Battle of Two Sisters facts for kids
The Battle of Two Sisters was an important fight during the Falklands War. It happened as British forces moved closer to Port Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands. This battle took place from June 11 to 12, 1982.
It was one of three major battles fought on the same night, along with the Battle of Mount Longdon and the Battle of Mount Harriet. In this battle, British Royal Marines from 45 Commando fought against Argentine soldiers from the 4th Infantry Regiment. The British victory helped them capture the high ground around Port Stanley, which led to the surrender of Argentine forces on the islands.
Quick facts for kids Battle of Two Sisters |
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| Part of the Falklands War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom |
 Argentina |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
 Lt. Col. Andrew Whitehead |
 Maj. Ricardo Cordón |
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| Units involved | |||||||
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3 Commando Brigade
 Royal Navy |
4th Infantry Regiment 6th Infantry Regiment |
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| Strength | |||||||
| 600 Royal Marines 6 light guns 1 destroyer (HMS Glamorgan) |
350 1 shore missile battery |
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| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 8 killed on land. 14 killed on HMS Glamorgan 17 wounded on land. unknown on HMS Glamorgan. 1 destroyer damaged |
20 killed 50 wounded 54 captured |
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Contents
Preparing for Battle: Who Fought?
British Forces: Royal Marines Lead the Way
The British force was led by Lieutenant-Colonel Andrew Whitehead. It mainly consisted of Royal Marines from 45 Commando. They also had support from an anti-tank troop from 40 Commando.
Six 105-mm guns from 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery provided artillery support. The 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment was kept ready as a backup force. A Royal Navy ship, HMS Glamorgan, used its powerful guns to help from the sea.
The main goal for 45 Commando was to capture Two Sisters Mountain at night. If they succeeded quickly, they were supposed to move on to Tumbledown Mountain. However, the Argentine resistance was so strong that the second part of the plan was cancelled.
Argentine Defenders: Holding the Peaks
The Argentine forces defending Two Sisters were commanded by Major Ricardo Cordón. Most of these defenders were from the 4th Infantry Regiment. They had platoons (small groups of soldiers) positioned on both the northern and southern peaks of Two Sisters.
Other Argentine soldiers from the 6th Mechanized Infantry Regiment were placed between Two Sisters and Mount Longdon as a reserve. Some additional troops were also brought in to reinforce the defenders.
Life in No-Man's-Land: Before the Attack
Keeping Spirits Up and Patrolling
From June 1, Argentine soldiers on Two Sisters and Mount Harriet were allowed to use special cold-weather food packs. This helped boost their spirits and manage hunger.
An Argentine officer, Captain Carlos Alfredo López-Patterson, visited the soldiers often. He wanted to keep them informed and raise their morale. He noticed how brave and united the young soldiers were, even though they felt isolated.
British forces also moved into the area. On June 4, 45 Commando occupied Bluff Cove Peak without a fight. They met up with patrols from the Special Air Service (SAS), a British special forces unit.
There had been some intense fighting earlier over these hills. On May 29, Argentine Special Forces tried to capture them but were stopped. Two Argentine commandos, First Lieutenant Rubén Eduardo Márquez and Sergeant Óscar Humberto Blas, showed great courage and were killed in this fight. They were later honored for their bravery.
Air Attacks and Close Encounters
Throughout May and June, both sides faced dangers. On May 30, a British Harrier jet was badly damaged by small arms fire while attacking Mount Kent. Argentine soldiers claimed to have shot it down.
On June 5, two British Harrier jets attacked the Argentine positions on Two Sisters with rockets.
British reconnaissance patrols (scouting teams) from 45 Commando often got very close to Argentine positions. On June 6, a patrol even entered an Argentine area. They had to fight their way out under heavy fire. One British Marine was wounded, while several Argentine soldiers were killed. For his actions, Lieutenant Chris Fox received the Military Cross.
Argentine soldiers also conducted patrols. On June 6-7, a patrol from the 4th Regiment found British vehicles but came under mortar fire and had to retreat.
On June 8, an Argentine soldier claimed to have shot down a British Harrier jet with a missile. The British confirmed a Harrier was damaged and had to make an emergency landing, but the pilot was safe.
Intense Skirmishes and Friendly Fire
In the early hours of June 10, a strong patrol from 45 Commando attacked an Argentine position. A fierce firefight broke out. Two Argentine Special Forces sergeants were killed, and two more were wounded. The British also suffered casualties, with two Royal Marines killed.
During this fight, an Argentine officer, Major Aldo Rico, narrowly escaped injury. Another Argentine sniper claimed to have shot three retreating Royal Marines.
On the same night, a tragic "friendly fire" incident occurred. A British mortar team returning from patrol was mistaken for Argentines in the dark. A British rifle platoon opened fire, killing four Royal Marines and wounding three others.
British scouts also played a key role by finding hidden mines on the mountain. This helped the British plan their attack. On June 11, British Harrier jets dropped cluster bombs on Two Sisters and nearby mountains.
The Night Battle: Taking Two Sisters
The Attack Begins
Captain Ian Gardiner's X-Ray Company led the attack on Two Sisters. The battle began around 11:00 pm local time. One British troop managed to take the western part of the southern peak without a fight.
However, another troop faced very strong resistance on the spine of the mountain. They were unable to move forward. A second British troop tried to attack the Argentine 3rd Platoon but was pushed back by artillery fire. For several hours, X-Ray Company was stuck on the mountain slopes.
