Advance on Stanley
"We realised that there was no going back, we had to carry on to Port Stanley. The platoon and everyone in the battalion were physically almost exhausted. It was a case of march or die. The soldiers knew that."
Barry Griffiths, Platoon Commander 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment
42 Commando, Royal Marines on the move.
NAM 2004-12-35-13
Control of the heights around Stanley was essential. Each mountain was suited to defence. Some of the best Argentine units on the Falklands were entrenched among rocky outcrops. Protected by minefields, armed with heavy machine guns and mortars they were also supported by artillery positioned to their rear. The British troops had advanced many miles over difficult terrain, in freezing conditions. They now faced a bitter, hand-to-hand fight for control of the heights. After the experience of Goose Green they would be attacking at night.
SAS units clashed with their Argentine counterparts at Mount Kent. At Top Malo House, on the route from San Carlos to Mount Kent, a patrol of the Royal Marine Commando Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre killed or captured an entire Argentine commando patrol. The Argentine special forces in the area surrendered soon afterwards.
Mountain warfare
Members of a Gurkha Mortar Platoon
(Soldier Magazine)
Two Sisters, Mount Longdon and Mount Harriet were the main targets of the assault on 11/12 June. At Mount Longdon 3 Para fought yard by yard, clearing enemy positions with rifle, grenade and bayonet. 42 Commando Royal Marines negotiated minefields to position themselves south of Mount Harriet from where they successfully assaulted the Argentine positions.
The attack on Two Sisters by 45 Commando Royal Marines was delayed by difficult terrain but was also successful. Argentine artillery shelled their former positions causing further casualties.
Hard lessons learned
A delay followed while ammunition was brought up for the assaults on Mount Tumbledown and Mount William. With only intermittent artillery support, 2nd Battalion Scots Guards contended with mines, mortars, night-sighted snipers and sangars (rock defences). In action for several hours, the Guards secured Mount Tumbledown with bayonet and grenade.
Scots Guards on Mount Tumbledown (Soldier Magazine)
2 Para, veterans of Goose Green, secured tanks and plenty of artillery to support their attack on Wireless Ridge. After an initial bombardment some of the Argentine positions were abandoned and those still occupied were gradually cleared with only light casualties. The Argentines on Mount William fled in the face of advancing Gurkhas.
The Argentine Army was in full flight. 2 Para led the way into Stanley followed by 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines, 3 Para and 42 Commando Royal Marines. On 14 June 1982 the Argentine commander General Menendez surrendered.
Argentine soldiers pass the wreck of a Pucara. NAM 2004-12-35-10
