Battle of Mount Tumbledown

Captain Eduardo Villarraza's N Company from the 5th Marine Battalion would defend Mounts Tumbledown and William

• 1st Platoon, Marine Second Lieutenant (Guardiamarina) Carlos Bianchi, was dug in on Mount William
• 2nd Platoon, Marine Second Lieutenant Marcelo Oruezabala, between Tumbledown and William
• 3rd Platoon, Marine Sergeant Suboficial or Chief Petty Officer Jorge Lucero, on the Northern slopes of Tumbledown, overlooking Moody Brook
• 4th Platoon, Sub-Lieutenant Carlos Daniel Vázquez, dug in near the summit, covering the Western approaches
• 5th Platoon, Lieutenant Héctor Omar Miño, behind the 4th Platoon, facing North in support of Lucero's men
• Heavy machine guns and dogs from the Headquarters Battalion on Mount Tumbledown and Sapper Hill
• Tigercat SAM launchers and anti-tank guns, one on Mount William in support of Bianchi's platoon and the other supporting Lucero's.
• Marine SAM Platoon, with British Blowpipe and Russian SA-7 MPADS on Sapper Hill
• 60mm Mortar Platoon, in two sections near the summit, under Marine Sergeants David Ramos and Lucio Monzón

At the time of the battle, Marine Teniente de Navio Eduardo Villarraza's N Company was stationed on Tumbledown, Mount William was occupied by O Company of the Marine battalion, commanded by Marine Captain Ricardo Quiroga. In reserve behind N Company was B Company of the 6th Army Regiment, under Major Oscar Ramón Jaimet, M Company, led by Marine Captain Rodolfo Oscar Cionchi, was stationed on Sapper Hill.

On the morning of 13 June, the Scots Guards were moved by helicopter from their position at Bluff Cove to an assembly area near Goat Ridge, west of Mount Tumbledown. The British plan called for a diversionary attack south of Mount Tumbledown by a small number of the Scots Guards, assisted by the four light tanks of the Blues and Royals, while the main attack came as a three-phase silent advance from the west of Mount Tumbledown.

In the first phase, G company would take the western end of the mountain. In the second phase, Left Flank (company) would pass through the area taken by G company to capture the centre of the summit. In the third phase, Right Flank would pass through Left Flank to secure the eastern end of Tumbledown.

A daytime assault was initially planned but was postponed at the British battalion commander's request. In a meeting with his company commanders, the consensus was that the long uphill assault across the harsh ground of Tumbledown would be suicidal in daylight.

The British 'softening up' bombardment began at 7:30 local time, Major Jaimet later recalled:

I heard the cries of the wounded calling for their comrades, twelve men wounded before nightfall. We thought we had suffered before, but what luxury and comfort compared to this.Razor's Edge, Hugh Bicheno, p. 288, Phoenix, 2007

During the battle, the 5th Marines Command Post took five direct hits, but Commander Robacio emerged unscathed.(The Sinking of the Belgrano, Arthur Gavshon and Desmond Rice pg. 47)

At 8:30 p.m. on 13 June, the diversionary attack began. The 2nd Bn Scots Guards' Reconnaissance Platoon and Pipes & Drums Platoon, commanded by Major Richard Bethell (a former SAS officer) and supported by four light tanks of the Blues and Royals clashed with the Argentine Marine O Company under Marine Captain Quiroga in a blocking position on the lower slopes of Mount William. On William's southern slopes, a landmine detonation disabled one of the light tanks, causing minor injuries to its three-man crew."Badly shaken, Lt Coreth, Trooper Jed Farmer and Lance Corporal 'Lamb' Chop' Lambert abandoned the stricken wagon and jumped up on our decks. We dropped them back at the bandaging station for treatment." Bullet Magnet: Britain's Most Highly Decorated Frontline Soldier, Mick Flynn, p. ?, Hachette, 2010 The tank was eventually repaired and returned to service as a Scorpoled, Sabre.[https://merlinarchive.uk/vehicle/02FD76 Vehicle - 02FD76 - Vehicle Service History][https://hmvf.co.uk/topic/10708-falklands-cvrts Images of the Falklands CVR(T) - Damaged tank close to the bottom]

The initial advance was unopposed, but a heavy firefight broke out when British troops made contact with Argentinian defences. The Argentinians opened fire, killing two British soldiers and wounding four others. After two hours of hard fighting, the Argentinian company withdrew to its main defences on William and the British secured the position. Marine First Class Private José Luis Fazio fought against Bethell's force:

At about 22:30 hours our battalion had its first intensive gun battle with British companies which appeared out of nowhere. I heard Private Roberto Barboza yell "The English are here!" ... I remember our Operations Officer requested the artillery to assist at 23.00 with star shells. The close quarter battle was such that the Argentine artillery was unable to drop shells on to the British attackers. I was shooting, doing my work. I don't know if I killed anyone. We just fired our rifles, that's all. Contact was maintained for over an hour before battalion headquarters ordered Obra Company to fall back ... What we did not realise at the time was that a wounded Marine made his way to the amphibious engineer platoon and threw a grenade, wounding a Major. Simultaneously, the Major opened fire, killing him.Nick van der Bijl, "Victory in the Falklands", p. 199, Pen and Sword, 2007

