The Combat of the Camber Peninsula with
the SAS and SBS elite fighting forces.
Eduardo
C. Gerding
Geography
Camber peninsula is
located in the center-east of Soledad island (East Falkland), south of Hearnden
Water and north of the Puerto Argentino harbor. Its eastern end is called
Punta Armada (Navy Point). 10,11
This peninsula has a 130 meters by 70 meters dock. There is a small 60 m long concrete fuel dock and two fuel tanks of 2,150,000 liters each, a main house, a shed, a barn and other premises. 15
The Beagle and Bajo mountains, 7 km away (270 m high) allow a full visión of the peninsula crest.
This peninsula has a 130 meters by 70 meters dock. There is a small 60 m long concrete fuel dock and two fuel tanks of 2,150,000 liters each, a main house, a shed, a barn and other premises. 15
The Beagle and Bajo mountains, 7 km away (270 m high) allow a full visión of the peninsula crest.
The important sector
This sector totals
about 3,200 meters in front, extending from Punta Armada (Navy Point) to the western part of Cortley Hill (48 meters high)
and dominates the Camber positions.
Note:
The narrow-gauge Camber Railway, whose construction began
in 1915, used two Wren locomotives class 0-4-0 from Kerr, Stuart and Company. It was built to help build a radio
station for the Royal Navy, supplying coal to generators and other materials to
the area. It ran along the Camber Peninsula for approximately 5.6 km linking
the Camber naval store in Navy Point with the transmiters in Moody Brook. It
was used until the end of 1940.25
Organization of the Argentine defense 14
The description of the events is based on the Active Sub-Lieutenant Marine Corp Héctor Edgardo Gazzolo’s logbook who was incharge of 2nd Section D Company of the Marine Corps 2nd Battalion (BIM 2)
. The reader will find a detailed description in offprint
Nº 10 of the Argentine Marine Corps
magazine Desembarco. I have included
as well some eyewitnesses’ description.
BIM 2
BIM 3
April , 1982: The defense is organized 14,15
OOn April 18 Active Sub-Lieutenant Marine Corp Héctor Gazzolo was received by the Chief of Staff Commander Marine Corp Marcelo Craveri, at the Command of the Malvinas Marine Infantry Group, who ordered him to leave his surveillance and security mission in the naval station (Apostadero Naval Malvinas) and move to Camber with his Shooting Section to "organize a defensive position in order to protect the naval facilities and secure the northern flank of the town¨.
Then, by order Lieutenant Commander Dante Juan Ramón Camiletti (N-3 AGRUIMVINAS), a group of Amphibious Commands was assigned temporarily to the orders of Petty Officer Miguel Angel Basualdo. In Camber they sheltered in the warehouse closest to the fuel tanks and during three days installed explosive traps with grenades. Thus they only covered two hills (Loma 1 and Loma 2) in the north without the ability to control the rest of the 3200 m.
Amphibious
Commands
(Taken
from offprint no 10-Argentine Marine Corps magazine Desembarco)
OOn April 19th, deployment of the 3rd Section Company D (Marine Corps 2nd Battalion)
in Hills 1 and 2 was completed.
On April 20th, at 4:00 PM Active Sub-Lieutenant Marine Corp Héctor Edgardo Gazzolo made contact with the Chief of
the Infantry Regiment 7. A fraction of the Army with a 105 mm recoiless cannon was placed 1500 m left of Cortley Hill.
On April 21st a squad
of Combat Engineers was introduced to reinforce the
defence device at Camber and Cortley Hill (Infantry Regiment 7)), which
was defended by a fraction of BIM 2. Anti personnel
mines were installed.
On April 30th a powerful reflector was obtained.
On April 26th, AGRUIMVINAS sent Chief of Staff Sub-Lieutenant
Marine Corp Julio Gustavo Bardi to coordinate the defense of Camber and reinforce the device with the 3rd Section of Chapter “H” of
BIM 3 (34 men ) Henceforth,
a front of 1300 m was covered.
On April 30th a powerful reflector was obtained.
Note:
Positions called Loma(Hill) 1 to Loma(Hill) 6 each were organized with a machine gun each and advanced observers called Ojos (Eyes) 1,2 and 3.
