Changes

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

Following ''Kilo'' Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians. On their second patrol, Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters, and when discovered, were counterattacked but killed five of the Argentinians. Later, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando retreated in a similar action, abandoning much equipment, and Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando had raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge. Also, Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion completed their mapping out of the Argentinian positions from their cover in Port Harriet House. Sadly these successes did not come without loss. On the night of June 9th a fighting patrol from ''Yankee'' Company was caught between the machinegun fire of Argentinian Special Forces and supporting mortarmen near Murrell River, resulting in the deaths of four Royal Marines.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians. Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June, and when discovered, were counterattacked but killed five of the Argentinians, including two Marine Sappers. On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of ''X-Ray'' Company, 45 Commando retreated in a similar action, abandoning much equipment after clashing with 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions opposite Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night.

 

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from ''Kilo'' Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

 

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

45 Commando's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's plan was for ''X-Ray'' Company to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south western peak (''Long Toenail'') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Commando's Milan Troop. ''Zulu'' Company would then assault the northern peak (''Summer Days''), and ''Yankee'' Company would clear the eastern end of Two Sisters.

45 Commando's night attack would also be silent without any preliminary artillery fire. Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead's plan was for ''X-Ray'' Company to leave their start line at 9.00 pm, and having taken the south western peak (''Long Toenail'') around two hours later, to set up a fire support base that included 40 Commando's Milan Troop. ''Zulu'' Company would then assault the northern peak (''Summer Days''), and ''Yankee'' Company would clear the eastern end of Two Sisters.