After the successful diversion, the British force withdrew, carrying their wounded with them. During the withdrawal, two additional soldiers were injured by shellfire and four more after inadvertently entering a minefield.{{Cite book |last=Middlebrook |first=Martin |title=The Falklands war, 1982 |date=2001 |publisher=Penguin |isbn=978-0-14-139055-0 |edition=Rev. |series=Classic military history |location=London}} The explosions of the mines prompted Argentine Marine Major Antonio Pernías to instruct the 81 mm mortar platoon stationed on Mount William, as well as the longer-range 120mm mortar attached to 'C' Company, 3rd Infantry Regiment on Sapper Hill, to open fire on both the minefield and the potential withdrawal route of any forces attacking Mount William.Nine battles to Stanley, Nicholas Van der Bijl, p. 190, Leo Cooper, 1999 {{ISBN?}} The barrage lasted approximately forty minutes. British casualties were slightly mitigated as the mortar shells predominantly landed on soft peat, which lessened the impact of the explosion. The diversion suffered a total of 2 killed, Lance Corporal Pashley of 9 Parachute Squadron and WO2 Danny Wight,[https://www.airbornesappers.org.uk/rollofhonour/P/johnpashley.htm Airborne Engineers Association][https://scotsguards.org/?soldier=daniel-wight Drill Sergeant Daniel Wight - Scots Guards.org] with 16 more wounded.

File:Mount.longdon.battle.svg

At 9 p.m., half an hour after the start of the diversionary attack, Major Iain Dalzel-Job's G Company started its two-mile advance. Reaching its objective undetected, the company found the western end of the mountain undefended and occupied it easily, but later came under shellfire that wounded 10."In addition, 43 were wounded, including 10 from G Company as a result of shelling (Jim was among the 21 of those wounded from Left Flank having been injured."[https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15740773.2024.2321397 The archaeological survey of remains from the 1982 Falklands war]

Major John Kiszely's Left Flank passed through them and reached the central region of the peak unopposed, but then came under heavy fire.Patrick Bishop and John Witherow, The Winter War: Falklands Conflict, p. 133

The Argentinians, later learned to be of company strength, directed mortar, grenade, machine gun and small arms fire from close range at the British company, killing three British soldiers. Marine Sub-Lieutenant Héctor Mino's 5th Platoon (1st Amphibious Engineer Company), held the rocks behind Sub-Lieutenant Carlos Vázquez's 4th Platoon, N Company. In the centre of the 4th Marine Platoon position were the remnants of Second Lieutenants Óscar Silva's and Marcelo Llambías-Pravaz's RI 4 platoons as well as the remnants of Second Lieutenants Celestino Mosteirín's and Marcelo Dorigón's RI 12 platoons, which had recently fought on Two Sisters, Goat Ridge and Mount Harriet.

For between four and five hours, a contingent of Argentine defenders, including a composite force of Marine and Army personnel from six infantry platoons, engineers and a platoon of mortar operators, held their positions on Tumbledown, preventing the advance of British forces. To identify enemy bunkers, British Guardsmen fired Illuminating Parachute flares[https://talesfromthesupplydepot.blog/2019/07/12/l24a1-parachute-flare The L24A1 Parachute Flare - Shamooli ] toward the summit. Both sides engaged in a sustained exchange of fire, with the Guardsmen deploying 66mm and 84mm anti-tank rounds, while the Argentine forces, firing from cover, retaliated using rifle grenades. Despite the assault, the Argentine defenders remained resolute, shouting obscenities in English and even singing the Marcha de las Malvinas."Resistance remained fierce with some of the enemy 'shouting and singing' as they directed fire against the advancing British troops."

The Official History of the Falklands Campaign: War and Diplomacy, p. 546, Lawrence Freedman, Psychology Press, 2005

Lieutenant Colonel Michael Scott, the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards, considered the possibility of withdrawing and launching another assault the following night. Reflecting on the situation, he later remarked,

The old nails were being bitten a bit, if we hadn't held on to Tumbledown, it might have encouraged them to keep on fighting.

The fighting was hard going for Left Flank, as Argentine forces were well prepared with entrenched machine guns and snipers. However, at 2:30 a.m., a renewed British assault succeeded in overwhelming the troops of the 4th and 12th Regiments. Despite this, the surviving members of Vazquez's 4th Platoon continued to resist until approximately 7:00 a.m. British forces ultimately secured control of the mountaintop, inflicting casualties, capturing numerous defenders from the 4th and 12th Regiments, and, in some instances, engaging in close-quarters combat with fixed bayonets. Marine Private Jorge Sanchez recalled:

The fighting was sporadic, but at times fierce, as we tried to maintain our position. By this time we had ten or twelve dead, including one officer [Second Lieutenant Oscar Silva, Argentine Army]. I hadn't fired directly at a British soldier, as they had been too hard to get a clear shot at. I can remember lying there with all this firing going over my head. They were everywhere. The platoon commander [Marine Sub-Lieutenant Carlos Daniel Vazquez] then called Private Ramon Rotela, manning a 60-millimetre mortar and Rotela fired it straight up into the air so that the bombs landed on ourselves. At this point I had been up and in actual combat for over six hours. It was snowing and we were tired. Some of the guys had surrendered, but I didn't want to do this. I had only twenty rounds left and I decided to continue the fight from Mount William. I popped up, fired a rifle grenade in the direction of 8 to 10 British soldiers to keep their heads down, and then ran for the 2nd Platoon. I can remember saying some type of prayer hoping the British wouldn't shoot me in the back.Nick van der Bijl, Victory in the Falklands, pp. 208–209, Pen and Sword, 2007

Major Kiszely, who was to become a senior general after the war, was the first man into the Argentine position, shooting two Argentine conscripts and bayoneting a third. Seeing their company commander among the enemy inspired 14 and 15 Platoons to make the final dash across open ground to of the remaining Argentine Marines. Kiszely and six other Guardsmen suddenly found themselves standing on top of the mountain, looking down on Stanley, which was under street lighting and vehicles could be seen moving along the roads.