May,
1982: Conformation of the Joint Combat Team Bouchard 14
On May 5, Battery "B" of GADA 101, whose chief was First Lieutenant Infantino, was incorporated. The Chief of Operations of GADA 101, Major Jorge Alberto Monge, crosses with said battery and takes charge of all the personnel, becoming, by superior order, the Chief of Sub-Sector Silver 3. Immediately begins the transfer of the 8 Hispano-Suiza 30mm anti-aircraft guns. The 2nd Platoon occupies an extended frontage between Wireless Ridge and Cortley Hill and the 1st from that hill to Navy Point. In this way, and fulfilling the requirements of the Chief of Mechanized RI 7, the front to defend was extended another 1,000 m to the west until it exceeded the height of Cortley Hill.
On May 30, a section of seamen belonging to the Malvinas Naval Station was incorporated, under the orders of Technical Frigate Lieutenant Hugo Peratta. Its troops, after a few days of instruction, are distributed in the different defensive positions.
Note:
Gabriel Luis Asenjo (aka El Pajaro, The Bird) is currently currently 60 years old (class 1962) . He works with industrial tools and restores steam locomotives. On September 21st, 2015 he joined Rugby Without Borders along with 2 other former conscripts. The personnel that was assigned in 1982 to the Naval Station (ADMV) meet every June 20th, preceded by Captain Adolfo Aurelio Gaffoglio.1
In 1982 Commander (Ret) Adolfo Aurelio
Gaffoglio with 226 men was in charge of the Malvinas Naval Station.
www.clarin.com/sociedad/malvinas-vivieron-guerra-juntos-reunen-anos-pizzeria_0_ByNL3hgvW.html
On May 31, Marine Corp Frigate
Lieutenant Alfredo José Imboden, who arrived in the Islands on April 27 to
serve as Second Chief of Company "H" of BIM 3, took charge of the
sections of the Navy in Camber, but when he dismembered this, became part of
the Combat Support Services group (SPAC) where it carried out resupply
activities throughout the month of May, both by unloading the planes that
arrived at night with supplies and by supplying them to the the Units of the
I.M. He takes with him the rest of company "H" (Platoon of Ca. and
2nd Group of shooters of the 2nd Section of Ca. "H") that was still
in Puerto Argentino covering guard services.
In this way, more than half
of the H BIM3 is gathered on the Camber peninsula.
These fractions from different origins of the Navy plus B Battery of the Antiaircraft Defense Artillery Group 101 (GADA 101) formed the Joint Combat Team Bouchard name proposed by Major Jorge Alberto Monge.14
Major Jorge Alberto Monge-Chief of Antiaircraft
Defense Artillery Group 101 (GADA 101)
https://santostefanocarlosalberto.blogspot.com.ar/2017/04/artilleria-antiaerea-argentina-en-la.html.
(Escudo gentileza de Lic. Verónica Flamenco-Biblioteca de Ejército Dr. General
Benjamin Victorica.)
Activity the days before June 13rd 15
IIn the last
days before the night of June 13, troops and helicopter movements were observed
in the heights immediately north of Camber. Between the night of 11st and the
morning of June 12th, the Battle of Mount
Longdon took place between the Mechanized Infantry Regiment 7 ¨Coronel Conde¨, the 1st section of the
Mechanized Engineering Company 10, two groups of
heavy machine guns Browning M2 12 ,7 mm of the BICO´s 2nd Section (attached to RI 7) and the 3rd British
Parachute Regiment Battalion.
The only contact
was with the 2nd Section of the B Battery of the
Antiaircraft Defense Artillery Group 101 (GADA 101).
