| | On May 27, 1982, the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (3 PARA) and 45 Commando (45 CDO), Royal Marines had left the British beachhead at San Carlos for Estancia Mountain and Bluff Cove Peak. The 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) were ordered to attack the Argentinian Task Force ''Mercedes'' on May 28 located on Darwin Isthmus during the [[Battle of Darwin and Goose Green]], eliminating any future threat from the Argentinian garrison. Major [[Cedric Delves]]' D Squadron, [[22nd Special Air Service Regiment]], embarked in Sea King helicopters would seize Mount Kent, while 19 Royal Marine Commandos from the [[Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre]] (M&AWC) under Major [[Rod Boswell]], embarked in a Wessex helicopter, would capture and clear the forward Argentinian Special Forces patrol located at Top Malo House, allowing the 600 Paratroopers from 3 PARA to capture Estancia Mountain and Estancia House. Captain Peter Babbington's ''Kilo'' Company of 42 Commando (42 CDO) was expected to land on Mount Kent on the night of May 29. Delays and snow blizzards meant these helicopter-borne reinforcements would only arrive on the night May 31, perilously close to a firefight. | | On May 27, 1982, the 3rd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (3 PARA) and 45 Commando (45 CDO), Royal Marines had left the British beachhead at San Carlos for Estancia Mountain and Bluff Cove Peak. The 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) were ordered to attack the Argentinian Task Force ''Mercedes'' on May 28 located on Darwin Isthmus during the [[Battle of Darwin and Goose Green]], eliminating any future threat from the Argentinian garrison. Major [[Cedric Delves]]' D Squadron, [[22nd Special Air Service Regiment]], embarked in Sea King helicopters would seize Mount Kent, while 19 Royal Marine Commandos from the [[Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre]] (M&AWC) under Major [[Rod Boswell]], embarked in a Wessex helicopter, would capture and clear the forward Argentinian Special Forces patrol located at Top Malo House, allowing the 600 Paratroopers from 3 PARA to capture Estancia Mountain and Estancia House. Captain Peter Babbington's ''Kilo'' Company of 42 Commando (42 CDO) was expected to land on Mount Kent on the night of May 29. Delays and snow blizzards meant these helicopter-borne reinforcements would only arrive on the night May 31, perilously close to a firefight. |
| | + | Mount Kent with its surrounding hills is an area of high ground on East Falkland, approximately five miles west of Port Stanley. It rises to just under 1,100 feet and it dominated the central axis of advance from San Carlos to Stanley. Given its dominance and proximity to the capital of the Falkland Islands, the mountain was an area of special interest to both British and Argentinian Special Forces. |