Battle of Mount Kent facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Mount Kent
Part of Falklands War
Date 29 May – 11 June 1982 Location Mount Kent, East Falkland, Falkland Islands 51°40′23″S 58°06′47″W / 51.673°S 58.113°W / -51.673; -58.113 Result British victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom	Argentina
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Col. Mike Rose Maj. Cedric Delves Cap. Gavin Hamilton Cap. Peter Babbington	Cap. Eduardo Villarruel Cap. Tomás Fernández Cap. Andrés Ferrero
Units involved
22 Special Air Service G Squadron 3 Commando Brigade 42 Commando 29th Commando Regiment Blues and Royals Royal Navy Royal Air Force	601 Commando Company 602 Commando Company 601st Helicopter Battalion Special Operations Group 601st National Gendarmerie Special Forces Squadron 6th Infantry Regiment (B Company)
Strength
1 destroyer (HMS Glamorgan) 1 Scorpion light tank 4 helicopters (1 Chinook, 3 Sea king)	7 helicopters (1 Puma, 4 Hueys, 2 Chinooks)
Casualties and losses
5 killed (4 from friendly fire) 11 wounded (3 Royal Marines, 4 Gurkhas, and 4 SAS) 1 Harrier jump jet	9 killed 18 wounded 5 captured 1 Puma helicopter

The Battle of Mount Kent was an important series of fights during the Falklands War. These battles mostly involved special forces from both Britain and Argentina. Mount Kent is a tall hill on East Falkland, about five miles west of Stanley, the capital. Standing at 1,093 feet (333 meters) high, it was a key location. It overlooked the main path British forces would take from San Carlos to Stanley. Because it was so close to the capital, both sides wanted to control it.

Understanding the Battle for Mount Kent

Why Mount Kent Was Important

In late May 1982, British Special Air Service (SAS) patrols discovered something important. Many tall hills near Port Stanley were not well-guarded by Argentine forces. This happened because some Argentine troops had moved to help in the Battle of Goose Green. Other Argentine units were told to leave Mount Challenger and move to Two Sisters and Mount Harriet.

Early Movements and Reconnaissance

On May 25, a British SAS unit, 'D' Squadron led by Major Cedric Delves, flew in to scout the area. The rest of his squadron arrived on May 27. They arrived just as an Argentine Special Forces unit, led by Captain Eduardo Marcelo Villarruel, was also moving into the area. The Argentine commander, Major Aldo Rico, wanted his patrols to secure Mount Kent. They were waiting for more Argentine special forces to join them.

British SAS patrols soon clashed with these Argentine Special Forces. After several small fights, the Argentine forces had to pull back. One SAS patrol, called Air Troop, managed to hold onto the top of Mount Kent. They stayed there until more British Royal Marines arrived to help.

Key Events of the Battle

First Clashes on Mount Kent

During the night of May 29–30, 1982, the first major fight happened. An Argentine commando section, led by Captain Andrés Ferrero, met a British SAS patrol on Mount Kent. One Argentine soldier was badly wounded, and they had to leave some equipment behind. Two SAS soldiers were also wounded, and another broke his hand during the confusion.

That same night, the British warship HMS Glamorgan (D19) fired shells at the Argentine Air Force Special Operations Group at Stanley Airfield. This attack killed Lieutenant Luis Castagnari and wounded four others. The Argentine soldiers thought it was a special anti-radar missile, but it was a Seaslug missile fired from the ship.

Fighting for Bluff Cove Peak

The next day, May 30, an Argentine section of 12 men, led by Captain Tomás Fernández, tried to capture Bluff Cove Peak. A radio message from one of their soldiers said, "We are in trouble" and later, "There are English all around us... you had better hurry up."

Two Argentine soldiers, First Lieutenant Rubén Eduardo Márquez and Sergeant Oscar Humberto Blas, showed great bravery and were killed in this fight. They were later honored with medals. The Argentine commandos faced 15 SAS soldiers. The SAS reported two wounded soldiers and successfully pushed back the Argentine patrol.

Retreat from Mount Simon

On Mount Simon, another Argentine section heard about Captain Fernández's patrol trying to escape. They decided to leave Mount Simon and try to meet up with another Argentine unit guarding Fitzroy.

Ambush at Estancia Mountain

The next day, British SAS soldiers set up another ambush. An Argentine Marine Special Forces patrol was returning from scouting San Carlos. They were ambushed by Captain Gavin Hamilton's Mountain Troop. Two Argentine sergeants were seriously wounded and captured, along with two corporals who were unharmed. During their scouting mission, a British gunner was unfortunately wounded by accidental fire from his own side.

British Reinforcements Arrive

On the night of May 30, British Royal Marines from K Company, 42 Commando, and an artillery unit moved forward from San Carlos. They traveled by Sea King helicopters and the last remaining RAF Chinook helicopter, named Bravo November. At the same time, Captain Fernández's Argentine section, which had been hiding, tried to withdraw. They came under heavy fire from the British Mountain Troop. The Marines took cover, and after the fighting calmed down, Major Cedric Delves of the SAS confirmed everything was clear. No Argentine soldiers were killed in this specific clash, but one radio operator was captured after falling and knocking himself out. A British intelligence officer working with the SAS was also reported wounded. The SAS also reported being shelled by mortars while helping their wounded. A Royal Marine gunner suffered a broken arm while taking cover during this shelling.

