Battles of Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain

During the 1982 Falklands/Malvinas War the battle for the high ground on Mount Harriet and neighbouring Two Sisters Mountain was pivotal to both British attackers and Argentinian defenders as both sought to secure the approaches to Port Stanley. The battle began on the night of May 29th, 1982 but didn’t reach its conclusion until June 12th and, even then, only after several heavy British naval bombardments as well as Royal Air Force Harrier attacks and Royal Marine Commando raids.

Patrol action

Following Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War), the Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, 42 Commando and 45 Commando (40 and 45 CDO) of the British Royal Marines were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation Corporate.

Following Kilo Company's helicopter flight forward on the night of May 31st to reinforce D Squadron 22nd Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment defending Mount Kent from Argentinian Special Forces attacks, the rest of 42 Commando arrived in helicopters, and were eventually ordered to secure Mount Challenger.

45 Commando's march to Bluff Cove Peak from San Carlos Water via Teal Inlet ended on June 4th, and the next week was spent patrolling No-Man's-Land, leading to a number of bloody clashes with the Argentinians.

Lieutenant Chris Fox's Recce Troop reached the western end of Two Sisters on the night of 5th June. The next day, they killed five of the Argentinians, including three Marine Sappers: Corporal Jorge Sisterna and Privates Ramón Olavarría, Víctor Ordóñez and Vicente Díaz that were part of a mine-laying team. The Argentinians in the form of 2d Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías Pravaz's 3rd Rifle Platoon (C Company, 4th Infantry Regiment) counterattacked and Fox's patrol having regrouped opposite Murrell River had to call in artillery fire and a smoke screen so that they could make good their escape

On the night of 9th June, Lieutenant David Stewart 3 Troop of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando attempted to raid the forward positions of 2d Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz's platoon. Stewart's platoon, reinforced by a dozen sappers, mortarmen and recce troops, clashed 50 Argentinian Special Forces spread in ambush positions near Murrell River. The Argentinians lost 2 special forces battling Stewart's men while the British report losing 4 Royal Marines killed on this night. According to British military historian Bruce Quarrie, it was a hard-fought and costly action:

“

A constant series of patrols was undertaken at night to scout out and harass the enemy. Typical was the patrol sent out in the early hours of the morning of 10 June. Lieutenant David Stewart of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, had briefed his men during the previous afternoon, and by midnight they were ready. Heavily armed, with two machine-guns per section plus 66 mm rocket launchers and 2-inch mortars, the Troop moved off stealthily into the moonlit night towards a ridge some 4 km away where Argentine movement had been observed. Keeping well spaced out because of the good visibility, they moved across the rocky ground using the numerous shell holes for cover, and by 04.00 [1 am local time] were set to cross the final stretch of open ground in front of the enemy positions. Using a shallow stream for cover, they moved up the slope and deployed into position among the rocks in front of the Argentine trenches. With the help of a light-intensifying night scope, they could see sentries moving about. Suddenly, an Argentine machine-gun opened fire and the Marines launched a couple of flares from their mortar, firing back with their own machine-guns and rifles. Within seconds three Argentine soldiers and two Marines were dead. Other figures could be seen running on the hill to the left, and four more Argentine soldiers fell to the accuracy of the Marines' fire. By this time, the Argentine troops further up the slope were wide awake, and a hail of fire forced the Marines to crouch in the shelter of the rocks. The situation was becoming decidedly unhealthy and Lieutenant Stewart decided to retire, with the objective of killing and harassing the enemy well and truly accomplished. However, a machine-gun to the Marines' right was pouring fire over their getaway route, and Stewart sent his veteran Sergeant, Jolly, with a couple of other men to take it out [They knew they were cut off with what looked a poor chance of escape. In these circumstances any panic or break in morale and the game was up]. After a difficult approach with little cover, there was a short burst of fire and the Argentine machine-gun fell silent. Leapfrogging by sections, the Troop retreated to the stream, by which time the Argentine fire was falling short and there were no further casualties.