Argentine forces, consisting of Second Lieutenant Augusto La Madrid's platoon from Major Jaimet's B Company and Marine Lieutenant Héctor Miño's amphibious engineer platoon reinforced by Marine Lieutenant Waldemar Aquino and Marine Second Lieutenant De Marco, launched a counterattack. During the assault, a burst of machine-gun fire from La Madrid’s unit wounded three Guardsmen, including Lieutenant Alasdair Mitchell, commander of 15 Platoon and a bullet struck the compass attached to the belt of Major Kiszely.{{cite book | last = Danziger | first = Danny | title = We are soldiers | publisher = Sphere | location = London | year = 2011 | isbn = 978-0-7515-4399-5 |quote=Suddenly, I hear something in the rocks and we all go, 'What's that?' Someone asks, 'Who goes there?' The challenge that night was 'Johnny Johnny', and the answer was 'Jimmy Jimmy', which stood for Johnny the Gurkha and Jimmy the Jock. We fired off with 'Johnny Johnny', but received the same answer back, 'Johnny Johnny', instead of 'Jimmy Jimmy'. We got on the radio and asked if Right Flank had come through at this point. Unfortunately, the radio operator was struck at that very moment and we didn't get an answer back. The people were challenging the Argies. The shit hit the fan. We were now being engaged by the enemy. Hand grenades came in. The section commander was hit and the Section 2ic fell to the floor, no movement at all. All that's left now were five Guardsmen and we were screaming lunatics, engaging anything that moved. 360 degrees, until we took control among ourselves.}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20140224201804/http://labuenagente.com.ar/index.php/noticias.html Apasionante documental sobre la Guerra de Malvinas]

For his role in leading a bayonet charge during the engagement, Kiszely was awarded the Military Cross.

By 6 a.m., the advance of Left Flank had come to a halt, resulting in significant casualties among the Guards."Left Flank's action had taken seven hours and the company killed over thirty enemy, capturing another twenty for the loss of seven of its own killed and twenty-one wounded."

Among Friends: The Scots Guards 1956-1993, Murray Naylor, p. 151, Pen & Sword, 1995 On the eastern sector of the mountain, the conscript platoons of La Madrid and Miño were attempting to resume their assault. In response, Colonel Scott issued orders for Right Flank to advance and eliminate the remaining enemy positions. Second Lieutenant La Madrid later provided an account of the combat:

I went forward to make a reconnaissance and could see that the British had two machine guns and a missile launcher in action. I went through another gap in the rocks and was surprised by three men speaking in English behind and above me and firing over the top of me. I could see them with my night binoculars ... I took a rifle grenade and fired at where I had seen the first three men. I heard it explode and some shouts and cries of pain ... I ran back to my position and ordered my men to open fire. We stopped them, but they thinned out and came round our flanks ... They also engaged us with light mortars and missile launchers. This went on for a long time, and we suffered heavy casualties ... We started to run short of ammunition ... Also, I could see that we were outflanked, with the British behind us, so we were cut off from my company ... I reorganized and found that I was down to sixteen men. I started to retire ... I left six men in a line with a machine gun to cover our retreat, but really we were fighting all the time, we could not break contact. They came on us fast, and we fell back ... We eventually got through to Stanley through what I would like to say was a perfect barrage fired by the Royal Artillery. We had to wait for breaks in the firing, but I still lost a man killed there.The Fight for the Malvinas, Martin Middlebrook, pp. 261–262, Viking, 1989

Major Simon Price sent 2 and 3 Platoons forward, preceded by a volley of 66mm rockets to clear the Argentine reinforcements. Major Price placed 1 Platoon high up in the rocks to provide fire support for the assault troops.

Lieutenant Robert Lawrence led 3 Platoon in a flanking manoeuvre to the right of the Argentinian positions, intending to catch the defenders off guard. However, the British troops were spotted and temporarily pinned down by enemy fire. Despite this, a bayonet charge was launched, successfully overrunning the Argentinian defenders. Lance-Corporal Graham Rennie of 3 Platoon later recounted the British assault:

Our assault was initiated by a Guardsman killing a sniper, which was followed by a volley of 66mm anti-tank rounds. We ran forward in extended line, machine gunners and riflemen firing from the hip to keep the enemy heads down, enabling us to cover the open ground in the shortest possible time. Halfway across the open ground, 2 Platoon went to ground to give covering fire support, enabling us to gain a foothold on the enemy position. From then on we fought from crag to crag, rock to rock, taking out pockets of enemy and lone riflemen, all of whom resisted fiercely.5th Infantry Brigade in the Falklands 1982, Nicholas Van der Bijl, David Aldea, page 200, Leo Cooper, 2003

Lieutenants La Madrid and Miño withdrew their respective platoons, sustaining five killed during the counterattack.Oscar Luis Jofre and Félix Roberto Aguiar, Malvinas: La Defensa de Puerto Argentino, p. 262, Editorial Sudamericana, 1987 In an effort to support them, the platoons under Second Lieutenants Aldo Franco and Guillermo Robredo advanced from the eastern edge of the mountain. As the British forces pressed forward from the central region of Tumbledown, they again encountered intense Argentine resistance. However, by advancing in pairs under covering fire, they successfully engaged and cleared the remaining Bravo Company platoons, ultimately securing control over the eastern sector of Mount Tumbledown.{{cite book |title=Razor's Edge |page=309 |author=Hugh Bicheno |publisher=Phoenix |year=2007}}