The British boats’ arrival
According
to Captain Chris Baxter Royal Marine (Raiding Squadron), on the night of June
13rd, the last night of the war, a combined force of the D Squadron of the
Special Air Service (SAS) 28, the
Special Boat Service (SBS), 29 and the Raiding Squadron led by
Major Cedric Delves engaged in combat. 7.12
The SBS participated in Malvinas with three sections 2,3 and 6. 8
The SBS participated in Malvinas with three sections 2,3 and 6. 8
General Sir Hugh
Michael Rose, KCB, CBE, DSO, QGM commanded SAS operations during the Malvinas
Conflict
Major Cedric Norman
George Delves commanded SAS Squadron D. An officer who, although promoted, received
strong criticism from the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines for underestimating
and ignoring advice on the terrain and weather conditions in the capture of
Grytviken in South Georgia.6
According to John Parker,
in his book The Inside Story of the Special
Boat Service, the men from SAS Squadron D traveled the Murrell River with 4
RRCs (Rigid Raider Crafts) that had
been carried by the Cordella fishing
tug (1238 ton) and driven by Royal Marines of the 1st Raiding Squadron. They
hid in Kidney Island waiting for the attack. 18
According to the British, their mission was to distract Argentine attention, allowing the 2 PARA in charge of Lt. Col. David Chaundler to attack Wireless Ridge. 3,5
According to the British, their mission was to distract Argentine attention, allowing the 2 PARA in charge of Lt. Col. David Chaundler to attack Wireless Ridge. 3,5
Note
The Murrell River has a long estuary that connects Hearnden Water with Port Williams and has a length of 10.68 km.
The Rigid Raider Crafts (RRC) or Rigid Craft Raids are designed to carry 8 Royal Marines and are constructed of a reinforced plastic that makes them light and virtually unsinkable. The new MK3 models have a 240 horsepower diesel engine. 26
Royal Marines aboard a Rigid Raider-(Photography by Finlay McWalter)
Eyes 1 and 2, forward
positions of the fortified points in Hill 1 and 2 respectively, saw three boats
approaching from which a man per boat landed remaining crouched. This news was
reported to the Command Post in Hill 1 where Major Jorge Alberto Monge and Active
Sub-Lieutenant Marine Corp Hector Edgardo Gazzolo, ordered not to open fire
waiting to clarify the situation, not to give away the position and coordinate
the fires of the hills and the Hispano-Suiza guns of the of the 1st Section of
B Battery. 14
Note:
Battery B of the Antiaircraft Artillery Group
101 (GADA 101) had 8 monotube guns of 30 mm Hispano Suiza HS-831 (with 16,000
projectiles) and 10 Browning machine guns of 12.70 mm. This unit suffered 3 KIA
and 9 injured. It was settled in the Camber Peninsula, covering the rear of the
Infantry Regiment 7. (David Diaz-Artillería antiaérea y de
campaña en la Guerra de Las Malvinas)- giannig69.wordpress.com/2015/02/19/la-artilleria-en-la-guerra-de-las-malvinas.
Former Conscript Class 62 Cirilo Luis Heredia
Marine Infantry Command Battalion. Head of Browning MAG 12,7mm machine gun on Hill 1 in the Camber Peninsula. (Personal communication)
Marine Infantry Command Battalion. Head of Browning MAG 12,7mm machine gun on Hill 1 in the Camber Peninsula. (Personal communication)
Cirilo Luis Heredia is a native of Río
Cuarto (Córdoba). He works at the Veterans of War Area of the XVIII delegation of PAMI in Posadas (Misiones). The
good thing he remembers is that he learned discipline, respect, courage, and
camaraderie.
The FN MAG is a 7.62
mm Belgian general-purpose machine gun. The name of the weapon is the
abbreviation of Mitrailleuse d'Appui
General (General Purpose Machine Gun). Dispatches 7.62 x 51 NATO cartridges.
The official denomination of the British Army for the current version of MAG is L7A2 GPMG
The official denomination of the British Army for the current version of MAG is L7A2 GPMG
http://fdra.blogspot.com.ar/2013/11/ametralladora-fn-mag-belgica.html
Once the Ground Command
in Puerto Argentino was informed they decided to beat the area with 120 mm
mortars of Infantry Regiments 6 and 3.
The fire was guided by the machine gun 12.7 mm tracing ammunition from Hill 3. The concentrated fire came from the MAG machine guns of Hills 1 and 2, the riflemen from Hill 3 (30 shooters approximately) and the antiaircraft guns .
The fire was guided by the machine gun 12.7 mm tracing ammunition from Hill 3. The concentrated fire came from the MAG machine guns of Hills 1 and 2, the riflemen from Hill 3 (30 shooters approximately) and the antiaircraft guns .