”

Lieutenant Mark Townsends's 1 Troop from Kilo Company, 42 Commando raided the forward Argentinian positions on Mount Harriet from Goat Ridge on the night of 8th June killing two defenders (Corporal Hipólito González y Private Martiniano Gómez) in 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán's 3rd Rifle Platoon and wounding the platoon sergeant and a private.

Sergeant Ian Allum's Recce Platoon from the 2nd Scots Guards Battalion attempted to pinpoint the heavy weapons emplacements on Harriet from their cover in Port Harriet House but heavy mortar fire dispersed them on 9 June.

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.

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 Milans, 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.

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.

The 3rd Artillery Group's pack howitzers and Major Oscar Jaimet's heavy mortars were brought into play, giving the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company effective support. In this way 45 Commando began to suffer serious losses, including the loss of two platoon commanders (Lieutenants Dunning and Davies) and the naval gunfire liason officer of the British cruiser 'Glamorgan'. The whole operation was proving to be a disaster.

Then to the astonishment of the Argentinians on the northern peak, 'Zulu' Company, below, at about 02.30 local time rose, charging with fixed bayonets and screaming at the top of their voices swept the defenders aside. Lieutenant Clive Dytor, commander of 8 Troop, 'Z' Company had tipped the scales and defeated Major Ricardo Cordon. At about 0300 Major Cordon and his staff threw up their arms when Royal Marines entered their bunker. Had Lieutenant Clive Dytor dithered in closing with and defeating Perez-Grandi's 2nd Platoon, 'Summer Days' would have most probably been reinforced in time by the 6th 'Mercedes' Regiment's 'B' Company which was currently preparing. Commando-trained Major Oscar Ramon Jaimet was naturally anxious to help Major Cordon. This would have changed the picture of the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain completely.

The task of ridding the 6th 'Mercedes' Mechanized Infantry Regiment's 'B' Company remained. On the eastern ridge the fighting was equally tough. The defenders brought down heavy machine-gun fire and mortar fire on 'Yankee' Company. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, as a machine-gunner found himself very busy indeed. Part of his citation for the Heroic Valour Cross, the highest decoration for bravery, reads:

“

Always volunteering for dangerous missions, manning a machine-gun, holding up attacks, always the last man to withdraw, sometimes overrun by the English, twice given up for dead but always returning to his platoon.

”

Ahead of 'Y' Company was a ridgeline and there Second Lieutenant Aldo Franco's 3rd Platoon, 'B' Company, 6th Regiment, lay in wait. Franco had harrangued his young soldiers and had gained their confidence. While the fight for the eastern ridge was in progress, an Exocet anti-ship missile was launched from a trailer, causing serious damage to the cruiser 'Glamorgan', which had been bombarding Two Sisters Mountain.

Major Oscar Jaimet was confident of holding the British thrust, now coming from the northern peak. During the advance on the eastern ridge 'Yankee' Company destroyed a 6th Regiment machine-gun post, killing the crew, somehow avoiding the booby-traps laid by the 1st Amphibious Engineer Company. A counterattack at the 10th Mechanized Infantry Brigade Headquarters in Stanley House was contemplated but rejected. Then Jaimet received orders at 0445 to abandon the ridge and retire to Tumbledown Mountain. With the breach on Two Sisters Mountain, where Major Ricardo Cordon's company was supposed to be, the 6th Regiment company had no option but to withdraw with dawn fast approaching. 2d Lieutenant Aldo Eugenio Franco's platoon formed the rearguard and it filed off, leaving three killed. Time and time again 2d Lt. Franco - he became an Army commando after the war - reported his platoon could hold, but was ordered to abandon Two Sisters.

