Changes

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 and his platoon 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. The Argentinian fire was very accurate and Private John Crow was killed.

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 and his platoon 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 shouting ''"Hey Hombre"'' and firing 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 taking cover.

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.

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 Ricardo 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 Ricardo Rosas and Corporal Oscar Rafael Mussi and they grabbed a machinegun and opened up on the summit.

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 Argentinian Czekalski 105 millimetre 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.

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.<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 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>

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 that morning that he abandoned his command post and the surviving defenders escaped under cover of mist.

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

Kenneth M. Pollack, former CIA intelligence officer and expert on military affairs, in his research of the Falklands War concluded:{{cquote|Despite the unfavorable force ratio, the Argentine defenders were clever and active and had fortified their positions well. They forced the British to advance through a narrow killing zone, ambushing and counterattacking the Paras repeatedly, and inflicting heavy casualties on them. Eventually, the British took the position only by employing Milans, LAWs, artillery and mortars.<ref>Armies of Sand: The Past, Present, and Future of Arab Military Effectiveness, By Kenneth M. Pollack, p. 212, Oxford University Press, 2019</ref>}}

In a fine soldier's tribute to the men he commanded in the Falklands, Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores wrote:{{cquote|I can say that I have seen young men of 20 carry out their duty beyond the call of duty, exposing their lives regardless of the cold, the rain or the gunfire.  And that was general among those who occupied the frontlines, just as it was among the stretcher bearers, medics  and medical orderlies who ran into the middle of the explosions in order to save the life of a wounded comrade, and among the soldiers of the Command Platoon [Private Horacio Caneque, Private Carlos Mario Connell, Private Fernando Gabriel Magno, Private Luis Alberto Cunningham, Private Gabriel Crespo, Private Daniel Cesar Maltagliatti and Private Ricardo Rosas] who in the middle of the bombardment, went out to repair the telephone lines so that my Command Post could keep in touch with the frontline troops whenever an artillery shell cut those wires.<ref>The Other Side of the Hill, Hew Pike, p. 141, Pegasus: Journal of the Parachute Regiment, April 1988 Issue</ref>}}

In a fine soldier's tribute to the men he commanded in the Falklands, Major Carlos Carrizo-Salvadores wrote:{{cquote|I can say that I have seen young men of 20 carry out their duty beyond the call of duty, exposing their lives regardless of the cold, the rain or the gunfire.  And that was general among those who occupied the frontlines, just as it was among the stretcher bearers, medics  and medical orderlies who ran into the middle of the explosions in order to save the life of a wounded comrade, and among the soldiers of the Command Platoon [Private Horacio Cañeque, Private Carlos Mario Connell, Private Fernando Gabriel Magno, Private Luis Alberto Cunningham, Private Gabriel Crespo, Private Daniel Cesar Maltagliatti and Private Ricardo Rosas] who in the middle of the bombardment, went out to repair the telephone lines so that my Command Post could keep in touch with the frontline troops whenever an artillery shell cut those wires.<ref>The Other Side of the Hill, Hew Pike, p. 141, Pegasus: Journal of the Parachute Regiment, April 1988 Issue</ref>}}

==Wireless Ridge==

==Wireless Ridge==