Slow but steady progress as ships were air targets
The Falklands War continued to rumble on in 1982. Historian Malcolm Goode looks at the events that happened exactly 40 years ago this week
DURING the preceding week attempts had been made at the United Nations to bring the conflict to an end as soon as possible.
However, peace proposals put forward by the British Government were rejected by the Argentine Junta.
On Wednesday 19th May the British Cabinet in London gave approval for amphibious landings on the Falkland Islands to begin.
Friday 21st May - British warships began to appear in the Falkland Sound ready to land 3,000 troops and 1,000 tons of supplies at San Carlos Water with the view to establish a beachhead for attacks on Goose Green and Stanley.
All of 3 Commando Brigade managed to get ashore relatively unscathed as what little Argentine force that were in the area of San Carlos withdrew. During the landing phase HMS. Ardent was hit by bombs dropped by an Argentinian fighter bomber and sank with the loss of 22 of its crew.
Falkland Sound was soon to be known as “Bomb Alley”. HMS Argonaut and Antrim were also hit by bombs dropped by the Argentine air force which fortunately, failed to explode. Thirteen enemy aircraft were shot down.
Sunday 23rd May - The British frigate HMS Antelope was hit by bombs dropped from Argentine Skyhawk fighter aircraft and later sank after Royal Engineers attempted to defuse bombs that entered the ship. One bomb exploded unexpectedly and instantly killed a member of the bomb disposal team. The Antelope sank later that day.
Monday 24th May – The supply ships attempting to offload arms, ammunition and rations at San Carlos were bombed by Argentine aircraft. Sir Galahad, Sir Lancelot and Sir Tristram were hit but some of the bombs failed to explode.
Tuesday 25th May - HMS Coventry and the freight ship the Atlantic Conveyor were both hit by Exocet missiles. The Coventry sank as a result and 20 of the crew were killed. A massive amount of equipment on board the Atlantic Conveyor that included the badly needed tents that the invading troops would have sheltered in were all burned to ashes.
Wednesday 26th May - 2 Para (2nd Battalion the Parachute Regt) left their hastily dug trenches and fox holes on Sussex Mountain and advanced to Goose Green.
Thursday 27th May – 3 Para tactically advanced and 45 Commando yomped from San Carlos Water; an SAS patrol flew to Mount Kent while Queen Elizabeth II, Canberra and Norland had a rendezvous at South Georgia.
The 5 Infantry Brigade began cross-decking on to troop ships.
Friday 28th May – 2 Para engaged Argentine defenders at Darwin and Goose Green. Some 250 Argentine soldiers and 17 British troops died in a fierce battle that lasted a day and a night.
The troops of 2 Para were vastly outnumbered but took over 1,000 Prisoners of War. The Commanding Officer of 2 Para, Lieutenant Colonel Hubert Jones, was killed whilst personally leading an assault on an Argentine Command post. For this he was to be posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.
Saturday 29th May – Major Keeble, who had taken over command of 2 Para, accepted the Argentine surrender of 1,000 troops at Goose Green. The news of 2 Para’s success came as a huge boost to the morale of all those serving at the Falklands and to everyone back home.
Atlantic Conveyor sank under tow. This was to cause a massive logistic nightmare to all those troops about to advance towards Port Stanley. None more so than the loss of tents and shelters that were due to be issued to the advancing troops. Those troops were forced to make their own shelters, if they could, whilst taking on the Argentine forces defending their positions.
After the conflict had ended, many of those British troops likened the fighting conditions to those suffered by our soldiers in the First World War.
Sunday 30th May – Major General Moore, the Commanding Officer of all British Service Personnel, arrived off the Falklands.
Monday 31st May – Victory over the Argentines at Darwin and Goose Green was the signal for the advance of British forces at San Carlos to begin the advance east towards Port Stanley. They marched with heavy packs on their backs across the peat bogs of East Falkland in poor conditions. Their progress was slow but they succeeded in taking the Argentine positions.
42 Commando had moved by air to Mount Kent; their Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre defeated the Argentine troops at Top Malo House; 3 Para arrived at Douglas settlement; 45 Commando arrived at Teal Inlet Settlement.
The advance by British troops was so far going well, pushing the Argentine soldiers off the high ground that they had occupied and back to their base at Port Stanley.