Note:
The Special Air
Service (Special Air Service), better known by its acronym SAS, is a special forces body of the British Army (UKSF). The 22nd
SAS is based in Credenhil, Hereford. 2
The Special Boat Service, better known by its acronym SBS, is a special forces unit of the Royal Navy based in Poole, Dorset. The unit consists of about 200 commands recruited mainly from the Royal Marines. It constitutes 41 percent of the special forces. 9
The Special Boat Service, better known by its acronym SBS, is a special forces unit of the Royal Navy based in Poole, Dorset. The unit consists of about 200 commands recruited mainly from the Royal Marines. It constitutes 41 percent of the special forces. 9
The lighting of the icebreaker ARA Almirante Irizar
The British commandos
approached the RRC meters from the icebreaker’s starboard side , staying within
the luminosity that emanated from the superstructure of the ship . This last
had the obligation as a hospital ship, to remain lit up, especially the red
crosses of its hull .
Being illuminated, they were spotted from the Camber Peninsula by the troops stationed there.
The relative position of the ARA Almirante Irizar, practically in the line of fire, allowed a large number of projectiles to slash in the vicinity and in front of her bow. 20
https://surenio.com.ar/2018/04/el-rompehielos-almirante-irizar-volvio-a-buenos-aires
British commandos under fire
John Parker reports that when being illuminated by the hospital ship the commandos became easy targets. The Argentines clearly saw a full assault from the sea and pulled everything they had against the SBS / SAS commands. They fired with mortars, artillery, anti-aircraft guns and even small arms. The heavens were filled with hot, sparkling metal. The commandos had no choice but to withdraw.23
The British sequel
One of the RRCs was seriously damaged and practically left without a motor. The helmsman directed the RRC to the side of the icebreaker to take shelter but the boat became extinct when it reached the edge of the water. Another RRC sank near the coast but allowed some commandos to swim. One Corporal SBS and two SAS were injured. The RRCs were perforated by projectiles and had to be destroyed. The SBS and SAS had to admit that they had broken the first rule of the raids: not doing kamikaze operations. 2, 3
According to Captain Chris Baxter Royal Marine, the two commandos received wounds, one in the elbow and the other in the lower region. 12,27
This fire thwarted the landing of a second wave of 5 boats.
Hill 3-June 13rd: Description of the
conscript Víctor Villagra
The CC63 Víctor Villagra went to the Malvinas Islands with
only 2 months of military service and provided services
in BICO with 2 heavy 12.7 mm machine guns
. Says Villagra: On the night of
June 13(11:30 PM), I was on duty at Eye 3 with soldier Rodríguez (from BIM 2),
who was about to finish his watch.
Former conscript
Victor Villagra during a lecture in May, 2016. 12.7 mm machine guns
I had night goggles
and looked toward the airport while Rodriguez was looking towards Mount
Longdon. Rodriguez said: Villagra , I see
a spot in the water. Notice what that is. With the night viewer I saw a
spot on the water, a shadow of a cloud. It was a moonlit night. It´s nothing I said. Rodriguez insisted:
Watch again.
Then Villagra saw
three landing boats between Eyes 1 and 2, which were the other guard points on
the coast.
Villagra says: ¨ Immediately I gave notice to Eyes 1 and 2
but they didn’t answer me. There were
two soldiers in each position: Eye 1 , Eye 1 here Eye 3 over .Nothing. Eye 2 Eye 2 here Eye 3 over: Neither. I
thought: those 4 soldiers must have already been slaughtered and we´ll be the next ones. With the night goggles we began to look everywhere. These gringos
had already landed and had slaughtered 4 and the other two will be us. I gave
notice to the posts but nobody answered me. I think the phone must have been
out of order. Suddenly Hill 2 answered from the middle of the mountain. We were
3 .
They asked : What do you see Eye 3? I answered: three boats but I had no answer from Eyes 1
and 2. They responded : Stay calm they have already withdraw. That is, they
climbed to the top positions and the 3 boats were already seen.
Villagra said: We were left alone.. The boats were 300 m,
400 m, of Hill 1 and 100,200 m of Hill 2
and 500m ,600m of Hill 3 where Midshipman Marine Corp Barrios had a 12.7 machine gun with night
vision with which he clearly observed the three boats. Hill 2 asked if they
had trace ammunition. They answered yes. Well
then , you fire and where you do it we´ll follow you. Trace ammunition
guides the fire but marks the position
as well. The order was free fire. Hill 2 said: Fire
whenever you dispose. Villagra said
to Rodriguez: Order of free fire. We fire
and we´ll be followed from the above positions.