The Chinook Helicopter Incident

Flight-Lieutenant Andy Lawless, the co-pilot of the RAF Chinook, described a difficult mission. They were delivering artillery guns and ammunition. He said, "We had three 105-mm guns inside and ammunition pallets under-slung. Then the fog of war intervened, we could not find anywhere to land and spent time manoeuvring as we had to put them exactly where the gunners wanted because they could not roll the guns across the terrain. Once we dropped off the guns we went straight back to San Carlos to bring in more guns and ammo. Then we hit the water at 100 knots. The bow wave came over the cockpit window as we settled and the engines partially flamed out. I knew we had ditched but I was not sure if we had been hit. Dick said he thought we had been hit by ground fire. As the helicopter settled the bow wave reduced and the engine wound up as we came out of the water like a cork out of a bottle."

Argentine Retreat Under Fire

On the morning of May 31, the newly arrived Royal Marines saw Major Mario Castagneto's 601 Commando Company advancing. They were using jeeps and motorbikes to rescue other Argentine patrols. Castagneto's men had to pull back after coming under mortar fire, which injured Castagneto and another soldier.

Aircraft Losses

Both sides lost aircraft during these special forces operations. On May 30, Royal Air Force Harrier jets were flying over Mount Kent. One Harrier, responding to a call for help from the SAS, was badly damaged by small arms fire while attacking the eastern slopes of Mount Kent. The pilot, Squadron Leader Jerry Pook, ejected and was rescued after his Harrier crashed into the South Atlantic.

Around 11:00 AM on the same day, an Aerospatiale SA-330 Puma helicopter was shot down. It was hit by a shoulder-launched Stinger surface-to-air missile (SAM) fired by the SAS. Six Argentine National Gendarmerie Special Forces soldiers were killed, and eight were injured.

Aborted Argentine Reinforcement

Before the end of May, Argentine Marine Special Forces tried to reinforce the area. They boarded two Argentine Air Force Fokker F-27 transport planes. However, both attempts to land had to be stopped because the runway was under heavy naval shelling.

British SAS Praised

The British Special Air Service received praise for defending Mount Kent. Major Delves, who led a squadron, was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. His citation noted that he took his squadron deep behind enemy lines. He secured a strong position overlooking Port Stanley through clever hiding and quick attacks. This allowed regular British forces to move into the area after ten days.

Continued Fighting and Artillery Fire

After some intense fighting, the SAS Air and Boat Troops, who had suffered several wounded, were pulled back for rest. Other SAS troops took their place. Mount Kent then came under heavy Argentine artillery fire. A reporter described it as "another version of hell" due to the constant shrapnel.

Brigadier Julian Thompson, a British commander, later explained why sending SAS patrols to Mount Kent first was a good decision. He believed that without the SAS, Argentine Special Forces could have attacked the arriving Royal Marines, causing many casualties.

A Scorpion tank from the British Blues & Royals regiment helped clear Mount Kent. It also engaged Argentine infantry troops on the slopes of Two Sisters Mountain.

On June 1, British paratroopers reached Estancia House. They found signs of medical treatment, showing that wounded Argentine soldiers had been cared for there before being evacuated. During their march, a British paratrooper was seriously wounded by an accidental weapon discharge.

Argentine Attempts to Regain Ground

On the night of June 3–4, an Argentine commando section returned to the area. They reached the top of Mount Challenger. Their commander, Major Aldo Rico, tried to convince a general to send more troops to attack British artillery. However, the general told him that such decisions were made at a higher level.

Argentine patrols continued their efforts. On the night of June 6–7, a patrol from Two Sisters Mountain spotted British vehicles near Estancia Mountain. However, they came under mortar fire and had to withdraw.

On June 9, two Argentine Air Force Boeing CH-47 Chinook helicopters returned to Argentina. The plan was to bring back more commandos and special explosives. This force would then attack British artillery positions behind Mounts Kent and Challenger.

Aftermath of the Mount Kent Battles

Air Attacks and Observation Posts

After losing control of the high ground, the Argentine Air Force sent Canberra bombers to attack British troops in the Mount Kent area. On June 1, six Canberras bombed British positions after being given target information by Argentine captains.

On June 8, a British helicopter dropped off a three-man special forces team to set up an observation post on Mount Kent. However, they were discovered. Long-range Argentine artillery fire wounded one man, forcing the team to retreat.

Unfortunate Incidents

During the night of June 9–10, a British Royal Marines patrol mistakenly fired upon another British mortar platoon on the lower slopes of Mount Kent. This tragic incident resulted in the loss of four British Marines and injuries to three others. The patrol commander believed they were an Argentine Special Forces patrol.

Early on June 10, a Gurkha company moved near Mount Kent. An Argentine officer on Mount Harriet spotted them and directed 155 mm artillery fire against them. This wounded four Gurkhas.

Final British Advance

On June 11, British Royal Marine and Parachute battalions launched attacks. They captured Mounts Longdon, Harriet, Goat Ridge, and Two Sisters Mountain. These actions ended the Argentine Special Forces' plans to regain control of the Mount Kent area.