Post by Sgt. McGee on May 4, 2011 22:09:41 GMT -8
The Battle of Mount Longdon from the Argentine Point of View
kriegsimulation.blogspot.com/2010/02/battle-of-mount-longdon-from-argentine.html
The Battle of Mount Longdon was an engagement of the Falklands War between British and Argentine forces, which took place on 11–12 June 1982, resulting in the British victory and their occupation of a key position around the besieged Argentine garrison.
Background
British forces
The British force consisted of 3 PARA under Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike (later general) with artillery support from six 105 mm light guns of 29 Commando Regiment, Royal Artillery; 2 PARA were in reserve. Naval gunfire support was provided by HMS Avenger's 4.5-in gun.
Argentine forces
The Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment held Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge to the east.
Mostly conscripts with a year of training, the young RI 7 soldiers were not going to rout the field easily and most were prepared to stand their ground. They possessed fully automatic FN FALrifles which delivered more firepower than the British SLR, FN MAG 7.62mm general purpose machineguns identical to those of the Paras; some fifty of the 7th Regiment were to fight more resolutely than the rest, having been trained on a commando course.
Battle
British advance
The 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, made a desperate march across the hills north of Mount Simon to seize the key piece of high ground above the settlement of Estancia, nicknamed Estancia Farm. The weather conditions were atrocious, with the Paras marching through steep slippery hillocks to the objective. Nick Rose was a private in 6 Platoon under Lieutenant Jonathan Shaw.
The terrain dictated exactly how we advanced. A lot of the time if we were going along on tracks – what few tracks we did go on – we used Indian file, which is staggered file on either side of the track, like a zig zag. But there are great rivers of rock – big white boulders – and you have to cross them and then there's the heather and the gorse and its constantly wet. So the wind chill factor was – I think somebody said minus 40 degrees – and storm force winds and horizontal rain – a nightmare scenario. ... We are horrible, we're miserable as sin, all of us – we're missing home, want a dry fag, warm, dry boots, a cheese and onion sandwich and a bottle of blue top milk. I used to dream of these.[9]
3 Para set up a patrol base near Murrell Bridge, two kilometres west of Mount Longdon on 3 June. From there they sent out their specialist patrols from D Company to scout out the Argentine positions on Mount Longdon.
On the Argentine side, it was soon realised that the 7th Infantry Regiment Reconnaissance Platoon soldiers on the surrounding Wireless Ridge position were ill equipped to carry out their own patrolling. Thus, the Argentine Commando units, normally used for deep-recce had to take on this role. They were able to do so with some success and in the early hours of 7 June a combined patrol of the 601st Commando Company and 601st National Gendarmerie Special Forces Squadron was seen approaching Murrell Bridge. After several nights in the area Corporals Paul Haddon and Peter Brown and their patrols had just arrived at the bluff on the western bank of the Murrell River which Sergeant Ian Addle's patrol had been using as a base. Within a short space of time a sentry reported moving figures down near the bridge. The Paras opened up and a confused firefight developed in the darkness, with small arms, machinegun, LAW and Energa rifle grenades being exchanged. The Argentinean Commando patrol was very aggressive and before dawn had forced the Paras to withdraw, having to leave behind much of their equipment. Only one Argentine NCO was slightly wounded during the counter-ambush. From then on patrols had to be mounted closer to their own line.
But morale was still good in the 7th Regiment. Private Fabián Passaro of B Company served on Longdon with the 1st Platoon and remembers life at the time:
Most of us had adjusted to what we'd been landed in, we'd adjusted to the war. But some boys [identified in the book Two Sides Of Hell/Los Dos Lados Del Infierno] were still very depressed and, in many cases, were getting worse all the time. Of course, we were very fed up with wearing the same clothes for so many days, going without a shower, being so cold, eating badly. It was too many things together, quite apart from our natural fear of the war, the shelling and all that. But I think some of us were adapting better than others. There were kids who were very worried; and I tried to buoy them up a bit. 'Don't worry,' I told them. 'Nothing will happen, we're safe here. 'Don't you see they could never get right up here? There's one thousand of us; if they try to climb, we'll see them, we'll shoot the shit out of them.'" [13]
When the 3 PARA's B Company (under Major Mike Argue) fixed bayonets to storm the Argentine 1st Platoon positions on Mount Longdon, they found themselves running into a minefield. The British sappers later counted some 1,500 anti-personnel mines sown along the western and northern slopes of Mount Longdon, 'but only two exploded because the rest were frozen by ice'. 'Otherwise the final battle for Port Stanley would have been an altogether different story,' concludes the NCO who took an Argentine machine-gun position that night.
