Changes

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of the 11/12 June 1982, to coincide with attacks on the Two Sisters by 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by 42 Commando.

Of these objectives, 3 PARA was tasked with taking Mount Longdon on the night of the 11/12 June 1982, to coincide with attacks on the Two Sisters by 45 Commando and Mount Harriet by 42 Commando.

On 10 June 1982, Lt Col Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 800 Argentine soldiers defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm howitzers from 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 105mm howitzers near Stanley. In addition, the area had been heavily mined.

On 10 June 1982, Lieutenant Colonel Hew Pike gave his orders in the Regimental Headquarters at the sheep farm settlement of Estancia House for the attack on Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge. They were told to expect around 800 Argentinian soldiers from Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Giménez's 7th Mechanized Infantry Regiment ''La Plata'' defending the positions who were well dug in and provided with artillery cover from 18 Argentine 105mm Oto Melara howitzers from Lieutenant-Colonel Martín Balza's 3rd Artillery Group and a further 18 Oto Melaras near Government House from Lieutenant-Colonel Alberto Quevedo's 4th Airborne Artillery Group. In addition, the area had been heavily mined.

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Mount Longdon is a long narrow feature of rocky terrain, running from east to west with two summits. As a result of its geography only one company attacking could advance along it. The plan was that the rifle companies would be led to the start line at the stream, west of Mount Longdon by members of D (Patrol) Company. The start line would be known as ‘Free Kick’.

Major Mike Argue'sB Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

Major Mike Argue's B Company, on the right would take the two summits named ‘Fly Half’ and ‘Full Back’ following the ridge line. Meanwhile, Major David Collett's  A Company would be on the left to take ‘Wing Forward’, a spur running from the western side of the summit. C Company would seize 'Rough Diamond' before clearing the rest of Wireless Ridge.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2d Lt Juan Domingo Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon took the brunt of the enemy machine-gun fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack a heavy machine gun position up a steep slope. It was whilst engaging this position that Sergeant McKay was killed in action. He would later receive a posthumous [[Victoria Cross]] for his actions.

It was a silent approach until Corporal Brian Milne stepped on a land mine, which alerted 2nd Lieutenant Juan Baldini's 1st Rifle Platoon (B Company 7th Regiment ''La Plata'') to the attack. At this point the Argentinian sentries opened fire and fierce fighting ensued. Lieutenant Ian Bickerdicke's No. 4 Platoon took the brunt of the enemy machine-gun fire, with several killed and wounded, including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant. Sergeant Des Fuller, therefore, took command of the remnants of 4 Platoon and moved forward to attack a Marine heavy machine gun position up a steep slope. It was whilst engaging this position that Sergeant McKay was killed in action. He would later receive a posthumous [[Victoria Cross]] for his actions.

Meanwhile, A Company was attacking from the northern side of Mount Longdon. They were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ‘Full Back’. With B Company having finally taken the western peak, A Company moved eastwards, under heavy from First Lieutenant Raúl Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon, C Company 7th Regiment, before taking the eastern peak.

Meanwhile, A Company was attacking from the northern side of Mount Longdon. They were coming under heavy, sustained and accurate fire from Staff Sergeant Raúl González's 2nd Rifle Platoon and so the decision was made by Pike to withdraw them from that position. Instead they were to move through B Company and take ‘Full Back’. With Major Argue having finally taken the western peak, Major Collett's A Company moved eastwards, under heavy from Argentinian reinforcements in the form of First Lieutenant Raúl Castañeda's 1st Rifle Platoon (C Company 7th Regiment), before taking the eastern peak.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on the 12 June. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.

Mount Longdon was secure by 09.30 am on the 12 June. By this time, 3 PARA had been fighting for 12 hours and they would remain under heavy fire for a further 48 hours from Marine Artillery Observation Officers and Mortar Fire Controllers (MFCs) on Mount Tumbledown. During this period an additional four British Paratroopers were killed in action and several more wounded or injured.