206
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 26:
Line 26: + + +
Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War) (view source)
Revision as of 17:16, February 15, 2017
, 17:16, February 15, 2017no edit summary
==South Georgia==
==South Georgia==
On April 3, the 1st Marine Infantry Battalion captured South Georgia, 1,350 kilometres to the east of the Falklands. In that action, the Argentinian corvette ARA ''Guerrico'' was lured too close to shore and hit by anti-tank missiles from the 22-man Royal Marines platoon under Lieutenant Keith Mill and one Argentinian sailor, Corporal Patricio Guanca was killed in the action. Soon after this Argentinian setback, another two Marines, Privates Mario Almonacid and Jorge Aguila were killed and seven wounded when the Puma helicopter transporting their platoon was hit by concentrated small-arms fire and forced to make a crash-landing. However, one British Royal Marine was wounded in an exchange of fire with the Argentinian Marines. The Marines platoon under Lieutenant Mills eventually surrendered when their position was bombarded by the ''Guerrico'''s main 100mm gun.
On April 3, the 1st Marine Infantry Battalion captured South Georgia, 1,350 kilometres to the east of the Falklands. In that action, the Argentinian corvette ARA ''Guerrico'' was lured too close to shore and hit by anti-tank missiles from the 22-man Royal Marines platoon under Lieutenant Keith Mill and one Argentinian sailor, Corporal Patricio Guanca was killed in the action. Soon after this Argentinian setback, another two Marines, Privates Mario Almonacid and Jorge Aguila were killed and seven wounded when the Puma helicopter transporting their platoon was hit by concentrated small-arms fire and forced to make a crash-landing. However, one British Royal Marine was wounded in an exchange of fire with the Argentinian Marines. The Marines platoon under Lieutenant Mills eventually surrendered when their position was bombarded by the ''Guerrico'''s main 100mm gun.
==Aftermath==
Photographs of the Royal Marines outside Government House, facedown on the ground, soon appeared in the British press, smuggled out by out by Rex Hunt's son Tony for Simon Winchester of the [[Sunday Times]] who had taken the pictures.<ref>"The humiliation was soon reinforced by images of the Argentine flag being raised and of the Royal Marines as prisoners. The photographs of the surrender of the Royal Marines had been taken by Simon Winchester of the Sunday Times and were smuggled out by out by Rex Hunt's son Tony." The Official History of the Falklands Campaign, Volume 2: War and Diplomacy, Lawrence Freedman, pp. 8-9, Routledge, 2004</ref>In response, Britain sent an armada of warships to the Falklands. Fierce battles erupted. In all, more than 900 soldiers and sailors from both side died in the fighting. But the British forces won. Winchester went to Argentina to cover the war from the southern airbases where he was arrested with two colleagues for spying.<ref>"Winchester went to Argentina where he was later arrested with two colleagues for spying." The Official History of the Falklands Campaign, Volume 2: War and Diplomacy, Lawrence Freedman, p. 9, Routledge, 2004</ref>
==References==
==References==