3 Commando Brigade forward base established at Teal Inlet
1st June 1982
In preparation for major engagements, 42, 45 Commandos and 3 Para begin patrolling areas in vicinity of planned objectives and conducting reconnaissance .
SBS, SAS, M&AW Cadre and Recce Troops continue reconnaissance operations.
Sgt Kiwi Hunt SBS Memorial
2nd June 1982
Sergeant Ian 'Kiwi' Hunt, Special Boat Service, was killed during an exchange of fire with an SAS patrol near Teal, Falklands.
He was the only member of the SBS who died in the conflict.
Thatcher orders assault on Stanley
3rd June 1982
Prime Minister Thatcher has ordered an assault on Stanley when the troops are ready.
By June 6th Major-General Jeremy Moore commands the 8,000 British troops on the Falklands, and Brigadier General Mario Benjamino Menendez commands 7,000 Argentines at Port Stanley.
June 7th Royal Marine Commandos capture Mount Low, overlooking Port Stanley's airstrip and the main Argentine garrison. British 105-mm howitzers have been shelling Argentine positions for the last four days. Argentine return fire is becoming desultory. With Mt. Low in British hands, it is thought that the Argentines will not be able to use the Port Stanley airstrip. "Up to 60" Argentines have been killed by British
Hunting the Exocet
June 1982
There are at least three special forces operations, PLUM DUFF, MIKADO and KETTLEDRUM, that were tasked to destroy Argentina’s Exocet missiles during the 1982 Falkland’s campaign all planned to be conducted in South America and possibly a fourth one in Europe.
The Loss of Royal Marines Landing Craft - LCU F4
8th June 1982
LCU F4 was ferrying the vehicles of the 5th Brigade's headquarters from Darwin to Bluff Cove. Six Royal Marines went down with the vessel. However, the Sea Harrier combat air patrol was already on scene and responded; three Skyhawks were shot down and their pilots and a fourth damaged.
All but two of LCU F4’s crew were killed during this action.
SAS Raid on Cortley Ridge - Supported by SBS and 1st Raiding Squadron
June 1982
As the campaign to retake the islands reached its climax in June 1982, with British troops advancing on Port Stanley, Delves D Squadron 22 SAS and his men were ordered to mount a diversionary attack in support of the main force.
Landing at night by 1st Raiding Squadrons RRC they were received by a Special Boat Service (SBS) patrol.
The Battle for Mount Harriet - 42 Cdo RM - 11/12 June 1982
11 - 12 June 1982
42 Commando (42 CDO), Royal Marines under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Nick Vaux, Royal Marines, with artillery support from a battery of 29 Commando Regiment, Royal Artillery. Engineer support from 2Tp, 59 Independent Commando Squadron (59 Ind CDO Sqn), Royal Engineers. The 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards (1WG) and two companies from 40 Commando (40 CDO) were in reserve. HMS Yarmouth provided naval gunfire support.
The Battle for Two Sisters - 45 Cdo RM - 11/12 June 1982
11 - 12th June 1982
45 Cdo's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lt Col Whitehead's plan was for X Coy to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south west peak ('Long Toenail') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Cdo's Milan Troop. Z Coy would then assault the western part of the north east peak ('Summer Days'), and Y Coy the eastern part.
Scouts HELARM - Bunker Busting
14th June 1982
During the Battle of Mount Tumbledown, on 14 June, an Argentine 105 mm (4.1 in) pack howitzer battery dug in to the west of Stanley Racecourse was firing at the Scots Guards as they approached Mount Tumbledown.
Three Scout helicopters, 2 from 3BAS and 1 from the AAC positioned 100 m (330 ft) apart, fired a total of ten missiles (nine missiles hit, one failed) from the ridge overlooking the Argentine positions 3,000 m (9,800 ft) away and succeeded in hitting the howitzers, nearby bunkers, an ammunition dump and the command post.
Tumbledown, Wireless Ridge, & Sapper Hill - The Last Shots Fired by 40 Commando
The Battle of Mount Tumbledown was an attack by the British Army and the Royal Marines on the remaining heights over-looking Stanley, the Falkland Islands capital.
Mount Tumbledown, Mount William and Sapper Hill lie west of the capital. Due to their proximity to the capital, they were of strategic importance.
The assaulting British forces were the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards, 42 Commando, Royal Marines Mortar platoon and four light tanks of the Blues and Royals. The 1st Battalion, 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles were held in reserve.
As part of the British plan for the Battle of Mount Tumbledown, the 1st Battalion the 7th Gurkha Rifles (1/7 GR) was given the task of capturing the sub-hill of Mount William, and then allow Royal Marines of 40 Commando under the command of the Welsh Guards through to seize Sapper Hill, the final obstacle before Stanley.
During the initial assault, Royal Marines from Charlie company, 40 Commando took part in the only daylight helicopter assault of the Falklands conflict, overshooting past the landing zone they flared to land on the track just below a small hill.
On landing both helicopters took incoming fire, 7 Troop had been inserted almost on top of the Argentine position, the Troop began an immediate assault which was the last fire fight of the Falklands War.
SAS Raid on Cortley Ridge - Supported by SBS and 1st Raiding Squadron
13th June 1982
The 4 Rigid Raiding Craft were from 1st Raiding Squadron Royal Marines supported a diversionary raid by the SAS and SBS North of Stanley.
Argentine surrender in the Falklands War - The Surrender Document
14th June 1982
At 2100 hours on 14 June 1982, the commander of the Argentine garrison in Stanley, General Mario Menéndez, surrendered to the Major General Jeremy Moore. The surrender was in conflict with the Argentine Army code stating that a surrender was illegal unless more than 50% of the men were casualties and 75% of the ammunition was spent.
40 Cdo Accept the Surrender at Port Howard and Mine Clearance
15th June 1982
On 15 June 1982, one day after the main Argentine surrender, Royal Marines of B Coy, 40 Commando flew in SeaKings to Port Howard, unsure if the Argentines would surrender with-out a fight around 850 members of Fifth Motorized Infantry Regiment including 601 Commando laid down their arms.
Operation Keyhole
19 - 20 June 1982
After the Argentine surrender on the Falkland Islands on 14 June 1982 HMS Yarmouth, HMS Endurance, RFA Olmeda and the tug Salvageman sailed to the South Sandwich Islands with instructions to end the Argentine presence there.
"Mills Marauders' raise the Union Flag on Thule Island.
RM Band - Repatriation of POWs to Argentina
Royal Marines Bandsman such as Brain Short pictures here [The Band That Went to War] guarded Argentine POWs on SS Canberra en route to repatriation in Argentina [Image courtesy of Brain Short]
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