with ten 7.62mm belt-fed machine-guns under the wounded ''Subteniente'' Gustavo Alberto Aimara<ref>«...habian llegado la noche anterior. Una sección de ametralladoras no es un elemento que figure en las organizaciones comunes, fue constituido a propósito para esta oportunidad: eran 30 hombres con diez ametralladoras. La puse a disposición de Jofre para reforzar el 7.» Malvinas: Testimonio de Su Gobernador, Mario Benjamín Menéndez, Carlos M. Túrolo, p. 278, Editorial Sudamericana, 1983 </ref>of the 2nd 'General Balcarce' Airborne Infantry Regiment that had arrived in a Hercules C-130 transport on the night of June 11-12th.<ref>«In believing that Menendez could hold out for at least ten days and since the Air Bridge was still open, the Joint Operations Group authorized the continued piecemeal reinforcement of Army Group Falklands with the despatch of 2nd Airborne Infantry Regiment. The weather and the speed of the British advance prevented its full deployment and only a platoon arrived in time to join 7th Infantry Regiment on Wireless Ridge.» Nine Battles to Stanley, Nick van der Bijl, p. 224, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>.

At about 06.00 local time on June 14th, Guidobono's signallers and Aimara's paratroopers were hit by a company-sized attack. The Argentinian paratroopers communicated to he signallers that the British were about to get up and charge. Then with a hallow roar of a football crowd they were on the Argentinian defenders. The rest was confusion. The British Paras were moving as close as possible to the Argentinians to avoid the Argentinian Artillery fire. Preceded by a field artillery and naval bombardment, Major Philip Neame's 'D' Company, after suffering its ninth and last dead (Private Francis Slough) in the Falklands War, broke the ring of steel around Lieutenant-Colonel Giménez's command bunker. The Argentinian platoon of paratroopers, although nearly having lost half its strength captured or wounded, moved back grudgingly.

Soon there was a lot of action going above and around Moody Brook. Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet's 'B' Company, from the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment, on the northern slopes of Tumbledown Mountain, were busy shooting at Major Philip Neame's men, and them too, shooting back at the Argentinians.

Argentinian artillery responded vigorously and the Argentinian Land Forces Commander, Brigadier-General [[Oscar Luis Jofré]] sent Major Guillermo Rubén Berazay's A Company (3rd ''La Tablada'' Mechanized Infantry Regiment) west of Stanley Racecourse to counterattack. Major Neame’s officers and NCOs rallied the exhausted Paras to capture the final part of their objective and in the face of heavy fire, the rifle platoons of 2d Lieutenant Carlos Javier Aristegui and Lieutenant Víctor Hugo Rodriguez-Pérez having run out of ammunition, broke and retreated, covered by supporting machine gun fire from the rifle platoon of Lieutenant Horacio Alejandro Mones-Ruiz.

At dawn, a another platoon of Argentinian conscripts under Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores attacked D Company, but were driven off with the help of mortars and British Artillery. Private Gabriel Ricardo Sagastume from the 7th Regiment's A Company recalls:{{cquote|Coming down from Moody Brook we found Carrizo, who wanted to recover that position. We had walked through the ruins of the barracks, bombarded by the English, and we knew that it was impossible to take it again. In those circumstances, Carrizo grouped us, asked what weapons we had and in what conditions they were in and ordered us to follow him to climb the hill. A few meters from the start-line projectiles of all caliber were raining all around us. We fell back, almost in complete disorder.<ref>[https://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-230881-2013-10-09.html El cobarde Carrizo]</ref>}}

2 PARA had suffered three dead and 11 wounded. Four of the paratroopers on the mortar line also required CASEVAC (evacuation of casualties by air), having broken their ankles. The Argentinians suffered approximately 25 dead and about 125 wounded, about 50 were taken prisoner. In the final stages of the battle, the Argentinian commander, Brigadier-General Jofré had been offered the use of Skyhawks to bomb Wireless Ridge with napalm but he declined, believing that the British response would be equally violent and the chances of a surrender being accepted, non-existent.

==Cortley Ridge==

The Special Air Service, along with men from the Special Boat Squadron, attempted to carry out a diversionary amphibious raid on Cortley Ridger on the night of June 13th. The plan was, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge, 4 rigid raiders, piloted by Royal Marines and carrying SAS soldiers (15 men from D Squadron) and 6 SBS men (No. 3 Section) would travel across Stanley Harbour and attack the oil storage facilities. The assault force was illuminated by a spotlight on the Argentinian hospital ship Almirante Irizar before it could reach its objective. A massive volley of fire including Anti-Aircraft Artillery batteries arced down onto the SAS/SBS force from positions along the shore, causing the raiding party to withdraw. The Rigid Raiders were badly shot up but miraculously none of the men had been killed.

The wisdom of this attack was later questioned as it was seen by some as a reckless operation with little strategic benefit.

==Aftermath==

The Battles of Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge cost the British 1st Parachute Regiment and supporting Special Air Service (SAS) and Special Boat Squadron (SBS) 26 dead and 85 wounded. Argentinean casualties were fifty-six killed, 245 wounded a 100 taken prisoner.

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:War]]
[[Category:Argentina]]
[[Category:British History]]
[[Category:1980s]]

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-18T15:28:52Z

Raymondo: /* Mount Longdon */

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-18T03:34:37Z

Raymondo: /* Wireless Ridge */

Battles of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge

2019-01-18T03:29:53Z

Raymondo: /* Wireless Ridge */