Right Flank had secured its objective at the cost of five wounded, Left Flank sustained two dead and "several" injuries during the Argentine counterattack and when mortar fire from Mount William targeted British wounded and stretcher bearers."A small counter-attack did now take place, but was driven off, but not without further casualties, including a mortar bomb or rifle grenade which killed two stretcher-bearers treating the wounded." For Love of Regiment, Charles Messenger, p. 206, Pen & Sword, 1994

At the moment of victory on the eastern slopes, Lawrence was nearly killed when a bullet, reportedly fired by an Argentine "sniper," struck the side of his head. He was later awarded the Military Cross for bravery, though he endured a year in a wheelchair and the use of his left arm.[https://i-m-magazine.com/culture/robert-lawrence-mc Robert Lawrence MC - A real life - IM Magazine]

The Argentine was identified by Lieutenant La Madrid as Private Luis Jorge Bordón or Walter Ignacio Becerrahttp://www.lanacion.com.ar/1362425-un-heroe-todos-los-heroes Un héroe, todos los héroes, lanacion.com, 03/04/2011 armed with an Argentine standard FN FAL rifle, and providing covering fire for the Argentine retreat. He also fired on a Westland Scout helicopter evacuating casualties from Tumbledown, wounding two men, Guardsman Kenny Mains and Captain Swinton, the Forward Observation Officer (FOO) attached to the Gurkhas as they moved toward Mount William. He was eventually killed by the concentrated fire of several Guardsmen.

By 9:00 a.m., the Scots Guards had secured the high ground to the east of Tumbledown Mountain, while the Gurkha units began advancing across the saddle extending southward from Tumbledown to Mount William. The Gurkhas successfully captured Mount William, sustaining eight wounded, primarily due to artillery fire.

During the engagement, the Scots Guards captured 30 prisoners, several of whom were from Bravo Company of Regiment of Infantry 6. Additionally, the bodies of 30 Argentine Army and Marine personnel were discovered in and around the defensive perimeter of the 5th Marine Battalion."Over 30 Argentine bodies were subsequently recovered." The Official History of the Falklands Campaign: War and Diplomacy, p. 548, Lawrence Freedman, Psychology Press, 2005

The 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards, suffered eight fatalities and 43 wounded. According to Sergeant Thomas MacGuinnes of 13 Platoon, who played a significant role in overcoming Argentine defenses, a further 20 to 30 Guardsmen from Left Flank Company remained immobile, having sustained concussions from Argentine artillery, mortars, and rifle-grenade fire, or after experiencing falls on the wet and rugged terrain during the prolonged engagement."Probably in this stage we had taken 50 to 60 percent casualties ... And probably another 10 or 20 percent thought they were casualties and just lay there." [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO6Ptcerz3g War in the Falklands British Marines Fighting against Argentine Marines]

Additional casualties were recorded among other British units, The Royal Engineers and Welsh Guards each suffered one fatality, with a combined total of 13 wounded, including 8 Gurkhas and a Forward Observation Officer, Captain Keith Swinton.

Dhanbahadur Rai, a Gurkha soldier, provided an account of the battle:

The Scots Guards were assigned to attack Tumbledown, with the Gurkhas following in support. We were meant to complete the assault while they provided covering fire from Tumbledown. During the night, we advanced behind the Scots Guards, but at one point, our commanding officer ordered us to halt. The terrain resembled a valley, and after stopping, artillery bombardment commenced. The headquarters and A Company sustained twelve wounded. The following morning, as we resumed movement, our commanding officer, the MILAN anti-tank Platoon commander and Forward Observation Officer were advancing when they came under rifle fire. Our commanding officer shouted, "Look, Goli Ayo!" ("Get down! Someone fired!"). The FOO was standing and observing when a second shot struck him in the chest.Chris Bellamy, The Gurkhas: Special Force, p. ?, Hachette, 2011

While the majority of the 5th Marine Battalion was stationed on Mounts Tumbledown and William, M Company was positioned along the slopes of Sapper Hill. Their deployment was reinforced by the 1st Marine Anti-Aircraft Battalion, as well as a contingent from the Marine Dog Platoon with five military working dogs: Ñaro, Nego, Vogel, Warner and Xuavia, their handlers and accompanying riflemen, all under the command of Sub-Lieutenant Miguel Paz.[http://www.extension.unicen.edu.ar/web/malvinas/2017/05/30/la-historia-de-los-perros-de-malvinas/ La historia de los perros de Malvinas] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912012255/http://www.extension.unicen.edu.ar/web/malvinas/2017/05/30/la-historia-de-los-perros-de-malvinas/|date=12 September 2017}}

Also present on Sapper Hill were 155 mm guns from the 101st Artillery Group, the 120mm Heavy Mortar Platoon from Captain Ramón Alberto Varela's C Company, and the Reconnaissance Platoon (under Lieutenant Norman Osvaldo Reynoso) from the 3rd General Manuel Belgrano Mechanized Infantry Regiment. A mobile Westinghouse AN/TPS-43 long-range radar had been positioned on Sapper Hill since April.

