Changes

To the south, Mount Harriet proved to be more formidable, being surrounded to the west and south by minefields.  3 Commando Brigade's last target for the night was alloted to 42 COMMANDO (under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux).

To the south, Mount Harriet proved to be more formidable, being surrounded to the west and south by minefields.  3 Commando Brigade's last target for the night was alloted to 42 COMMANDO (under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Nick Vaux).

Under the cover of darkness of June 12, 42 COMMANDO's 'Kilo' Company (under Captain Peter Babbington) "secretly crept" through First Lieutenant Carlos Alberto Arroyo's lines in the form of a frozen minefield and arrived at the eastern end of Mount Harriet by 2215 local time.  The 4th Regiment sentries; despite all preparations were caught by surprise.  The Royal Marine Commandos were magnificently trained at silent approach.

Under the cover of darkness of June 12, 42 COMMANDO's 'Kilo' Company (under Captain Peter Babbington) "secretly crept" through Captain Carlos Alberto Arroyo's lines in the form of a frozen minefield and arrived at the eastern end of Mount Harriet by 2215 local time.  The 4th Regiment sentries; despite all preparations were caught by surprise.  The Royal Marine Commandos were magnificently trained at silent approach.

The advance of 'K' Company, 42 COMMANDO was made with dazzling rapidity. In vain Lieutenant-Colonel Diego Alejandro Soria called down on the eastern slopes the fire of the Argentinian Artillery knowing very well that the Heavy Mortar Platoon (under 2d Lieutenant Mario Héctor Juaréz) was positioned there.

The advance of 'K' Company, 42 COMMANDO was made with dazzling rapidity. In vain Lieutenant-Colonel Diego Alejandro Soria called down on the eastern slopes the fire of the Argentinian Artillery knowing very well that the Heavy Mortar Platoon (under 2d Lieutenant Mario Héctor Juaréz) was positioned there.

By 09.30 local time the craggy peaks of Mount Harriet and Goat Ridge were secure, at a cost to 42 COMMANDO of two fatal casualties (Corporals Jeremy Smith and Laurence Watts) and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK.  WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES.  MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED.  ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A  Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

By 09.30 local time the craggy peaks of Mount Harriet and Goat Ridge were secure, at a cost to 42 COMMANDO of two fatal casualties (Corporals Jeremy Smith and Laurence Watts) and thirty wounded.<ref>"2 COYS OF 42 CDO HAD TAKEN A REGIMENTAL POSITION FOR 2 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED ... WE HAD BEEN ORDERED TO BE PREPARED TO PRESS FORWARD THE ATTACK ONTO MOUNT TUMBLEDOWN AND MOUNT WILLIAM IF THE ENEMY FLED OUR INITIAL ATTACK, AND TIME ALLOWED. BY DAWN IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT WE WERE IN NO POSITION TO ATTACK.  WE WERE EXHAUSTED, OUT OF AMMO AND SUFFERING SIGNIFICANT CASUALTIES.  MY 21C, A RADIO OPERATOR, MY TAC HQ MACHINE GUNNER AND ONE OF MY TROOP COMMANDERS HAD ALL BEEN SHOT, AND A FURTHER 10 ALSO WOUNDED.  ANOTHER TROOP COMMANDER I DISCOVERED WAS SUFFERING FROM SHELLSHOCK". [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/report/1986/WDG.htm A  Rifle Company Commander's Perspective, Major David G. Wheen, Royal Marines]</ref>

The remnants of the 4th Regiment's 'B' Company were virtually surrounded and Senior Lieutenant Carlos Alberto Arroyo and his men were forced to surrender:{{cquote|It hurt me a lot to have to take the decision to surrender, but the situation then gave no alternative, and all I could have achieved was further casualties in my personnel, who were already in a bad state. But I was very sad to surrender.<ref>Denys Blakeway,The Falklands War: A Major Television Series of Channel Four, p. 156, Sidgwick & Jackson, 1992</ref>}}

The remnants of the 4th Regiment's 'B' Company were virtually surrounded and Captain Carlos Alberto Arroyo and his men were forced to surrender:{{cquote|It hurt me a lot to have to take the decision to surrender, but the situation then gave no alternative, and all I could have achieved was further casualties in my personnel, who were already in a bad state. But I was very sad to surrender.<ref>Denys Blakeway,The Falklands War: A Major Television Series of Channel Four, p. 156, Sidgwick & Jackson, 1992</ref>}}

==Aftermath==

==Aftermath==