Naval gunfire from HMS Glamorgan pounded the mountain. But the Argentine 3rd Platoon, led by Sub-Lieutenant Llambías-Pravaz, bravely held their ground. They were not dislodged until about 2:30 am. Colonel Andrew Whitehead realized that one company alone could not capture Two Sisters without heavy losses. He called up the unit's two other companies, Yankee and Zulu.
Capturing the Northern Peak
Around 12:30 am, Yankee and Zulu Companies attacked the northern peak, known as 'Summer Days'. They faced a very tough two-hour fight against two Argentine platoons. Despite heavy machine-gun and mortar fire, the British Marines succeeded in capturing 'Summer Days'.
The Argentine mortar platoon commander, Lieutenant Martella, was killed in this action after using all his ammunition. Two British platoon commanders were also wounded by Argentine mortar fire. Lieutenant Clive Dytor of Z Company showed great bravery, rallying his troops and leading them forward with bayonets to take 'Summer Days'. He later received the Military Cross for his actions.
After the peaks were captured, Argentine soldiers covered their withdrawal. Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri was particularly brave, holding up Yankee Company with accurate rifle and machine-gun fire. He was awarded Argentina's highest medal for bravery.
After the Fight
After capturing Two Sisters, 45 Commando came under fire from surrounding Argentine positions. They faced mortar rounds from Tumbledown Mountain. Some Marines sheltering in abandoned bunkers on Two Sisters also lost their hearing due to close explosions from Argentine shells.
On June 13, Argentine A-4 Skyhawk jets attacked British vehicles and helicopters near the British headquarters. A helicopter crewman was injured, and three Gazelle helicopters were damaged.
On the morning of June 14, a British tracked vehicle hit a minefield. Its driver stepped on an anti-personnel mine while trying to warn others, needing urgent medical help.
HMS Glamorgan's Role
Naval gunfire support was crucial during the battle. HMS Glamorgan used its powerful guns to help the Royal Marines. The officer directing the naval gunfire was wounded early on, but another soldier, Bombardier Edward Holt, took over. He gave quick and accurate directions to the destroyer and was later awarded the Military Medal.
HMS Glamorgan was asked to stay in action longer than planned to help clear Argentine resistance. As the destroyer took a shortcut closer to the shore, an Argentine radar tracked its movements.
Exocet Missile Strike
Two MM38 Exocet missiles had been moved from an Argentine destroyer and set up on a special launcher on land. These missiles were flown to the Falkland Islands on May 31.
At 3:36 am, the British commander of Glamorgan saw on his radar that the ship was under attack. He ordered a high-speed turn just before an Exocet missile hit the ship's left side near the hangar.
The missile skidded on the deck and exploded, creating a large hole in the hangar deck and another hole below in the galley area, where a fire started. The blast caused the ship's Wessex helicopter to explode, starting a severe fire in the hangar. Sadly, fourteen crew members were killed, and about twenty were wounded in this attack.
Aftermath: Reflecting on the Battle
The next morning, Colonel Andrew Whitehead was amazed by how strong the Argentine positions had been. He felt that with only fifty Royal Marines, he could have held the position for a very long time.
However, the British Marines who actually fought the Argentine platoons knew it was a very difficult victory. Thirty years later, Marine Keith Brown recalled the fighting as "hugely confusing" and "terrifying." He noted the constant loud noises from naval artillery, mortars, and machine guns.
Some historians have praised the bravery of the Argentine defenders. Sergeant-Major George Meachin of Yankee Company admired the fighting spirit of the Argentine soldiers on the northern peak. He described how they kept fighting back even after being hit by repeated artillery fire. He said, "Conscripts don't do this, babies don't do this, men who are badly led and of low morale don't do this. They were good steadfast troops. I rate them."
The battlefield itself showed the intensity of the fight. The area where an Argentine platoon was positioned was heavily scarred by British artillery, which fired 1,500 shells that night.
After the battle, the remaining Argentine soldiers joined other units. One Argentine officer, Sub-Lieutenant Llambías Pravaz, who had fought bravely, narrowly escaped death when a rock hit his helmet.
Captain Gardiner, a British commander, also praised the Argentine soldiers who stayed and fought. He said, "Those who stayed and fought had something. I for one would not wish to face my Marines in battle."
In a lighter moment, a British chaplain, Revd. Wynne Jones, was challenged by Marines who thought he was an enemy. He had forgotten the password but managed to explain he was the padre.
Years later, a British Marine from X-Ray Company met Sub-Lieutenant Marcelo Llambías-Pravaz. In a televised reunion on the mountain, the Marine returned pictures he had found of the Argentine officer and his platoon after the battle.
Casualties of the Battle
Eight British soldiers were killed during the land battle for Two Sisters. Another 17 British Marines were wounded, including several platoon commanders.
On the Argentine side, 20 soldiers were killed in the days leading up to and during the battle. Another 50 were wounded, and 54 were taken prisoner.
HMS Glamorgan, which provided crucial naval support, was hit by an Exocet missile. This attack killed fourteen crew members and wounded more.
Awards for Bravery
For their bravery during the attack on Two Sisters, several British soldiers received awards. These included one DSO (Distinguished Service Order), three Military Crosses, one Distinguished Conduct Medal, and four Military Medals.
Images for kids
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Night of 11 to 12 June, west of Stanley
