Battle of Mount Tumbledown facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Mount Tumbledown |
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| Part of the Falklands War | |||||||||
 Mount Tumbledown, Two Sisters, and Wireless Ridge, as seen from Stanley Harbour. |
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 United Kingdom |
 Argentina |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
 Lt. Col. Michael Scott Maj. John Kiszely Maj. Iain Dalzel-Job |
 Com. Carlos Robacio |
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| Units involved | |||||||||
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 Royal Navy |
5th Naval Infantry Battalion 1st Marine Field Artillery Battalion 1st Marine Anti-Aircraft Regiment 4th Infantry Regiment 12th Infantry Regiment |
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| Strength | |||||||||
| 641 soldiers 2 Scorpion light tanks 2 Scimitar light tanks 2 frigates |
700 marines 200 soldiers 3 Tigercat SAMs |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 10 killed 35 wounded |
30 killed 45 wounded 30 captured |
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The Battle of Mount Tumbledown was a very important fight during the Falklands War in 1982. It was a night attack by the British Army and Royal Marines against Argentinian forces. The battle took place on the mountains overlooking Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands.
Mount Tumbledown, along with nearby Mount William and Sapper Hill, was very important. They were close to Stanley, so controlling them meant controlling the capital. The Argentinian forces defending these mountains were from the 5th Naval Infantry Battalion (BIM 5), a group of well-trained marines. The British forces attacking were mainly the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards, with support from other units like the Blues and Royals with their light tanks. This battle was one of several night fights as the British moved closer to Stanley. Winning this battle helped the British capture the capital and led to the Argentinian forces on the islands surrendering.
Contents
What Happened at Tumbledown?
On the night of June 13-14, 1982, British soldiers launched their attack on Mount Tumbledown. This mountain was one of the highest points near Stanley. The British managed to push the Argentinian forces off the mountain after a tough, close-quarters battle.
Who Fought There?
The main British attacking force was the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards (2SG). They also had support from mortar teams from 42 Commando, Royal Marines. The 1st Battalion, 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles (1/7 GR) were kept ready as a backup. Four light tanks from the Blues and Royals also helped.
The Argentinian forces defending the mountains were Commander Carlos Robacio's 5th Marine Infantry Battalion (BIM 5). This group was made stronger with extra companies, including engineers, heavy machine-gun teams, artillery, and anti-aircraft units.
The Plan of Attack
The British plan involved a trick to fool the Argentinians. A small group of Scots Guards, with four light tanks, made a fake attack south of Mount Tumbledown. This was meant to distract the Argentinians.
Meanwhile, the main British attack would come from the west of Mount Tumbledown. This main attack was planned in three silent steps:
- Step 1: G Company would capture the western part of the mountain.
- Step 2: Left Flank (another company) would move through G Company's area to take the middle of the mountain top.
- Step 3: Right Flank would then pass through Left Flank to secure the eastern end of Tumbledown.
The attack was supposed to happen during the day, but it was changed to night.
The Battle Begins
The fake attack started at 8:30 p.m. on June 13. The Scots Guards' Reconnaissance Platoon, led by Major Richard Bethell, and the four light tanks, met Argentinian marines on Mount William. One of the tanks was damaged by a hidden trap.
At first, the British moved forward without trouble. But then, a fierce gunfight started when they met the Argentinian defenses. The Argentinians fired back, and some British soldiers were hurt or killed. After two hours of fighting, the Argentinian company pulled back to their main defenses.
Fearing a counter-attack, the British platoon pulled back. They accidentally went into a hidden minefield. Some soldiers were wounded by the mines. The explosions caused the Argentinians to fire mortars at the minefield, but the soft ground helped reduce the damage.
Night Attack on Tumbledown
At 9 p.m., the main attack began. Major Iain Dalzel-Job's G Company moved forward quietly for almost two miles. They reached the western part of the mountain without being seen and took it easily. However, they later came under heavy shelling, and Major Dalzel-Job was wounded.
Major John Kiszely's Left Flank then moved through G Company. They reached the middle of the mountain top without trouble at first. But then, they faced very heavy fire from Argentinian soldiers. The Argentinians fired mortars, grenades, machine guns, and small arms from very close range. Several British soldiers were killed.
For many hours, Argentinian marines and army soldiers held their ground. They were hidden in rock bunkers. The British fired rockets and anti-tank rounds, but the Argentinians fought back fiercely. The British could hear them shouting and even singing as they fought.
Two Royal Navy ships, HMS Yarmouth and Active, also fired their large guns at Tumbledown. The fighting was so tough that the British commander, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Scott, thought they might have to pull back and attack again the next night.
Pushing Forward
The fighting was very difficult for Left Flank. The Argentinians had strong machine gun positions and snipers. But around 2:30 a.m., the British launched another attack. They managed to overcome some of the Argentinian defenders. British troops moved across the mountain top, fighting hand-to-hand with bayonets.
