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The Battle of Sapper Hill was an engagement in the [[Falklands/Malvinas War]], one of a series of battles that took place during the British advance towards Port Stanley.

The '''Battle of Sapper Hill''' was an engagement in the [[Falklands/Malvinas War]], one of a series of battles that took place during the [[United Kingdom|British]] advance towards Port Stanley against the [[Argentina|Argentinians]].

==British plan==

==British plan==

The Welsh Guards were then given the task of assaulting Sapper Hill on the morning of June 14 1982, after the Scots Guards had attacked and captured Mount Tumbledown.  Sapper Hill, a grassy hillock 453 feet high, was the last Argentine strong-point outside Port Stanley, and its capture, along with those of Mounts Tumbledown and William and Wireless Ridge, would bring an end to the fighting around the Falklands capital.

The Welsh Guards were then given the task of assaulting Sapper Hill on the morning of June 14, 1982, after the Scots Guards had attacked and captured Mount Tumbledown.  Sapper Hill, a grassy hillock 453 feet high, was the last Argentine strong-point outside Port Stanley, and its capture, along with those of Mounts Tumbledown and William and Wireless Ridge, would bring an end to the fighting around the Falklands capital.

==Argentinian stronghold==

==Argentinian stronghold==

==Night advance==

==Night advance==

On the night of the June 13/14 the Welsh Guards/Royal Marine Battalion were on standby to reinforce the British attacks on Mounts Tumbledown and William if necessary. Their orders were to move towards Sapper Hill only after these objectives were taken. During the advance, they became bogged down in a minefield, which took them a very long and frustrating time to extract themselves from, after coming under heavy mortar bombardment. Earlier on, a Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre patrol under Sergeant David Lazenby had penetrated the frozen minefield to secure a landing zone for the British helicopters. Major Christopher Drewrywe's Number 2 Company (Welsh Guards) eventually reached the base of Sapper Hill, only to discover that the Argentine M Company was still in position. The Guardsmen were forced to withdraw, protected by the early morning fog, this time avoiding the minefield.<ref>"After some time an explosion was heard. A Royal Marine had stepped on a mine, followed by another a few minutes later. Our troop then cleared a safe line through the minefield. Once through, we dug in at the base of a hill, only to find that it was still occupied by Argentine troops. So back we went to our original positions, this time around the minefield." Craftsmen of the Army: The Story of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (Vol II 1969-1992, Volumes 1969-1992), J M Kneen, D J Sutton, p 449, Pen & Sword, 1997</ref>Due to this delay, it was decided that 45 Commando should move forward from Two Sisters to occupy Sapper Hill. While 45 Commando were marching towards Sapper Hill, Bravo and Charlie Companies from 40 Commando had escaped from the attention of the Argentine defenders on Sapper Hill and they were picked up by helicopters. They were eventually landed on the slopes of Sapper Hill just as 45 Commando were approaching, so both units attacked and captured Hill.  

On the night of the June 13/14, the Welsh Guards/Royal Marine Battalion were on standby to reinforce the British attacks on Mounts Tumbledown and William if necessary. Their orders were to move towards Sapper Hill only after these objectives were taken. During the advance, they became bogged down in a minefield, which took them a very long and frustrating time to extract themselves from, after coming under heavy mortar bombardment. Earlier on, a Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre patrol under Sergeant David Lazenby had penetrated the frozen minefield to secure a landing zone for the British helicopters. Major Christopher Drewrywe's Number 2 Company (Welsh Guards) eventually reached the base of Sapper Hill, only to discover that the Argentine M Company was still in position. The Guardsmen were forced to withdraw, protected by the early morning fog, this time avoiding the minefield.<ref>"After some time an explosion was heard. A Royal Marine had stepped on a mine, followed by another a few minutes later. Our troop then cleared a safe line through the minefield. Once through, we dug in at the base of a hill, only to find that it was still occupied by Argentine troops. So back we went to our original positions, this time around the minefield." Craftsmen of the Army: The Story of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (Vol II 1969-1992, Volumes 1969-1992), J M Kneen, D J Sutton, p 449, Pen & Sword, 1997</ref>Due to this delay, it was decided that 45 Commando should move forward from Two Sisters to occupy Sapper Hill. While 45 Commando were marching towards Sapper Hill, Bravo and Charlie Companies from 40 Commando had escaped from the attention of the Argentine defenders on Sapper Hill and they were picked up by helicopters. They were eventually landed on the slopes of Sapper Hill just as 45 Commando were approaching, so both units attacked and captured Hill.  

==British attack==

==British attack==