So ended the Battle for Two Sisters Mountain, five hours after 'X' Company came under heavy fire from 2d Lt Llambias-Pravaz's platoon on 'Long Toenail'. 45 Commando's losses were 8 dead and 19 wounded. The Argentine losses were put at 20 dead. 2d Lieutenant Miguel Mosquera was wounded during the fighting on the northern peak. Lieutenant Luis Carlos Martella on 'Long Toenail' was killed. Second Lieutenant Perez-Grandi was also down. His conscripts carried him away, severely wounded. Perez-Grandi had spent a year in the 4th Airborne Artillery Group as a conscript before entering the Buenos Aires Army Academy.

Naturally the Army needed a scapegoat and Major Ricardo Cordon was court-martialed and sacked. Bad luck played at least a malignant part as the loss of his reserve platoon and communications in the 4th Regiment's 'C' Company.

Sergeant-Major George Meachin of Yankee Company, later praised the fighting spirit of the Argentinian defenders:

“

We came under lots of effective fire from 0.50 calibre machine guns …At the same time, mortars were coming down all over us, but the main threat was from those machine-gunners who could see us in the open because of the moonlight. There were three machine-guns and we brought down constant and effective salvoes of our own artillery fire on to them directly, 15 rounds at a time. There would be a pause, and they’d come back at us again. So we had to do it a second time, all over their positions. There’d be a pause, then ‘boom, boom, boom,’ they’d come back at us again. Conscripts don’t do this, babies don’t do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don’t do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them.

”

Harriet

While Kilo Company was fighting on the eastern end of the summit and coming under artillery fire, Lima Company was making its way up the southern slopes of Mount Harriet under heavy machine gun fire from 2d Lieutenant Pablo Andrés Oliva's platoon of conscripts which opened fire soon after Captain David Wheen's men crossed their start-line, wounding three British marines in the process. British artillery fire and MILAN anti-tank missiles were successful in knocking out these and other troublesome enemy machine-gun sangars further up the slope, but it took a number of hours and 14 wounded from Argentinian artillery and automatic fire, before Lima Company reached the summit, still in the dark. Lieutenant Jerry Burnell's 5 Troop of Lima Company was then sent forward to the next objective, an outcrop of rocks just to the south of Goat Ridge, but was initially forced to retreat until the defenders in the form of 2d Lieutenant Lautaro Jiménez Corbalán 3rd Rifle Platoon crumbled under heavy fire from fifteen GPMG machine-gun, mortar and artillery fire.

With dawn and Lima Company still fighting forward, Juliet Company was ordered on to Goat Ridge, by which time the defending rifle platoon under 2d Lt Oscar Augusto Silva had retreated and Kilo Company had cleared the summit of Harriet. In taking its objective, 42 Commando had lost two killed and thirty wounded.

Aftermath

The battles proved good planning and deception was effective even against a resolute enemy in good defensive positions. Ten British Marines were killed and fifty wounded. Forty Argentinians were killed defending Mount Harriet and Two Sisters Mountain. 42 Commando received one DSO, an MC and 4 MM’s for Mount Harriet. 45 Commando were awarded a DSO, 3 MC’s, a DCM and 4 MM’s for Two Sisters.

First-hand accounts of the battle from both sides debunk the commonly held opinion that the Argentinian conscripts were no match for the professional British forces opposing them. For nearly 2 weeks the 4th Monte Caseros Regiment held their positions along Murrell River and fought bravely. In the end the Argentinian defenders were undone because they expected the British assault to come from the west.

In 2012, in an interview with the British newspaper Chester Chronicle, Lieutenant Chris Caroe, a 21-year-old platoon commander in the fighting for the southern peak, reported that Despite being a conscript army... the Argentinians were a force to be reckoned with because they were led by skilled regulars.For Lieutenant Cliver Dytor, who had joined the Royal Marines in 1980, the Argentinian heavy machine-gunners and protecting rifle teams protecting on the northern peak had fought to the death, The Argentine marines all fought to the end and were killed with bullets and bayonets. We had to fight through lots of positions, clearing the enemy.

External links

• Falkland’s War 1982

• "Defensa del Monte Harriet y Dos Hermanas"