Battle of Darwin and Goose Green

Background

Following [[Operation Rosario (Falklands/Malvinas War), Argentinian occupation of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, the 2nd and 3rd British Parachute Battalions (2 and 3 PARA) of the British 1st Parachute Regiment were deployed as part of Brigadier Julian Thompson's 3 Commando Brigade to retake the islands in Operation Corporate.

San Carlos

3 Commando Brigade went ashore at San Carlos on the night of May 21/22. 2 PARA established itself on Sussex Mountain protecting the south of the Bridgehead without opposition. 3 PARA landed in the near Port San Carlos driving off a platoon of 40 enemy.

On May 26, 2 PARA was ordered to move south and engage the Argentinian 12th Infantry Regiment and Condor Military Airbase on the Darwin/Goose Green Peninsula.

Darwin Ridge

The attack began under the cover of darkness of 28 May with heavy naval and artillery support. By daylight, however, it was held up by strong enemy defensive positions on Darwin Hill and Boca Hill (Darwin Ridge) and the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert Jones, was killed trying to take out a machine-gun post.

Argentinian surrender

The assault continued with some ferocious close-quarter combat and by last light the whole peninsula less the Goose Green Settlement was taken. Negotiations with the Argentinians produced their surrender the next day. Around 50 Argentinians were killed, and The Official History of the Falklands Campaign reports that 961 Argentinians were captured, with other British accounts of the battle have reported a larger count of 1,400 prisoners. A total of 15 British paratroopers were killed and 64 wounded during this battle.

Breakout

Meanwhile on 27 May 3 PARA set off on foot by a Northern route to capture Teal Inlet Settlement which it did on May 29 taking some prisoners. On June 11, 2 PARA moved north to rejoin 3 Commando Brigade for the final Battle of Stanley. An early but vital objective was Mount Longdon and this was attacked by 3 PARA during the night of June 11/12. The enemy was well dug in and prepared and it was only after twelve hours of bloody fighting that 3 PARA secured the objective. They then held it for 48 hours under intense and accurate artillery fire.

Aftermath

Forty two members of The Parachute Regiment and attached personnel were killed in the Falklands War, with a further 140 personnel from the two Battalions wounded in action. Two Victoria Croses were posthumously awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel 'H' Jones, 2 PARA, and Sergeant Ian McKay of 3 PARA. In total, some 71 gallantry awards for actions in the Falklands were made to parachute members and attached personnel.