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The reservists in Castañeda's platoon all knew each other well. Having been conscripted from the Lanus and Bandfield suburbs of Buenos Aires, many of the conscripts indulged a taste for Hollywood action movies and American swearing. This 46-man platoon, came in at the critical moment and showed themselves to be willing to fight at close quarters. The platoon fought bitterly on the northern sector of Mount Longdon and not altogether without success. Castañeda's men made grenade and bayonet attacks on the advancing British Paratroopers, compelling them to eventually withdraw after 2 hours of brutal boulder-to-boulder fighting.<ref>"Under covering fire, Numbers 4 and 5 Platoons, withdrew, but another man was killed and others wounded in the process." Para!: Fifty Years of the Parachute Regiment, Peter Harclerode, p. 354, Brian Trodd, Arms & Armour Press, 1992</ref>  

The reservists in Castañeda's platoon all knew each other well. Having been conscripted from the Lanus and Bandfield suburbs of Buenos Aires, many of the conscripts indulged a taste for Hollywood action movies and American swearing. This 46-man platoon, came in at the critical moment and showed themselves to be willing to fight at close quarters. The platoon fought bitterly on the northern sector of Mount Longdon and not altogether without success. Castañeda's men made grenade and bayonet attacks on the advancing British Paratroopers, compelling them to eventually withdraw after 2 hours of brutal boulder-to-boulder fighting.<ref>"Under covering fire, Numbers 4 and 5 Platoons, withdrew, but another man was killed and others wounded in the process." Para!: Fifty Years of the Parachute Regiment, Peter Harclerode, p. 354, Brian Trodd, Arms & Armour Press, 1992</ref>  

It was almost 0530 local time before the fighting resumed. Major Argue now dispatched the remnants of 4 and 5 Platoons commanded by Lieutenant Mark Cox, to carry out a flanking attack from the north, but this proved unsuccessful as Castañeda's platoon in the form of the rifle sections under Corporals Jorge Daniel Arribas and Julio Nardielo Mamani had the approach well covered. As soon as Private Horacio Alejandro Cañeque saw the remnants of 4 and 5 Platoons advancing towards Major Carrizo-Salvadores' command bunker he was out in a flash firing like mad and started to shout insults to the Paras in English with Private Anibal Javier Bemba from Castañeda's platoon standing and shouting ''"Hey Hombre"'' and firing like mad a 7.62mm belt-fed machine-gun from the hip at the startled Paras. The Argentinian fire was very accurate and Private John Crow was killed and others wounded or injured while forced to take cover among the rocks.

It was almost 0530 local time before the fighting resumed. Major Argue now dispatched the remnants of 4 and 5 Platoons commanded by Lieutenant Mark Cox, to carry out a flanking attack from the north, but this proved unsuccessful as Castañeda's platoon in the form of the rifle sections under Corporals Jorge Daniel Arribas and Julio Nardielo Mamani had the approach well covered. As soon as Private Horacio Alejandro Cañeque saw the remnants of 4 and 5 Platoons advancing towards Major Carrizo-Salvadores' command bunker he was out in a flash firing like mad and started to shout insults to the Paras in perfect American English<ref>Así Peleamos: Malvinas, Martín Antonio Balza, p 100, Fundación Soldados, 1999</ref>with Private Anibal Javier Bemba from Castañeda's platoon standing and shouting ''"Hey Hombre"'' and firing like mad a 7.62mm belt-fed machine-gun from the hip at the startled Paras. The Argentinian fire was very accurate and Private John Crow was killed and others wounded or injured while forced to take cover among the rocks.

At that point Lieutenant-Colonel Pike, on learning of the situation ordered 'A' Company to take 'Full Back'. Major David Collett soon encountered strong opposition from the Argentinians, particularly at the command post of Carrizo-Salvadores where the second-in-command of the 7th Regiment was asking for reinforcements.

