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NAVY NEWS, AUGUST 1982

" af ter blood, sweat and tears

ROYAL MARINES units who returned to Britain in the Canberra on July 11 conducted some of the key operations leading to victory in the Falklands.

The amphibious operation in San Carlos Bay was planned and conducted by Headquarters 3 Commando Brigade, backed up by the expertise of the Royal Navy amphibious ships and the landing craft manned and operated by Royal Marines. Until the arrival of Gen. Jeremy Moore the HO, under Brig. Julian Thompson, directed operations ashore, and while under its command. 2 Para carried out their magnificent action at Goose Green. With the arrival of 5 Infantry Brigade. 3 Cdo Bde's operations concentrated in the north of East Falkland, securing the high ground that acted as the springboard for the final assault on Port Stanley. On May 21. 40 Cdo was one of the first units to land at San

The price of war ... A traditional battlefield grave for one enemy warrior who fulfilled President Galtierl's vow that the Argentines would never leave the Islands. Below, LMA Terry Bradford of Juliet Company tackles the language barrier as he tends a wounded Argentine soldier.

front of the initial amphibious assault, but while the Brigade consolidated at San Carlos, 45 suffered heavily from air attacks, losing four dead on May 26 and 27. On May 26 with the break-

Carlos Bay. going ashore at the Settlement. After that. 40 was nominated as reserve, to be ready at a moment's notice to support any unit under Gen. Moore's command.

Yomping

Much of the task entailed the unglamorous but nonetheless necessary job of protecting the San Carlos beachhead under Argentine air raids and continuously patrolling against opposing troops who attempted to probe the defences. Their continual movement over the island to back-up positions possibly meant that they "yomped", or marched with back-packs, farther than any other units. After the Welsh Guards

sustained severe casualties on board Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram. A and C Companies of 40 Cdo were moved to reinforce that unit and saw a major part of the final action around Port Stanley. Tumbledown Mountain and Wireless Ridge. M Company of 42 Cdo were responsible for the first military actions in the South Atlantic after the Argentine invasion. Supported by the SAS and SBS they landed in South Georgia by helicopter on April 25; the Argentine garrison at Grytvikcn surrendered later that day and that at Leith the following day, with nearly 200 prisoners taken.

South Thule

The company remained as the garrison and later provided the landing force for the eviction of the Argentine naval party from South Thule. When 2 Para captured Goose Green on May 28. 1 Company (J Coy) of 42 was attached as reinforcement.

out from the beachhead, 45 moved against Douglas settlement - an arduous cross-

On May 31 the unit seized Mount Kent, a vital foothold for the invasion of Port Stanley, losing six men wounded. A day later they moved forward and took Mount Challenger.

Minefields

When 3 Cdo Bde moved against the outlying positions of Port Stanley. 42 took Mount Harrictt in a difficult night attack against prepared enemy positions behind minefields on the mountain. Two men were killed and 14 wounded, but the unit captured 200 prisoners, three heavy machine guns and four 120mm mortars. Throughout this final period of the conflict, 42 conducted aggressive observation patrols; twice marines were badly wounded by mines and on two other occasions they killed first three and then five members of enemy patrols. Ajax Bay was the landing point for 45 Cdo in the fore-

country "yomp" conditions.

While 2 Para took Darwin, 45 the rest of the Brigade

moved

along the northern 50 miles over hills and peat bogs. When they stopped marching on the high ground

route,

west of Port Stanley on June 1, ensured there were no Argentine forces left behind on

having

their route, they were poised for the final battle. As

the Brigade consolidated of Port Stanley, 45 moved to Estancia House and in

front

took part in observation patrols assess enemy strengths and

positions. Then, in the first phase of the assault on the capital. 45 cap-

tured the Two Sisters feature in a surprise night attack. The fighting was often heavy and confused and the unit was under

artillery fire from then until the Argentine collapse. In this action 45

Cdo

lost

three killed and ten wounded, but took 32 prisoners and a large amount of equipment.

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Back with a vengeance Tired, but fighting fit, these are the men of Naval Party 8901, the Royal Marines unit which resisted the Argentine Invasion on April 2. This picture, by PO(Phot) Pete Holdgate, shows them marching Into Stanley ten weeks after they were forced to surrender to GaItlerI'a men. The tables are turned; now they are the victors.

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much scrap metal

...

the wreckage of a Pucara ground attack aircraft, ground-attacked at Port Stanley Airport by a Harrier.