Assault on Longdon
As dusk set-in, 3 Para moved to their start-lines and, after a brief stop, began to make their four-hour long advance to their objectives. As B Company approached Mount Longdon Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a mine, which after a very silent approach, alerted the Argentinian conscripts. More than 20 Argentinan soldiers emerged from their tents to lay down fire, but most of the platoon was still struggling out of their sleeping bags when Lieutenant Ian Bickerdike's No. 4 Platoon was amongst them, machinegunning and grenading the helpless Argentines. The thick of the action included the clearing out an Argentine 7.62mm machinegun from the high ground overlooking the western slopes: one platoon fixed bayonets and charged up the hill into a hail of machinegun fire.
The right flank of B Company captured the summit of Fly Half with no fighting. However, they had missed half a dozen of Argentine conscripts of the forward platoon. B Company grenaded several abandoned bunkers, and then launched a fierce attack on the unsuspecting platoon, resulting in a number of casualties before the area was cleared. For three hours the close combat raged until the Paras drove out the defenders. Two privates managed to crawl undetected up to an Argentine bunker and crouched beside it as the Marine conscripts inside blasted away into the night. In unison the two Paras each pulled the pin out of a grenade and posted it through the firing slit of the bunker. The instant the grenade exploded the two jumped in the bunker and bayoneted the two Marines inside.
Just as it seemed as if the Paras would overwhelm the argentian 2nd Platoon on the northern half of the mountain, reinforcements from 1st Platoon, 10th Engineer Company on Full Back arrived to help. Throughout the initial fighting in this sector, most of the Argentine positions on the saddle of the mountain held, the newly arrived engineers using head-mounted nightsights proving particularly deadly to the Paras.
The battle was going badly for Major Mike Argue. Argentine resistance was strong and well organized. At the centre of the mountain were Marine conscripts with a heavy machinegun and Marine conscripts with night-scope equipped rifles. Men in British No. 4 Platoon were attempting to perform reconnaissance on the Marine positions. It was decided to attack the Marine heavy machinegun position that was causing so much trouble and so much misery. The assault was met by a hail of fire. McKay and his team cleared several Marine riflemen in position but failed to neutralize the heavy machinegun.
Around midnight an argentinian rifle platoon hooked around the Argentinian 2nd Platoon that was already fighting and delivered a counterattack [at about 2 am local time]. The Platoon fought with great courage in fierce hand to hand combat and the battle raged for two more hours but gradually the enemy broke contact and withdrew while being engaged by artillery strikes'.
It was now the turn of the Argentines to attack. A reinforced argentinian platoon converged on the British aid post.
"I picked four blokes and got up on this high feature, and as I did so this troop [in fact a reinforced section of fifteen riflemen]of twenty, or thirty Argentines were coming towards us. We just opened fire on them. We don't know how many we killed, but they got what they deserved, b because none of them were left standing when we'd finished with them." said Faulkner [18]
Things were so bad that one british company ceased firing and devoted their full efforts to withdrawing from Fly Half. Under covering fire, Nos. 4 and 5 Platoons withdrew. Both platoons pulled back to a safe distance and all the wounded were recovered. The dead, however, had to be left where they had fallen. Meanwhile, on the southern slope of the objective, the wounded from No. 6 Platoon were being evacuated while the rest remained under cover of the rocks.