On 1 May, a Royal Navy bombardment of Sapper Hill killed Private Daniel Cabiglioli (from M Company)."[http://ww38.imalvinas.com/75DIAS/1mayo.htm 1º de Mayo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912012517/http://ww38.imalvinas.com/75DIAS/1mayo.htm|date=12 September 2017}}" The Westinghouse radar was damaged and would remain out of service for several days."En la madrugada del día 31, dos ataques aéreos con aviones Vulcan y Harrier sobre las posiciones del RI 3, del RI 25 y la zona del aeropuerto, pusieron fuera de servicio, transitoriamente, el radar de vigilancia de la Fuerza Aérea." Félix Roberto Aguiar and Francisco Cervo, Operaciones terrestres en las Islas Malvinas, p. 216, Círculo Militar, 1985 That night, patrolling near Sapper Hill, a five-man squad (under Sergeant Miguel Angel Martinez) from the 3rd Regiment Recce Platoon discovered an abandoned rubber boat. The following day, the 1st Assault Section of the 601st Commando Company, led by First Lieutenant José Martiniano Duarte, checked the boat for explosives before transporting it to Port Stanley for examination."Fue destacada para su reconocimiento la primera sección del teniente primero José M. Duarte, la cual desde temprano esperó en el antiguo cuartel de los Royal Marines, en Moody Brook, que las condiciones meteorológicas permitieran la salida de los helicópteros asignados a la operación. Llegados al lugar, se pudo comprobar la exactitud del aviso: sobre la playa había un bote neumático en posición invertida." Isidoro Ruiz-Moreno, Comandos en acción: El Ejército en Malvinas, Editorial San Martín, 1987

In early June, Lieutenant Reynoso's Recce Platoon exchanged small arms fire with a British patrol, most likely G Squadron SAS, who had commandeered a yacht at Bluff Cove Settlement to operate behind Tumbledown and sent men forward in a helicopter."A patrol from G Squadron SAS commandeered a civilian yacht at Bluff Cove, had its engine repaired by army engineers and sailed east along the coast in broad daylight. Finally, they beached their craft within 2 miles of the Argentine positions on Mount Tumbledown. An enemy helicopter flew overhead without opening fire, and the bewildered Argentinians took no offensive action against the SAS party for two days, during which G Squadron called down artillery fire onto the back of Tumbledown." Max Hastings, Simon Jenkins, The Battle for the Falklands, Pan, 1987"Then some days later, a helicopter dropped in at battalion HQ containing an SAS patrol commanded by Corporal Nobby Noble of G Squadron, 22 SAS, and formerly of the Grenadier Guards. Nobby knew what we were up to and had dropped in to tell us that he was going to take his patrol forward by helicopter that night and establish an observation post at Port Harriet House." Tim Spicer, An Unorthodox Soldier: Peace and War and the Sandline Affair, p. 88, Mainstream, 1999

On 12 June, Harrier XW919 was hit by shrapnel, possibly from a Tigercat missile and damaged while dropping CBUs on an artillery position near Sapper Hill. During the recovery, the aircraft caught fire on Hermes flight deck, owing to a fractured reaction pipe."During the attack, Macleod's aircraft was hit by shrapnel which penetrated the rear equipment bay area of the aircraft and fractured the aft reaction control air pipe. On decelerating to the hover during the recovery, this caused a fire to start in the rear equipment bay and smoke as seen coming from the aircraft. Fuel indications suggested a considerable fuel leak at the same time. MacLeod executed a very quick and professional landing in worrying circumstances. Having landed-on, the fire was extinguished by the ground crew." [http://www.radarmalvinas.com.ar/relatos/diario%20squire%20traba.pdf RAF diaries, 12 June entry] Argentine sources claim that the aircraft was hit by AAA immediately after an attack on a 155 mm howitzer, which was lightly damaged with six soldiers wounded.En uno de esos ataques −12 de Junio- el enemigo en vuelo rasante (150 mts. del suelo) descargó todos sus cohetes sobre el cañón: resultaron seis heridos leves y fue "tocado" por la propia artillería antiaérea; uno de los sirvientes descargó sobre la máquina enemiga su fusil FAL; el cañón continuó en servicio. Rodríguez Mottino, p. 91 The Harrier was repaired and though still operational, was ultimately transferred to the School of Flight Deck Operations at Culdrose,{{Cite web |url=http://harrier.hyperlinx.cz/FAQ-falklandwar.htm#prof |title=Harriers of the Falklands war |access-date=2008-05-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041215131431/http://harrier.hyperlinx.cz/FAQ-falklandwar.htm#prof |archive-date=2004-12-15 |url-status=dead }} and eventually donated to the Polish Aviation Museum, Kraków.[http://www.muzeumlotnictwa.pl/zbiory_sz.php?ido=273&w=a www.muzeumlotnictwa.pl]

On 13 June, a Welsh Guards messenger (Lance Corporal Chris Thomas), bringing forward food supplies to Major Christopher Drewrywe's Number 2 Company (1WG), was killed when his motorbike ran over a mine."A motorcycle messenger in the Welsh Guards was killed when he ran his bike over a mine after bringing rations up to the front line." Patrick Bishop and John Witherow, The Winter War, Quartet, 1982"The last Welsh Guardsman to be killed, on the day hostilities ended, was Lance Corporal Chris Thomas, known as "Bowser", a motorcycle dispatch rider who was hit by an Argentine mortar shell." Dead Men Risen: An Epic Story of War and Heroism in Afghanistan, p. 17, Toby Harnden, Simon & Schuster, 2014

At dawn on 14 June, Major Phillip Neame's D Company of 2 PARA, engaged in the final stages of the Battle of Wireless Ridge, reported observing a large concentration of Argentine forces regrouping on Sapper Hill."I had been trying to get fire missions down on the retreating closely-packed formation of troops but was told that there was no artillery available. I was going quite spare because I was supposed to have two batteries at my priority call. Here was a golden opportunity being missed. I assumed the enemy was withdrawing to regroup on Sapper Hill and the last thing I wanted was another major battle. Eventually, we got the artillery and started blasting away with everything else we had as well. But as soon as we opened up we got very accurate artillery fire back at our own position. I guessed that they were adjusting onto our muzzle flashes so I told all the company to stop firing with their small arms. I decided that the only thing was to keep fighting this battle with artillery, otherwise, we were just going to have a lot of shit knocked out of ourselves."

