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Line 19: − + − On June 11th, 45 Commando less 'X-Ray' Company left their positions behind Mount Kent and moving around the north side, reached the main start line ('Pub Garden') as planned. Meanwhile, Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company, marching down between Mount's Kent and Challenger and heavily weighed down, especially by the MILAN, arrived at the start line over two hours late. After a short rest, they began their move towards 'Long Toenail' at 11.00 pm local time.+ − ''X-Ray'' Company headed across the open ground towards ''Long Toenail'' led by Lieutenant James Kelly's 1 Troop, and less than a mile short of the peak, Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop took over the lead, but halfway up was stopped by heavy machine gun fire and forced back. The enemy positions were hit by Milans and some mortar fire, and now Lieutenant Chris Caroe's 2 Troop pushed on to the summit under naval artillery fire. Reaching there, they were forced back by Argentinian shellfire, but shortly returned driving off the Argentinian 3rd Platoon. + − + + + + + + + + +
Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain (view source)
Revision as of 23:08, January 18, 2019
, 23:08, January 18, 2019→Two Sisters
==Two Sisters==
==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.
As the Battle of Mount Longdon and Wireless Ridge commenced, 45 Commando, under Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead, in the centre, moved off towards their start-lines ('Pub Garden') for the attack on Two Sisters Mountain. Captain Ian Gardiner's 'X-Ray' Company spearheaded the attack. The Royal Marines preferred to attack under the cover of night. Such was the importance attached to lives.
'X-Ray' Company would assault the lower ridges of the southern peak ('Long Toenail') of Two Sisters from the west, 'Zulu' Company would attack the northern peak, known in 45 Commando as 'Summer Days', and 'Yankee' Company would then assault the eastern ridge. The local commander on the Two Sisters ridge was Major Ricardo Mario Cordón, second-in-command of the 4th 'Monte Caseros' Infantry Regiment.
The first attack against 'Long Toenail' came in around 11.30 PM Falklands time and Lieutenant David Stewart's 3 Troop – a Royal Marine Troop is like an Army Platoon – managed to get very close to 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon, 'C' Company, 4th Regiment. But the attack was beaten off by rifle and machine-gun fire. Second Lieutenant Llambias-Pravaz rallied his men with the old Guarani war-cry of 'Sapukay!' The Royal Marine Commandos in 'X' Company pushed hard when prudent, but avoided rash moves.
Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for ''Long Toenail'', ''Zulu'' Company followed by ''Yankee'' Company to their right, moved off from ''Pub Garden'' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by ''X-Ray'' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated ''Zulu'' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.
The Argentine conscripts on 'Long Toenail' stood to their machineguns and Instalaza anti-tank rocket launchers and defied the attackers. Lieutenant Stewart's men flung themeselves again at the Argentinians but, were driven off much to the frustration of Captain Gardiner. Despite this, some Argentinians had to pull in a bit or be overrun. The combat was extremely rough being fought in cold wind over a bare rocky ridge and around huge boulders.
Eventually the Argentines had to retreat. After about 3 hours of chaotic night fighting the men of 3rd Platoon fell back from 'Long Toenail'.
The great fight at 'Long Toenail' cost Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Platoon a third of its strength. The assault on the southern peak was supported by 40 Commando's Anti-Tank Troop and innumerable 66mm LAW anti-tank rockets. 'X Ray' Company found the Milan missiles to be a very effective way of dislodging Llambías Pravaz's defiant 3rd Platoon, but expensive at 35,000 US dollars each.
2d Lt Llambías Pravaz was one of the recent April 1982 graduates from the Army Academy. His outstanding courage was recognized by the award of the Gallantry in Combat Medal.
Soon after midnight as ''X-Ray'' Company continued its fight for 'Long Toenail', 'Zulu' Company followed by 'Yankee' Company to their right, moved off from 'Pub Garden' on their silent uphill approach. As the Argentinian 1st and 2nd Platoons were still distracted by 'X-Ray' Company's attack, the other two companies closed in until an Argentinian flare illuminated 'Zulu' Company and 8 Troop opened fire in response.
''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.
''Yankee'' and ''Zulu'' Companies attacked the northern peak of Two Sisters at 1230 local time and engaged in a two-hour firefight, during which the Argentinian mortar platoon commander (Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella) was killed.