The British 3rd Commando Brigade commander, Brigadier Julian Thompson was reported as having said:
"I was on the point of withdrawing my Paras from Mount Longdon. We couldn't believe that these teenagers disguised as soldiers were causing us to suffer many casualties."
By the time the 21 survivors of on argentinian 46-man platoon worked their way off the mountain, they were utterly exhausted.
Following the unexpectedly fierce fighting on Fly Half, Nos. 4, and 5 Platoons were pulled back, and 29 Commando Regiment began pounding the mountain from Mount Kent, after which a left flanking attack was put in. Under heavy fire, the remnants of 4 and 5 Platoons advanced upon their objective of Full Back, taking some casualties from Casteñeda's platoon as they did so. As he was clearing the Argentine position. The Paras could not move any further without taking unacceptable losses and so were pulled back to the western end of Mount Longdon, with the orders to assault, from the west, the eastern objective of Full Back, a heavily defended position, with covering fire being given from Support Company.
British Lieutenants mustered their platoons near the western summit and briefed them on how to deal with the enemy. They soon attacked the position in bitter close-combat, clearing the position of the Argentine defenders with rifle, grenade and bayonet. The Argentines rigorously defended Full Back. The Argentine commander abandoned his bunker on Full Back only when a MILAN missile smashed into some rocks just behind him. In the command bunker were found 2,000 cigarettes which the attacking Major gave to the smokers in his company.
Overall, the battle was particularly brutal with little quarter being shown by either side.
Text edited down from "Battle of Mount Longdon" article pulled from Wikipedia- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mount_Longdon on 04/07/2011
Photos:
Paratroopers in the aftermath of the Battle of Mount Longdon on June 12 1982
Contour Map & Troop Movement - Rotate 90 counterclockwise to fit Magonigal road saddle terrain.
Accompanying textual guide to British troop movement.
Battle for Mount Longdon - As B Coy (4, 5 and 6 Platoons) approached Mount Longdon in the dark, on the left, one of 4 Platoon's men stepped on a mine and the alerted Argentines opened fire at the start of a battle that stretched through to dawn, ten hours later. On the right, 6 Platoon got on to the western summit with little fighting, but a by-passed bunker fired into them as they pushed through 'Fly Half', and later, when pinned down, they suffered a number of men killed by mainly sniper fire. Meanwhile 4 and 5 Platoons, using anti-armour weapons against enemy bunkers, fought their way on to the western end, but as they attempted to move to the east came under heavy automatic fire. 4 Platoon's commander was wounded, platoon Sgt McKay took over, and collecting some of his men and Cpl Bailey moved in to knock out a heavy machine gun post. In an action which led to the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross, Sgt McKay and one of the men were killed, but the enemy position was silenced. Now a second heavy machine gun held up B Coy HQ and 5 Platoon. Sgt Fuller was put in charge of 4 Platoon and with support from 5, tried to knock out this one, but without success. Maj Argue now pulled back both 4 and 5 Platoons, and called down artillery and naval gunfire on the enemy positions, after which a left flanking attack was put in, making some progress. Before long, they and the rest of B Coy found themselves under fire again, and having taken such heavy casualties, Lt Col Pike brought B Coy to a halt half way along the Longdon summit ridge.
A Coy (1, 2 and 3 Platoons) had meanwhile moved from 'Freekick' towards 'Wing Forward', but taken losses from the fire of the Argentine positions on the eastern end of the summit which were now holding up B Coy. With little hope of making progress, A Coy was pulled back to the western end of Longdon, moved through B Coy, and with artillery and GPMG support, 1 and 2 Platoons worked their way along the eastern half of the summit clearing the enemy positions with rifle and bayonet and grenades. Now the Argentines started withdrawing, and as soon as 'Full Back' was secured, 3 Platoon moved down the slope facing Wireless Ridge. As dawn broke, and with no possibility of exploiting forward, 3 Para started digging in on Mount Longdon to spend the next two days under heavy and accurate artillery fire.