Max Arthur, Above All, Courage: The Falklands Front Line, page 202, Sidgwick & Jackson, 1985 Argentine artillery units and a platoon from the 6th Regiment under Second Lieutenant La Madrid remained operational, engaging Neame's company before incurring further casualties, including Privates Horacio Echave and Horacio Balvidares."[http://www.laprensa.com.ar/456042-Monte-Tombledown-la-batalla-final.note.aspx Monte Tumbledown: la batalla final]"

As Argentine forces repositioned on Sapper Hill, additional casualties were sustained due to a British bombardment and retaliatory fire from Wireless Ridge. Among those killed were Sergeant Víctor Hugo Juárez from the 5th Marine Battalion Headquarters, Private Vicente Antonio Díaz from the 1st Amphibious Engineers Company, and Private Ricardo Ramírez from the 81mm Mortar Platoon stationed on Mount William.[https://santiagoinformaweb.com.ar/index/2019/11/en-la-subnaf-hubo-un-homenaje-a-ex-combatiente-de-malvinas/ En la Subnaf hubo un homenaje a ex combatiente de Malvinas][https://www.planbnoticias.com.ar/index.php/2018/08/17/identifican-a-otro-soldado-caido-en-malvinas/ Identifican a otro soldado caído en Malvinas]

The Welsh Guards and Royal Marine Battalion were placed on standby to support the British offensives against Mounts Tumbledown and William. Their orders were to advance toward Sapper Hill only once these objectives had been secured. However, during their movement, they became entangled in a minefield, significantly delaying their progress. While attempting to extricate themselves, they came under heavy mortar fire from Argentine positions on Sapper Hill.

Major Drewrywe's Welsh Guards eventually reached the base of Sapper Hill, only to find that the Argentine M Company remained in position. As a result, the Guardsmen were compelled to withdraw, using the morning fog as cover and this time successfully avoiding the minefield."After some time an explosion was heard. A Royal Marine had stepped on a mine, followed by another a few minutes later. Our troop then cleared a safe line through the minefield. Once through, we dug in at the base of a hill, only to find that it was still occupied by Argentine troops. So back we went to our original positions, this time around the minefield." J. M. Kneen and D. J. Sutton, Craftsmen of the Army: The Story of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (Vol II 1969–1992, Volumes 1969–1992), p. 449, Pen & Sword, 1997

Due to these delays, it was decided that 45 Commando should advance from Two Sisters to seize Sapper Hill. As 45 Commando moved forward, Alpha and Charlie Companies of 40 Commando successfully evaded detection by Argentine defenders and were airlifted by helicopter. They landed on the slopes of Sapper Hill shortly before 45 Commando's arrival, and together, both units launched an assault, ultimately securing the hill.

Unwilling to abandon Tumbledown, Commander Carlos Robacio on Sapper Hill was planning to counterattack and drive back the Guardsmen."The Argentine Commander had been frustrated. His calls for more ammunition to help him resist and even push the British back, had been met by Stanley with orders to withdraw." The Official History of the Falklands Campaign: War and Diplomacy, p. 548, Lawrence Freedman, Psychology Press, 2005 Only the personal intervention of Colonel Félix Aguiar, the 10th Brigade Chief of Staff, brought the fighting to an end in the Tumbledown sector.Oscar Luis Jofre and Félix Roberto Aguiar, Malvinas: La Defensa de Puerto Argentino, page 275, Editorial Sudamericana, 1987 The 5th Marines worked their way back into Stanley, leaving the 2nd Platoon of Marine Second Lieutenant Marcelo Davis and 3rd Platoon of Marine Second Lieutenant Alejandro Koch of M Company to cover the retreat. The Argentine Marine companies withdrew safely, although pursued by artillery fire and hit by a laser-guided bomb dropped by Flight Lieutenant Mark Hare in XZ133 killing two of the Marine canines, Nego and Ñaro.[https://gacetamarinera.com.ar/especiales/perros-de-guerra-en-malvinas/ Perros de Guerra en Malvinas] Argentine Panhard armoured cars were moved forward to the edge of Stanley to cover the retreating Argentine Marines.[https://web.archive.org/web/20191221011927/http://www.fundacionsoldados.com.ar/malvinas/malvinas-03.html Un ejemplo de opreración conjunta: Hércules y Panhard]

Marine Privates Roberto Leyes, Eleodoro Monzón and Sergio Ariel from M Company were killed protecting the Argentine retreat from Sapper Hill.[https://www.lacapital.com.ar/la-ciudad/la-increible-historia-los-sobrevivientes-del-ultimo-combate-malvinas-n423290.html La increíble historia de los sobrevivientes del último combate de Malvinas] Six Royal Marines were wounded by mines and small-arms fire securing Sapper Hill, including four Marines from 40 Commando, one Sapper from Condor Troop and a Forward Observation Officer (Major Brian Armitage) from 3 Commando Brigade HQs."Marine Vince Comb, seventeen and a half years old and the youngest man in the troop, was the machine gunner and was hit by bullets in the wrist and arm. He was immediately replaced on the machine gun and two Royal Marines gave him morphine and first aid." Geoffrey Underwood, Our Falklands War: The Men of the Task Force Tell Their Story, p. 42, Maritime Books, 1983"9 Troop were inadvertently set down 3 km east of the intended landing zone, and were on Sapper Hill. Two Marines were slightly wounded when the Argentineans fired on them as they withdrew." James D. Ladd, By Sea, by Land: The Royal Marines 1919-1997: An Authorised History, p. 403, HarperCollins, 2000"The firefight rolled backwards and forwards. Lieutenant Bushby radioed for help, but he was using a trailing antenna, as opposed to a whip aerial, and was unsuccessful. Marines Coombes was badly wounded in the arm and a second man, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered a head wound." Nick Van Der Bijl, Victory in the Falklands, p. 224, Pen and Sword, 2007Geoffrey Underwood, Our Falklands War: The Men of The Task Force Tell Their Story, p. 70, Maritime Books, 1983