At that point Lieutenant-Colonel Pike, on learning of the situation ordered 'A' Company to take 'Full Back'. Major David Collett soon encountered strong opposition from the Argentinians, particularly at the command post of Carrizo-Salvadores where the second-in-command of the 7th Regiment was asking for reinforcements.

The battle was now approaching its closing stages. Major Carrizo-Salvadores told Brigadier-General Oscar Luis Jofre in Stanley House that he wished to arrange a truce with the British for the evacuation of all the wounded, but despite this the conscripts around him vowed that that they would rather shoot it out to the bitter end.

The battle was now approaching its closing stages. Major Carrizo-Salvadores told Brigadier-General Oscar Luis Jofre in Stanley House that he wished to arrange a truce with the British for the evacuation of all the wounded, but despite this the conscripts around him vowed that that they would rather shoot it out to the bitter end.

By now Lieutenant-Colonel Hew Pike had brought Sergeant Graham Colbeck, the man in charge of the Anti-Tank Platoon to the western summit of Longdon. It was here at the Argentinian command post that Private Horacio Alejandro Cañeque had a lucky escape. Suddenly there was a blast that sent him tumbling spreadeagled into the ground. ''"Best guess was that it was a Milan"'', said Cañeque, remembering. Private Fernando Gabriel Magno could see through his night sight 3 PARA's Machine-Gun Platoon in position. He began spotting targets and relaying the position to Private Mario Alejandro Rosas and Corporal Oscar Rafael Mussi and they grabbed a machinegun and opened up on the summit.

By now Lieutenant-Colonel Hew Pike had brought Sergeant Graham Colbeck, the man in charge of the Anti-Tank Platoon to the western summit of Longdon. It was here at the Argentinian command post that Private Horacio Alejandro Cañeque had a lucky escape. Suddenly there was a blast that sent him tumbling spreadeagled into the ground. ''"Best guess was that it was a Milan"'', said Cañeque, remembering. Private Fernando Gabriel Magno could see through his night sight 3 PARA's Machine-Gun Platoon in position. He began spotting targets and relaying the position to Private Mario Alejandro Rosas and Corporal Oscar Rafael Mussi and they grabbed a machinegun and opened fire on the summit.<ref>Así Peleamos: Malvinas, Martín Antonio Balza, p 102, Fundación Soldados, 1999</ref>

On the summit was Lance-Corporal Vincent Bramley, firing. The Paras' Milan teams on 'Fly Half' were bringing down fire on the Argentinian command post and Castañeda called up Corporal Manuel Adan Medina to deal with the Milan platoon. Medina of Castañeda's platoon, who was later awarded the Gallantry in Combat Medal, personally hunted down an anti-tank gun operated by Marine Corporal José Ramón Roldán and he and Roldán knocked out one Milan team with a direct hit at approximately 0600 local time.

On the summit was Lance-Corporal Vincent Bramley, firing. The Paras' Milan teams on 'Fly Half' were bringing down fire on the Argentinian command post and Castañeda called up Corporal Manuel Adan Medina to deal with the Milan platoon. Medina of Castañeda's platoon, who was later awarded the Gallantry in Combat Medal, personally hunted down an anti-tank gun operated by Marine Corporal José Ramón Roldán and he and Roldán knocked out one Milan team with a direct hit at approximately 0600 local time.<ref>''One three-man missile team was wiped out by a direct hit from a recoilless rifle.'' Max Hastings, Simon Jenkins, p. 298, The Battle for the Falklands, Joseph, 1983</ref><ref>The wounded Corporal Manuel Medina of Castañeda's platoon took over a Recoilless Rifle detachment and fired along the ridge at Support Company killing three paras. Nine Battles to Stanley, Nicholas Van der Bijl, p.177, Leo Cooper, 1999</ref>

