Re: [OT] Goose Green

At 02:25  14/03/02 -0500, you wrote:
>Brian Squared #3 said:
>Not lunch, but I looked it up.  Interesting.  According to the (British
>run)
>websites I've seen, it wasn't the Royal Marines at Goose Green, it was
>the
>Paras.....

After a quick check :)

After the British naval losses at sea there was political pressure for 
action. With the loss of the Atlantic Conveyor and most of the Chinook 
helicopters (heavy lift capacity) a shelved plan to raid Goose Green was

resurrected.

2 Para was given the objectives of Goose Green and Darwin, located on a 
narrow isthmus (or neck of land) connecting East Falkland to Lafonia 
(running north/south). Goose Green is the second largest settlement on
the 
Islands, Stanley being the largest. It had a grass airstrip which had a 
squadron of Pucara aircraft stationed there, the settlement was also 
garrisoned by 12th Infantry Regiment and C company of the 25th Infantry.

There was also FAA troops defending the Pucaras, anti-aircraft guns and
a 
half battery of 105mm howitzers. But the 12th Infantry Regiment was less

one company (B company detached as a airmobile reserve) and was missing
a 
large amount of it's  heavy/support weapons, vehicles, reserve ammo and 
entrenching tools due to the grounding of the supply ship Cuidad de
Cordoba.

The 12th regiment's CO Lt. Col. Italo Piaggi's order's required him to 
defend a perimeter measuring 31km.

The plan was to raid, inflict as much damage as possible then withdraw,
but 
once re-activated the orders were changed to "capture and stay"

For support the Paras had a half battery of 105mm guns airlifted to a 
position near Camilla Creek House (just north of the isthmus), HMS Arrow

would also provide gunfire support but would have to be back at San
Carlos 
Sound by sun-up. Harriers (GR.3) off Hermes would provide close air
support 
(weather permitting).

The planning was poor and the operation was referred to as a 
"come-as-you-are-party". The British Government made no friends by 
releasing information by the impending attack, the Paras waiting at
their 
start line near Carmilla Creek House got hear what they were about to do

via the BBC.

The attack started about 0430 local time, with some Argentines
surrendering 
and others fighting, at first light the Argentines fell back to prepared

positions in a line along Boca House and Darwin Hill, these positions
had 
good fields of fire across the open ground and the centre was protected
by 
minefields (which included booby trapped, 125kg aircraft bombs).

Darwin Hill was occupied by a platoon from the reserve C Company, 25th 
Regiment under Primer Teniente (Lieutenant?) Roberto Estevez. This
platoon 
was fully equipped with radios and weapons.

It was at this point that 2 Para's attack bogged down and Lt. Col. "H" 
Jones 2 Parra's CO was killed leading a charge to break the impasse
(some 
have claimed Col. Jones was "gong hunting. But he was in any event
awarded 
the Victora Cross posthumously). At this point the entire attack stalled
as 
the Argentine troops on their left managed to halt the British attack, 
Major Chris Keeble the battalion 2IC assumed command and re-organized
the unit.

By noon 2 Para's A Coy had flanked the Argentine positions on Darwin
Hill 
and fired on them with LAW and Carl Gustav from close range. Estevez was

mortally wounded and his radio operator, Private Fabrico Carrascul, 
directed the platoons fighting until he himself was killed (Both were 
posthumously decorated). Only 3 men survived from Estevez's platoon to
make 
it back to Goose Green.

To the West, D Company 2 Para had found a seaside path that allowed them
to 
flank and fire a LAW onto the Argentine position, the shot killed and 
wounded many including the local commander and in the confusion the 
Argentines fell back.

By 1300 Argentine reinforcements, 84 men arrived via a 11 helicopter
lift 
and the Argentine perimeter moved in closer to Goose Green.

Lt. Col. Piaggi committed the new reinforcements and a platoon of the
25th 
Infantry Regiment against the advancing British D and C companies and as

the fighting neared the airfield the air defense units fired on the
Paras 
with their 35mm guns. Some of these guns were in turn knocked out by 
British Harriers, throughout the day bad weather and fog had limited air

support for both sides. Pucaras provided close air support using Napalm
and 
cannon fire, some being shot down with machine gun fire and blowpipe 
missiles. One Harrier was shot down by 35mm cannon and one Scout
helicopter 
delivering ammunition forward was lost to a Pucara.

Gradually the Argentines were pushed back to the settlement of Goose
Green 
and A and D companies completed a loose encirclement of Green by dusk, C

company met heavy resistance around Darwin Hill and met up with D
company 
during a heavy firefight around the schoolhouse area. By the night the 
Argentine forces were restricted to the settlement and the peninsula it
sat on.

During the night the due to concerns for the safety of the civilians 
gathered in the social hall negotiations were conducted and the
Argentine 
commanders marched their troops on the airfield and surrendered.

The cost; The Argentines with 630 infantry (excluding reinforcements)
and a 
further 900 (500 FAA personnel, headquarters, artillery, logistics and
some 
naval personnel) lost 55 men (3 officers, nine NCOs and 43 men) with 86 
wounded. The British with 450, lost 17 men (5 officers, 7 NCOs and 5
men) 
with 33 wounded.

As stated Lt.Col "H" Jones was posthumously awarded a Victora Cross
while 
Teniente Jaun Gomez Centurion (who commanded a platoon in the 25th
Infantry 
Regiment) was awarded the Cruz-La Nacion Argentina al Heroico Valor en 
Combate for rescuing one of his severely wounded Corporals.

Cheers

Derek

Derek Fulton
12 Balaka st.
Rosny, Hobart.
Tasmania,  7018.
Australia

Phone; (03) 62459123
Mobile; 0438459123
Email; derekfulton@bigpond.com