The Royal Marines, under Second Lieutenant Carl Bushby, defended their position in 9 Troop as Argentine Marines, commanded by Davis, launched a counterattack, the final assault of the ground campaign."An Argentine attack on the Royal Marines right flank was driven back ... The firing gradually slowed down and the Argentines simply evacuated Sapper Hill, as the Royal Marines very slowly got to their feet." Nick van der Bijl, Victory in the Falklands, Pen & Sword, 2007"Cuando le ordené al guardiamarina Davis: "¡Listo, nos vamos !", él todavía estaba pensando en el contraataque, y salió disparando hacia el frente, o sea al revés ... Es que Davis y sus hombres estaban listos para largar el contraataque. Fue impresionante su actitud ofensiva." Malvinas: 20 años, 20 héroes, p. 328, Fundación Soldados, 2002 Two British Sea Kings parked within range of Koch's Marines were hit by machine-gun fire and rifle grenades from Sergeant Miguel Angel Vaca and Corporal Carlos Jorge Sini,[http://www.irizar.org/malvinas-acciones-11.html Batallón de Infantería de Marina Nº 5 - Héroes de Malvinas] both remained operational.

At the foot of the hill, there was an enormous minefield. Lieutenant Paul Allen and Marine Wayne McGregor of 7 Troop were both wounded activating anti-personnel mines. A group of Sappers from Condor Troop went ahead to clear a path through the mines, with Sergeant Peter Thorpe wounded in the process. Tanks of the Blues & Royals moved forward to provide covering fire if required. During the helicopter evacuations of the wounded, Captain Sam Drennan of No. 656 Squadron would win the Distinguished Flying Cross for rescuing a wounded Gurkha and Guardsman from the middle of a minefield. However, when the Royal Marines and Welsh Guardsmen advanced, they found Sapper Hill abandoned. The delay caused by the mines probably saved many lives."Robacio, who came in for criticism from some British officers ... had total command of N Company and the Army platoons involved, and deserves credit for doing all that was possible to limit British gains ... His positioning of heavy weapons on Sapper Hill before the Argentine surrender provided a defensive barrier that would only have been breached at heavy cost in men and equipment." Nick van der Bijl, Victory in the Falklands, p. 211 The Argentine Marine companies had been deeply entrenched and were well equipped with heavy machine guns. To Guardsman Tracy Evens, the Sapper Hill positions looked impregnable:

We were led to an area that the company would rest at for the night, I still took in the fact that the Argies had prepared Sapper Hill well, they had depth positions that would have made the task of taking it very hard.[https://web.archive.org/web/20091212015946/http://britains-smallwars.com/Falklands/DayofSurrender.html Day of Surrender]

As the Guardsmen secured their positions, the British forces lost a Volvo Bv 202 tracked vehicle to a mine in the Sapper Hill sector.

We ran over a mine. I went up through the roof and the vehicle went up and was turned right round by the explosion, recalled Major Brian Armitage who was shortly evacuated to receive medical treatment.Geoffrey Underwood, Our Falklands War: The Men of The Task Force Tell Their Story, p. 70, Maritime Books, 1983

For the courage displayed in the attack, men from 2 SG were awarded one Distinguished Service Order, two Military Crosses, two Distinguished Conduct Medals (one posthumously[https://scotsguards.org/?soldier=james-boyle-curran-reynolds-dcm Guardsman James Boyle Curran Reynolds DCM - The website of the Scots Guards Regimental Family]) and two Military Medals. Men from 9 Para Squadron, Royal Engineers, were awarded two Military Medals and Captain Sam Drennan, the Army Air Corps Scout pilot who had picked up the injured soldiers under fire and a former Scots Guards NCO, received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Carlos Robacio, BIM5 commander, was awarded the Argentine Nation to the Valour in Combat Medal and the battalion itself was decorated by the Argentine Congress in 2002.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110531175844/http://www.diputados.gov.ar/dependencias/dcomisiones/periodo-120/120-758.pdf Honor al valor en combate y Batallón benemérito]

Due to his actions on both Two Sisters and Tumbledown, Private Oscar Ismael Poltronieri of La Madrid's platoon was awarded the Argentine Nation to the Heroic Valour in Combat Cross, Argentina's highest military decoration. He is the only conscript soldier in his nation's recent history who has received this honour.Middlebrook, Martin (1990). The fight for the "Malvinas": the Argentine forces in the Falklands War. Penguin books, p. 239. {{ISBN|0-14-010767-3}}