At the time another rifle platoon from the 7th Regiment's 'A' Company on 'Apple Pie' was on standby in reserve. There was no evidence of hesitancy or lack of aggression when they were called into the fight. But Brigadier-General Oscar Luis Jofré, in a decision that has been argued ever since, cancelled the move. This fresh platoon could have made such a difference, and even turned the battle. It later emerged that this reinforced rifle platoon bravely moved forward through the thick morning mist despite confusing orders from Regimental Headquarters only to find Major Carrizo-Salvadores and his men had already abandoned 'Fly Half'.<ref>According to Private Domingo Morel: ''"We then moved to the positions of B Company of the 7th Regiment to reinforce a sector that had been taken by the English but we couldn't recover it. When we arrived, B Company had gone. We couldn't reinforce anything because we were groups of fourteen blokes, you see. B Company had withdrawn, leaving us practically nothing, and no back-up. The sub-officer had no idea what to do because he was going under the orders of the second chief of the regiment who also knew nothing."'' Forgotten Voices of the Falklands, Hugh McManners, p. 399, Random House, 2008</ref>

At the time another rifle platoon from the 7th Regiment's 'A' Company (under Captain Jorge Ricardo Calvo) on 'Apple Pie' was on standby in reserve. There was no evidence of hesitancy or lack of aggression when they were called into the fight. But Brigadier-General Oscar Luis Jofré, in a decision that has been argued ever since, cancelled the move.<ref>Argentine Fight for the Falklands, Martin Middlebrook, p. 236, Pen & Sword, 2003</ref>This fresh platoon could have made such a difference, and even turned the battle. It later emerged that this reinforced rifle platoon bravely moved forward through the thick morning mist despite confusing orders from Regimental Headquarters only to find Major Carrizo-Salvadores and his men had already abandoned 'Fly Half'.<ref>According to Private Domingo Morel: ''"We then moved to the positions of B Company of the 7th Regiment to reinforce a sector that had been taken by the English but we couldn't recover it. When we arrived, B Company had gone. We couldn't reinforce anything because we were groups of fourteen blokes, you see. B Company had withdrawn, leaving us practically nothing, and no back-up. The sub-officer had no idea what to do because he was going under the orders of the second chief of the regiment who also knew nothing."'' Forgotten Voices of the Falklands, Hugh McManners, p. 399, Random House, 2008</ref>

In the first glimmer of dawn Major Collett's company resumed its advance. The Paras got very close to the Argentine command post and the second-in-command of the 7th Regiment was ordered to conduct a fighting withdrawal, but despite this Major Carrizo-Salvadores refused to give in, and it was not until 0632 that morning that he abandoned his command post and the surviving defenders escaped under cover of mist.

In the first glimmer of dawn Major Collett's company resumed its advance. The Paras got very close to the Argentine command post and the second-in-command of the 7th Regiment was ordered to conduct a fighting withdrawal, but despite this Major Carrizo-Salvadores refused to give in, and it was not until 0632<ref>''Men of 3 Parachute Regiment outside a captured Argentine command post after the Battle of Mount Longdon. The post had finally been abandoned by the second in command of the Argentine 7th Infantry Regiment, Major Carrizo-Salvadores, after fierce fighting and the deployment of the Regiment's Milan Anti Tank Missile Section at 6.32 am on 12 June.'' [https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205018244 THE FALKLANDS CONFLICT, APRIL - JUNE 1982]</ref>that morning that he abandoned his command post and the surviving defenders escaped under cover of mist.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon under 2d Lt Francisco Ramón Galíndez-Matienzo on 'Rough Diamond', McLaughlin was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from the 7th Regiment's Company on Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the British aid post.

As A Company was clearing the final positions, Corporal Stewart McLaughlin was wounded by a Czekalski recoilless rifle round fired from the 7th Regiment's Reconnaissance Platoon under 2d Lt Francisco Ramón Galíndez-Matienzo on 'Rough Diamond', McLaughlin was subsequently killed by a mortar bomb fired from the 7th Regiment's Company on Wireless Ridge as he made his way to the British aid post.