Changes

The British [[22nd Special Air Service Regiment]] (SAS) and [[Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre]] (M&AWC) had several clashes with the 602nd Commando Company in the [[Battles of Mount Kent and Top Malo House]].

The British [[22nd Special Air Service Regiment]] (SAS) and [[Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre]] (M&AWC) had several clashes with the 602nd Commando Company in the [[Battles of Mount Kent and Top Malo House]].

<ref>"Interestingly, Argentine military planners were aware of the redeployment of the SAS to Mount Kent and sent their own Special Forces (Commando 602) to neutralise them. New information reveals some tough fighting occurred between the British and Argentine Special Forces in which casualties were sustained on both sides; however, the failure of the Argentine forces to coordinate their efforts (communication was very difficult on Mount Kent) undermined their performance." Special Forces, Strategy and the War on Terror: Warfare By Other Means, Alastair Finlan, pp. 40-41, Routledge, 2009</ref>The Argentinian Green Berets were operating behind enemy lines and were ordered to capture British soldiers and shoot down enemy helicopters. The 602nd Commando Company had one man badly wounded in an SAS ambush on Mount Kent on the night of May 29/30, with the British SAS suffering two badly wounded in the action (Carl Rhodes and Richard Palmer), and Major Rico's company lost two men killed in an SAS ambush at Bluff Cove Peak in the morning of May 30 with the British reporting two of their men (Ewen Pearcy and Don Masters) hit by hand-grenades. First Lieutenant [[Rubén Eduardo Márquez]]<ref>[http://www.ellitoral.com/index.php/id_um/107118-merecido-homenaje-a-ex-combatiente-en-coronda Merecido homenaje a ex combatiente en Coronda]</ref> and Sergeant [[Oscar Humberto Blas]], from Captain [[Tomás Victor Fernández]]' 2nd Assault Section, were posthumously decorated for their part in this action.<ref>"Oponerse a una fracción enemiga superior en número, en ocasión en que integraba una patrulla de exploración que operaba en una zona ocupada por el enemigo. Alertar con su acción a sus camaradas y combatir hasta lograr que estos se replegaran, ofrendando su vida en esta acción." Informe Oficial del Ejército Argentino, p. 56, Ejército Argentino, 1983</ref>

<ref>"Interestingly, Argentine military planners were aware of the redeployment of the SAS to Mount Kent and sent their own Special Forces (Commando 602) to neutralise them. New information reveals some tough fighting occurred between the British and Argentine Special Forces in which casualties were sustained on both sides; however, the failure of the Argentine forces to coordinate their efforts (communication was very difficult on Mount Kent) undermined their performance." Special Forces, Strategy and the War on Terror: Warfare By Other Means, Alastair Finlan, pp. 40-41, Routledge, 2009</ref>The Argentinian Green Berets were operating behind enemy lines and were ordered to capture British soldiers and shoot down enemy helicopters. The 602nd Commando Company in the form of Captain Andrés Antonio Ferrero's 3rd Assault Section had one man badly wounded (Sergeant Raimundo Máximo Viltes) in an SAS ambush on Mount Kent on the night of May 29/30, with the British SAS suffering two badly wounded in the action (Carl Rhodes and Richard Palmer), and Major Rico's company lost two men killed in an SAS ambush at Bluff Cove Peak in the morning of May 30 with the British reporting two of their men (Ewen Pearcy and Don Masters) hit by hand-grenades. First Lieutenant [[Rubén Eduardo Márquez]]<ref>[http://www.ellitoral.com/index.php/id_um/107118-merecido-homenaje-a-ex-combatiente-en-coronda Merecido homenaje a ex combatiente en Coronda]</ref> and Sergeant [[Oscar Humberto Blas]], from Captain [[Tomás Victor Fernández]]' 2nd Assault Section, were posthumously decorated for their part in this action.<ref>"Oponerse a una fracción enemiga superior en número, en ocasión en que integraba una patrulla de exploración que operaba en una zona ocupada por el enemigo. Alertar con su acción a sus camaradas y combatir hasta lograr que estos se replegaran, ofrendando su vida en esta acción." Informe Oficial del Ejército Argentino, p. 56, Ejército Argentino, 1983</ref>

A larger fight took place on the morning of May 31. Captain [[José Arnobio Vercesi]]'s 1st Assault Section from the 602nd Commando Company was spotted by the British in an isolated sheep farm, Top Malo House, which had been bypassed by the 3rd British Commando Brigade. 19 Mountain & Artic Warfare special forces were helicoptered there and attacked the house. During a fierce 45-minute action the house was set on fire, the British later paid tribute to the tough fight put up by the Argentinians, who suffered two killed and six wounded; there were only four unwounded prisoners. Two of the Argentinians, Lieutenant [[Ernesto Emilio Espinosa]] and Sergeant [[Mateo Domingo Sbert]], were posthumously awarded Argentina's highest decoration for bravery. The Argentinian commandos claimed two British were killed; their comrades, they said, could be seen crying over the dead bodies. But no British were killed; what the Argentinian survivors saw were the three badly British Marines wounded being tended.<ref>[http://www.laperlaaustral.com.ar/contenidos/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=108:elcombatedetopmalohouse&catid=56:companiadecomandos602&Itemid=127 El combate de Top Malo House]</ref>

A larger fight took place on the morning of May 31. Captain [[José Arnobio Vercesi]]'s 1st Assault Section from the 602nd Commando Company was spotted by the British in an isolated sheep farm, Top Malo House, which had been bypassed by the 3rd British Commando Brigade. 19 Mountain & Artic Warfare special forces were helicoptered there and attacked the house. During a fierce 45-minute action the house was set on fire, the British later paid tribute to the tough fight put up by the Argentinians, who suffered two killed and six wounded; there were only four unwounded prisoners. Two of the Argentinians, Lieutenant [[Ernesto Emilio Espinosa]] and Sergeant [[Mateo Domingo Sbert]], were posthumously awarded Argentina's highest decoration for bravery. The Argentinian commandos claimed two British were killed; their comrades, they said, could be seen crying over the dead bodies. But no British were killed; what the Argentinian survivors saw were the three badly British Marines wounded being tended.<ref>[http://www.laperlaaustral.com.ar/contenidos/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=108:elcombatedetopmalohouse&catid=56:companiadecomandos602&Itemid=127 El combate de Top Malo House]</ref>