The Battle of Mount Longdon from the Argentine Point of View
Argentinan Troop placements
From:
kriegsimulation.blogspot.com/2010/02/battle-of-mount-longdon-from-argentine.html
kriegsimulation.blogspot.com/2010/02/battle-of-mount-longdon-from-argentine.html
The Battle of Mount Longdon was an engagement of the Falklands War between British and Argentine forces, which took place on 11–12 June 1982, resulting in the British victory and their occupation of a key position around the besieged Argentine garrison.
Background
British forces
The British force consisted of 3 PARA under Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike (later general) with artillery support from six 105 mm light guns of 29 Commando Regiment, Royal Artillery; 2 PARA were in reserve. Naval gunfire support was provided by HMS Avenger's 4.5-in gun.
Argentine forces
The Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment held Mount Longdon, Wireless Ridge and Cortley Ridge to the east.
Mostly conscripts with a year of training, the young RI 7 soldiers were not going to rout the field easily and most were prepared to stand their ground. They possessed fully automatic FN FALrifles which delivered more firepower than the British SLR, FN MAG 7.62mm general purpose machineguns identical to those of the Paras; some fifty of the 7th Regiment were to fight more resolutely than the rest, having been trained on a commando course.
Battle
British advance
The 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment, made a desperate march across the hills north of Mount Simon to seize the key piece of high ground above the settlement of Estancia, nicknamed Estancia Farm. The weather conditions were atrocious, with the Paras marching through steep slippery hillocks to the objective. Nick Rose was a private in 6 Platoon under Lieutenant Jonathan Shaw.
The terrain dictated exactly how we advanced. A lot of the time if we were going along on tracks – what few tracks we did go on – we used Indian file, which is staggered file on either side of the track, like a zig zag. But there are great rivers of rock – big white boulders – and you have to cross them and then there's the heather and the gorse and its constantly wet. So the wind chill factor was – I think somebody said minus 40 degrees – and storm force winds and horizontal rain – a nightmare scenario. ... We are horrible, we're miserable as sin, all of us – we're missing home, want a dry fag, warm, dry boots, a cheese and onion sandwich and a bottle of blue top milk. I used to dream of these.[9]
3 Para set up a patrol base near Murrell Bridge, two kilometres west of Mount Longdon on 3 June. From there they sent out their specialist patrols from D Company to scout out the Argentine positions on Mount Longdon.
On the Argentine side, it was soon realised that the 7th Infantry Regiment Reconnaissance Platoon soldiers on the surrounding Wireless Ridge position were ill equipped to carry out their own patrolling. Thus, the Argentine Commando units, normally used for deep-recce had to take on this role. They were able to do so with some success and in the early hours of 7 June a combined patrol of the 601st Commando Company and 601st National Gendarmerie Special Forces Squadron was seen approaching Murrell Bridge. After several nights in the area Corporals Paul Haddon and Peter Brown and their patrols had just arrived at the bluff on the western bank of the Murrell River which Sergeant Ian Addle's patrol had been using as a base. Within a short space of time a sentry reported moving figures down near the bridge. The Paras opened up and a confused firefight developed in the darkness, with small arms, machinegun, LAW and Energa rifle grenades being exchanged. The Argentinean Commando patrol was very aggressive and before dawn had forced the Paras to withdraw, having to leave behind much of their equipment. Only one Argentine NCO was slightly wounded during the counter-ambush. From then on patrols had to be mounted closer to their own line.
But morale was still good in the 7th Regiment. Private Fabián Passaro of B Company served on Longdon with the 1st Platoon and remembers life at the time:
Most of us had adjusted to what we'd been landed in, we'd adjusted to the war. But some boys [identified in the book Two Sides Of Hell/Los Dos Lados Del Infierno] were still very depressed and, in many cases, were getting worse all the time. Of course, we were very fed up with wearing the same clothes for so many days, going without a shower, being so cold, eating badly. It was too many things together, quite apart from our natural fear of the war, the shelling and all that. But I think some of us were adapting better than others. There were kids who were very worried; and I tried to buoy them up a bit. 'Don't worry,' I told them. 'Nothing will happen, we're safe here. 'Don't you see they could never get right up here? There's one thousand of us; if they try to climb, we'll see them, we'll shoot the shit out of them.'" [13]
When the 3 PARA's B Company (under Major Mike Argue) fixed bayonets to storm the Argentine 1st Platoon positions on Mount Longdon, they found themselves running into a minefield. The British sappers later counted some 1,500 anti-personnel mines sown along the western and northern slopes of Mount Longdon, 'but only two exploded because the rest were frozen by ice'. 'Otherwise the final battle for Port Stanley would have been an altogether different story,' concludes the NCO who took an Argentine machine-gun position that night.