Major Kiszely was one of the first into the Argentinian positions. He fought bravely, inspiring his soldiers. He and six other Guardsmen suddenly found themselves at the very top of the mountain. They could see Stanley below, with its lights on.
The Argentinians then launched a counter-attack. Machine gun fire wounded several British soldiers, including Lieutenant Alasdair Mitchell. Major Kiszely was also injured. For his bravery, Major Kiszely received the Military Cross.
The Final Push
By 6 a.m., the Left Flank's attack had slowed down. They had lost seven men killed and 18 wounded. On the eastern side of the mountain, Argentinian soldiers were trying to push forward again. Colonel Scott ordered Right Flank to attack and clear the last Argentinian positions.
Major Simon Price sent his platoons forward, firing rockets to clear the way. Lieutenant Robert Lawrence led his platoon around the Argentinian positions to try and surprise them. However, they were spotted and came under fire. After a quick bayonet charge, they overcame the Argentinian defenders.
As the Argentinians pulled back, more Argentinian platoons moved in to help. The British again faced heavy fire. But by moving in pairs and providing covering fire for each other, they managed to clear these new Argentinian groups. This gave the British firm control of the eastern side of the mountain.
Right Flank had five soldiers wounded, including Lieutenant Lawrence. In his moment of victory, Lieutenant Lawrence was severely wounded by an Argentinian sniper. He was also awarded the Military Cross for his bravery. The sniper continued to fire, causing more confusion and wounding another British officer before being stopped.
Tumbledown is Taken
By 9:00 a.m., the Scots Guards had taken control of the high ground east of Tumbledown Mountain. The Gurkhas then moved across the area between Tumbledown and Mount William. They took Mount William, with eight soldiers wounded. In total, the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards lost eight soldiers killed and 43 wounded. The Welsh Guards lost one soldier killed, and the Royal Engineers lost one. The Gurkhas had 13 wounded.
The British took 30 Argentinian prisoners. The bodies of 30 Argentinian soldiers were found around the area.
Last Stand on Sapper Hill
While the main fighting was on Tumbledown, Argentinian marines were also defending Sapper Hill. They had anti-aircraft guns, heavy machine guns, and even dog teams. There were also large artillery guns and mortars on Sapper Hill.
British forces, including the Welsh Guards and Royal Marines, were supposed to move towards Sapper Hill after Tumbledown was taken. However, they got stuck in a minefield, which caused a long delay. They also came under heavy mortar fire from Sapper Hill.
Eventually, the Welsh Guards reached the base of Sapper Hill. But they found the Argentinian M Company still in position. The Guardsmen had to pull back, helped by the early morning fog. Because of this delay, another unit, 45 Commando, was sent to take Sapper Hill. Other Royal Marine units also landed on Sapper Hill. Both units attacked and captured the hill.
Argentinian Retreat
Commander Carlos Robacio, who led the Argentinian marines, wanted to counter-attack from Sapper Hill. But a senior Argentinian officer stopped the fighting. The Argentinian marine companies then pulled back into Stanley. Some platoons stayed behind to cover their retreat.
The Argentinian marines managed to withdraw safely, even though they were chased by artillery fire. A laser-guided bomb also hit, killing two Argentinian military dogs. Argentinian armored cars moved to the edge of Stanley to protect the retreating troops.
Some Argentinian marines were killed protecting the retreat. Six Royal Marines were wounded by mines and small-arms fire while securing Sapper Hill.
At the bottom of Sapper Hill, there was a huge minefield. British soldiers were wounded by anti-personnel mines. Engineers worked to clear a path through the mines. The delay caused by the mines probably saved many lives, as the Argentinian positions were very strong. When the British finally advanced, they found Sapper Hill abandoned.
Recognizing Bravery
For their courage in the attack, soldiers from the 2nd Scots Guards received several awards. These included the Distinguished Service Order, Military Crosses, and Distinguished Conduct Medals. The pilot who rescued wounded soldiers from a minefield also received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Commander Carlos Robacio, the Argentinian marine commander, was also awarded a medal for his bravery. His battalion was honored by the Argentinian Congress. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri, an Argentinian soldier, received Argentina's highest military award for his actions on Tumbledown and another battle. He is the only conscript (a soldier who was required to serve) to receive this honor.
After the battle, Pipe Major James Riddell of the 2nd Scots Guards played his bagpipes near the top of the mountain. He named the tune The Crags of Tumbledown Mountain.
Tumbledown After the War
The film Tumbledown, released in 1988, tells the story of Lieutenant Robert Lawrence, who was badly wounded during the battle. The film won several awards.
A cross has been placed at the top of Mount Tumbledown to remember the soldiers who died there. Two British artists, Mark Churms and Terence Cuneo, have painted scenes from the battle.
There is also a group called the Tumbledown Veterans And Families Association. A poem called "Ode to Tumbledown" was written to honor the soldiers who fought and died there.
