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| | ==British surrender== | | ==British surrender== |
| − | With daybreak and Government House surrounded, under sniper fire and the Amtracks approaching, Governor Hunt attempted to negotiate. Faced with the overwhelming forces at Rear-Admiral Büsser's disposal, he ordered the defenders to lay down their arms, which they did at 9:30 a.m. without having suffered any casualties. The Royal Marines had held out against two Argentinian Marine battalions and Special Forces for three hours, firing 6,450 small-arms rounds and 12 anti-tank rockets<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9582471/Rear-Admiral-Carlos-Busser.html Rear-Admiral Carlos Büsser ]</ref>in a firefight that cost the life of the 2ic of BIM 1 and wounded five invaders, including a military chaplain (Natalio Astolfo) and an Army NCO that stepped on a mine or booby-trap. According to one of Norman's men, Colour-Sergeant Bill Muir, ''"It was initially estimated that we had killed five and injured seventeen, but we only counted the bodies that we saw drop in front of us."'' | + | With daybreak and Government House surrounded, under sniper fire and the Amtracks approaching, Governor Hunt attempted to negotiate. Faced with the overwhelming forces at Rear-Admiral Büsser's disposal, he ordered the defenders to lay down their arms, which they did at 9:30 a.m. without having suffered any casualties. The Royal Marines had held out against two Argentinian Marine battalions and Special Forces for three hours, firing 6,450 small-arms rounds and 12 anti-tank rockets<ref>[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9582471/Rear-Admiral-Carlos-Busser.html Rear-Admiral Carlos Büsser ]</ref>in a firefight that cost the life of the 2ic of BIM 1 and wounded or injured six invaders, including a military chaplain (Natalio Astolfo) and Lieutenant-Commander Hugo Jorge Santillán that commanded the vanguard of 2nd Marine Infantry Battalion who suffered a sprained ankle after coming under fire.<ref>[https://www.laprensa.com.ar/452562-La-Operacion-Rosario-en-primera-persona.note.aspx La Operación Rosario en primera persona]</ref>According to one of Norman's men, Colour-Sergeant Bill Muir, ''"It was initially estimated that we had killed five and injured seventeen, but we only counted the bodies that we saw drop in front of us."'' |
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| | That evening, the Governor, his family and most of the Royal Marines and captured sailors from "Endurance" were flown out. Major Norman and his men volunteered to fight again with Juliet Company, 42 Commando, suffering four wounded in the final mountain battles. | | That evening, the Governor, his family and most of the Royal Marines and captured sailors from "Endurance" were flown out. Major Norman and his men volunteered to fight again with Juliet Company, 42 Commando, suffering four wounded in the final mountain battles. |
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| | + | The British Marines later called into question the Argentinian version of events regarding Operation 'Rosario'. British war correspondent Max Hastings in his book 'Battle for the Falklands' (Michael Joseph, 1983) claims that, ''"The commandos indeed landed at Mullett Creek, about 4.30 a.m., and reached Moody Brook ninety minutes later. But their subsequent tactics suggested no misgivings about causing casualties. In a noisy full-scale attack, they hurled phosphorus grenades into the barracks and raked the rooms with automatic fire. Only the fact that the British marines had already been deployed prevented heavy loss of life."'' |
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| | + | The Argentinians maintain that the barracks were destroyed in an air attack by Harriers from No. 1 Squadron RAF on June 12—involving Flight Lieutenant Mark Hare and Wing Commander Peter Squire—that killed three conscripts and wounded their commander (Major José Rodolfo Banetta) from 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters.<ref>"El día anterior el fuego británico había alcanzado los cuarteles de Moody Brook, donde mató a tres soldados e hirió al mayor José Rodolfo Banetta, de la compañía comando de la Brigada X." Isidoro J. Ruiz Moreno, La Lucha Por La Capital (chapter), Comandos en Acción: El Ejercito en Malvinas, Emece, 1986</ref><ref>"El Jefe de Personal del Comando de las Fuerzas Terrestres que, hasta ese entonces, había permanecido con su Sección en el Cuartel de los Marines (Moody Brook), el Mayor del Ejército Don José R. Banetta, que debía replegarse de las instalaciones mencionadas hacia su Puesto de Comando Principal en la localidad, al incendiarse y destruirse los cuarteles, por un efectivo y preciso ataque de la aviación enemiga." Carlos H. Robacio, Jorge Hernández, p. 216, Desde el Frente: Batallón de Infantería de Marina No. 5, Centro Naval, 1996</ref><ref>"Los ataques aéreos continuaban pero en forma cada vez más esporádica, quizá el último bombardeo importante fue sobre el ex-cuartel de los Royal Marines en Moody Brooki donde funcionaba el PC Ret de la Agr Ej a órdenes del My Banetta. Produjo bajas y grandes daños en el cuartel." Horacio Rodríguez Mottino, p. 182, La Artillería Argentina en Malvinas, Clio, 1984</ref> |
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| | ==South Georgia== | | ==South Georgia== |