Assault on Longdon
As dusk set-in, 3 Para moved to their start-lines and, after a brief stop, began to make their four-hour long advance to their objectives. As B Company approached Mount Longdon Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a mine, which after a very silent approach, alerted the Argentinian conscripts. More than 20 Argentinan soldiers emerged from their tents to lay down fire, but most of the platoon was still struggling out of their sleeping bags when Lieutenant Ian Bickerdike's No. 4 Platoon was amongst them, machinegunning and grenading the helpless Argentines. The thick of the action included the clearing out an Argentine 7.62mm machinegun from the high ground overlooking the western slopes: one platoon fixed bayonets and charged up the hill into a hail of machinegun fire.
The right flank of B Company captured the summit of Fly Half with no fighting. However, they had missed half a dozen of Argentine conscripts of the forward platoon. B Company grenaded several abandoned bunkers, and then launched a fierce attack on the unsuspecting platoon, resulting in a number of casualties before the area was cleared. For three hours the close combat raged until the Paras drove out the defenders. Two privates managed to crawl undetected up to an Argentine bunker and crouched beside it as the Marine conscripts inside blasted away into the night. In unison the two Paras each pulled the pin out of a grenade and posted it through the firing slit of the bunker. The instant the grenade exploded the two jumped in the bunker and bayoneted the two Marines inside.
Just as it seemed as if the Paras would overwhelm the argentian 2nd Platoon on the northern half of the mountain, reinforcements from 1st Platoon, 10th Engineer Company on Full Back arrived to help. Throughout the initial fighting in this sector, most of the Argentine positions on the saddle of the mountain held, the newly arrived engineers using head-mounted nightsights proving particularly deadly to the Paras.
The battle was going badly for Major Mike Argue. Argentine resistance was strong and well organized. At the centre of the mountain were Marine conscripts with a heavy machinegun and Marine conscripts with night-scope equipped rifles. Men in British No. 4 Platoon were attempting to perform reconnaissance on the Marine positions. It was decided to attack the Marine heavy machinegun position that was causing so much trouble and so much misery. The assault was met by a hail of fire. McKay and his team cleared several Marine riflemen in position but failed to neutralize the heavy machinegun.
Around midnight an argentinian rifle platoon hooked around the Argentinian 2nd Platoon that was already fighting and delivered a counterattack [at about 2 am local time]. The Platoon fought with great courage in fierce hand to hand combat and the battle raged for two more hours but gradually the enemy broke contact and withdrew while being engaged by artillery strikes'.
It was now the turn of the Argentines to attack. A reinforced argentinian platoon converged on the British aid post.
"I picked four blokes and got up on this high feature, and as I did so this troop [in fact a reinforced section of fifteen riflemen]of twenty, or thirty Argentines were coming towards us. We just opened fire on them. We don't know how many we killed, but they got what they deserved, b because none of them were left standing when we'd finished with them." said Faulkner [18]
Things were so bad that one british company ceased firing and devoted their full efforts to withdrawing from Fly Half. Under covering fire, Nos. 4 and 5 Platoons withdrew. Both platoons pulled back to a safe distance and all the wounded were recovered. The dead, however, had to be left where they had fallen. Meanwhile, on the southern slope of the objective, the wounded from No. 6 Platoon were being evacuated while the rest remained under cover of the rocks.
The British 3rd Commando Brigade commander, Brigadier Julian Thompson was reported as having said:
"I was on the point of withdrawing my Paras from Mount Longdon. We couldn't believe that these teenagers disguised as soldiers were causing us to suffer many casualties."