After the battle, Pipe Major James Riddell of 2 SG stood near the top of the mountain and played his bagpipes. He played a quick march he had composed "on the back of a fag packet" {{cite book|title=Sea Harrier over the Falklands: a maverick at war|author=Sharkey Ward|publisher=Leo Cooper|year=1992|page=266|isbn=0-85052-305-2}} during the battle, following a long tradition in which Pipe Majors were encouraged "to write tunes to commemorate any actions in which their regiments have been engaged".Piping Times, Volume 55 No.1 (October 2002) includes a photo of P/M Riddell playing his bagpipes on top of Mount Tumbledown. Piping Times, Volume 55 No.2 (November 2002) contains a Riddell's handwritten copy of the music. He named the tune The Crags of Tumbledown Mountain. It was released as a single by the Pipes and Drums of 2SG a year later.The gramophone, Volume 60, Issue 2, page 1089, 1983{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gsr2dnj3po|title=The Crags of Mount Tumbledown (Jimmy Riddell)|last=householddivision1|date=18 June 2014|access-date=28 August 2016|via=YouTube}}

• The film Tumbledown, directed by Richard Eyre, premiered on 30 May 1988. It is based on the experiences of Lieutenant Robert Lawrence, who was severely wounded during the battle. The film won the RTS Television Award 1989 for best male actor for Colin Firth's performance in the lead role
• The film Resurrected was made by Channel 4 based on the story of Philip Williams, accused of cowardice and desertion, with David Thewlis in the lead role
• In 2012, Argentine journalist Nicolás Kasanzew wrote a tango called "Carlos Daniel Vazquez's Thermopylae," which is sung by Carlos Longoni{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kJt_GV4FPc|title=Monte Tumbledown|last=Nicolas Kasanzew|date=12 August 2012|access-date=28 August 2016|via=YouTube}}
• A cross has been erected at the summit of the mountain as a memorial to the soldiers who died in the battle{{cite web|url=https://www.falklandislands.com/things-to-do/mount-tumbledown-memorial-p676601|title=Mount Tumbledown Memorial|access-date=6 October 2020}}
• Two British artists have depicted the battle in painting, Mark Churms{{Cite web |url=http://www.military-art.com/mall/images/800s/dhm0750.jpg |title=Archived copy |access-date=13 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303234338/http://www.military-art.com/mall/images/800s/dhm0750.jpg |archive-date=3 March 2016 |url-status=dead}} and Terence Cuneo, the latter commissioned by the Scots Guards{{Cite web |url=http://www.military-art.com/mall/images/800s/dhm0892.jpg |title=Archived copy |access-date=13 September 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031235/http://www.military-art.com/mall/images/800s/dhm0892.jpg |archive-date=4 March 2016 |url-status=dead}}{{cite book | last = Naylor| first = Murray | title = Among friends: The Scots Guards 1956–1993 | publisher = Pen & Sword | location = London | year = 1995 | isbn = 978-0-85052-455-0 }}
• In the UK a Tumbledown Veterans and Families Association was created{{cite web |url=http://www.tva82.org.uk/ |title=Tumbledown Veterans And Families Association > Home |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826160946/http://www.tva82.org.uk/ |archive-date=2014-08-26}}
• There is a pipe march written by James Riddell of the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards {{Cite web|url=https://www.householddivision.org.uk/sgbmusic-notes|title=Notes - Band of the Scots Guards - the Household Division - Official site}} "The Crags Of Tumbledown Mountain"{{Cite web|url=https://pipetunes.ca/tunes/crags-of-tumbledown-mountain-the/|title=Crags of Tumbledown Mountain, the | Pipetunes}}
• An ode was written in honour of the fallen{{cite book | last = Fursdon | first = Edward | title = The Falklands aftermath: picking up the pieces | publisher = Cooper | location = London | year = 1988 | isbn = 978-0-85052-205-1 }} [https://books.google.com/books?id=cASSAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA15 pp. 23-24]

{{poemquote

|source=Lieutenant Mark Mathewson

|title="Ode to Tumbledown"

|text=It was the Guardsmen of the Crown

Who scaled the Heights of Tumbledown

And fought that night a bloody fight

To see victory by dawn's first light.

From crag to crag amongst the rock,

They skirmished on, numbed by shock.

Through shell and mortar fire they moved,

Till at last the ground they'd proved

Port Stanley lay there... just ahead,

As they began to count their dead.

But where the glory, where the pride,

Of those eight brave men who died?

They who made that lonely sacrifice

And through each death paid the total price

In their final and heroic act,

Did surely speed the warring parties pact.

Each one who there his life laid down,

Saved countless others from their own unknown.

So those of you who live to talk,

Let your pride hover as does the hawk.

And never let men these acts forget,

Nor the memory of our dead neglect,

But once returned across this vast sea,

Remember then just what it was to be...

A Scots Guardsman.}}

• In April 2019, a memorial was unveiled in front of Tumbledown Mountain and Mount William in memory of Lance-Corporal Budhaparsad Limbu and Corporal Krishnakumar Rai from the Gurkhas killed while clearing enemy booby traps shortly after the Argentine surrender[https://thegurkhamuseum.co.uk/legacy/ The Gurkha Museum]

{{reflist|30em}}

;General

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070428110401/http://observer.guardian.co.uk/focus/story/0%2C%2C1989980%2C00.html In his first interview in 20 years, Robert Lawrence tells Mark Townsend how the trauma of battle reshaped his life]
• [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6515129.stm] As part of his journey of reconciliation Mike Seers travels to Argentina to interview Marine artillery fire controllers and gunners whom he fought against
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20090318163930/http://www.cema.edu.ar/publicaciones/download/documentos/271.pdf Reassessing the Fighting Performance of the Argentine 5th Marines]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070205181443/http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Falklands/DayofSurrender.html Taken from the diary of Guardsman Tracy Evens]

{{Falklands War|style=wide}}

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Mount Tumbledown

Category:Household Cavalry

Category:Scots Guards

Category:British Army in the Falklands War

Tumbledown

Category:June 1982 in South America