By the time the 21 survivors of on argentinian 46-man platoon worked their way off the mountain, they were utterly exhausted.
Following the unexpectedly fierce fighting on Fly Half, Nos. 4, and 5 Platoons were pulled back, and 29 Commando Regiment began pounding the mountain from Mount Kent, after which a left flanking attack was put in. Under heavy fire, the remnants of 4 and 5 Platoons advanced upon their objective of Full Back, taking some casualties from Casteñeda's platoon as they did so. As he was clearing the Argentine position. The Paras could not move any further without taking unacceptable losses and so were pulled back to the western end of Mount Longdon, with the orders to assault, from the west, the eastern objective of Full Back, a heavily defended position, with covering fire being given from Support Company.
British Lieutenants mustered their platoons near the western summit and briefed them on how to deal with the enemy. They soon attacked the position in bitter close-combat, clearing the position of the Argentine defenders with rifle, grenade and bayonet. The Argentines rigorously defended Full Back. The Argentine commander abandoned his bunker on Full Back only when a MILAN missile smashed into some rocks just behind him. In the command bunker were found 2,000 cigarettes which the attacking Major gave to the smokers in his company.
Overall, the battle was particularly brutal with little quarter being shown by either side.
Text edited down from "Battle of Mount Longdon" article pulled from Wikipedia- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Mount_Longdon on 04/07/2011
Photos:
Paratroopers in the aftermath of the Battle of Mount Longdon on June 12 1982
Contour Map & Troop Movement - Rotate 90 counterclockwise to fit Magonigal road saddle terrain.
Accompanying textual guide to British troop movement.
Battle for Mount Longdon - As B Coy (4, 5 and 6 Platoons) approached Mount Longdon in the dark, on the left, one of 4 Platoon's men stepped on a mine and the alerted Argentines opened fire at the start of a battle that stretched through to dawn, ten hours later. On the right, 6 Platoon got on to the western summit with little fighting, but a by-passed bunker fired into them as they pushed through 'Fly Half', and later, when pinned down, they suffered a number of men killed by mainly sniper fire. Meanwhile 4 and 5 Platoons, using anti-armour weapons against enemy bunkers, fought their way on to the western end, but as they attempted to move to the east came under heavy automatic fire. 4 Platoon's commander was wounded, platoon Sgt McKay took over, and collecting some of his men and Cpl Bailey moved in to knock out a heavy machine gun post. In an action which led to the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross, Sgt McKay and one of the men were killed, but the enemy position was silenced. Now a second heavy machine gun held up B Coy HQ and 5 Platoon. Sgt Fuller was put in charge of 4 Platoon and with support from 5, tried to knock out this one, but without success. Maj Argue now pulled back both 4 and 5 Platoons, and called down artillery and naval gunfire on the enemy positions, after which a left flanking attack was put in, making some progress. Before long, they and the rest of B Coy found themselves under fire again, and having taken such heavy casualties, Lt Col Pike brought B Coy to a halt half way along the Longdon summit ridge.
A Coy (1, 2 and 3 Platoons) had meanwhile moved from 'Freekick' towards 'Wing Forward', but taken losses from the fire of the Argentine positions on the eastern end of the summit which were now holding up B Coy. With little hope of making progress, A Coy was pulled back to the western end of Longdon, moved through B Coy, and with artillery and GPMG support, 1 and 2 Platoons worked their way along the eastern half of the summit clearing the enemy positions with rifle and bayonet and grenades. Now the Argentines started withdrawing, and as soon as 'Full Back' was secured, 3 Platoon moved down the slope facing Wireless Ridge. As dawn broke, and with no possibility of exploiting forward, 3 Para started digging in on Mount Longdon to spend the next two days under heavy and accurate artillery fire.
The Battle of Mount Longdon from the Argentine Point of View
Argentinan Troop placements
From:
kriegsimulation.blogspot.com/2010/02/battle-of-mount-longdon-from-argentine.html