Rodriguez said: I didn´t t bring my belt (where each
side carries 6 loaders ). He had a magazine with 20 shots and one turned up with
his FAL. Villagra had 80 shots in his belt and 21 shots with his FAL PARA. Rodríguez, we open fire. At the same
time, fire was concentrated from Hills 1 and 2 machine guns , the riflemen of
the three hills (about 30 shooters )and Argentine Army’s cannons. The enemy
retreated when facing such volume of fire.
Vilagra says: When we opened fire, the British set their
engines and spread like a fan: one on the right, one on the left and the other
on the middle-They retreated but pulling. One of them came to our side. We had
it a few meters away. Poor things, they were sitting ducks.
The British received
fire from us and from above. I felt a bullet near my ear coming from our own
troop as we were in line of fire. The icebreaker Irizar illuminated with
reflectors adding to the illuminating projectiles from the of the mortars of
the Hills.
This allowed us to see the water mirror clearly. The first shafts of the 120 mm mortars fell short but when the aim was corrected fell on the opposite coast from where the attack was launched. This fire frittered the landing of a second wave of 5 boats that quickly returned to shore.
This allowed us to see the water mirror clearly. The first shafts of the 120 mm mortars fell short but when the aim was corrected fell on the opposite coast from where the attack was launched. This fire frittered the landing of a second wave of 5 boats that quickly returned to shore.
Villagra says: We had to stay 2 hours in our position with little ammunition. A Marine
Corps patrol came out to rake because we did not know if they had left commands
.. At dawn it was possible to observe two abandoned boats on the opposite coast
and one adrift. Villagra says: The next
day we saw pieces of rubber floating. 25 years later I was able to find out
what happened. Admiral Marín, who was the head of the Exploration Company,
told him that he had access to British information. The next day he went to see the Admiral who told him that the
British suffered 8 casualties. It does not mean 8 deaths but 8 out of combat.
There were between 10 and 12 commands per boat. 36 men who wanted to disembark
in Camber. Villagra says: "Bullets rained
from all sides. We had to throw the British away. Finally they left. The next
day came the order to retreat. 13 https://www.clipzui.com/video/83s456z3s4v4j3d4y5l453.html
Hill 6: Description of Miguel Guerrero, Administrative Secretary-
Ombudsman's Office 4
Miguel Guerrero (Micky), a native of Tucumán, is the
administrative secretary of the Ombudsman's Office. Guerrero did military
service in the Marine Corps and was taken to the islands on April 10th: the
date of his birthday.
Company-Marine Corps 2nd
Battalion.
http://www.madariaga.gob.ar/noticias/5907/el-relato-de-los-ex-combatientes-y-un-mensaje-que-hizo-emocionar-a-todos-los-presentes
Miguel (Micky) Guerrero Administrative Secretary of the
Ombudsman's Office in the Province of Tucumán.He was stationed in Hill 6.
https://www.lagaceta.com.ar/nota/495211/politica/guerrero-malvinas.html
I had to fight in Puerto Argentino, in what we called Hill 6, and the
kelpers call Cortley Hill, but we were not on the side facing Puerto Argentino,
but on the opposite side, where we thought the British would come from" ,
While we were in Camber, in a
stone house next to tanks filled with fuel, isolated , with combats sensing that the outcome was close, we were introduced
to a male nurse corporal who instructed us on combat.
They were taken to Hill 6 and finally, they had an officer leading them: "It was Sub-Lieutenant Marine Corp (Alfredo) Imboden, father of Facundo Imboden, (a soccer player in Boca). He was a phenomenal
guy: he situated himself in the front
line. We received food after several days and we all ate except Imboden. In
those days the company had a high morale. At night, from Hill 6, we could see flares from the
British ships and tracing ammo. From a distance they looked like fireworks. There
were dead bodies behind each light. Not even the worst movie could resemble war
sights. Movies are spectacles, while war
is death. "
Micky volunteered to reinforce the position of an
antiaircraft battery, acting as a night time pointer with night goggles that
amplified light. He learned that when you zigzag to change position, you do not
hear the bullets they fire at you, only the noise of the ones which hit the
stones under the feet.
When dawn broke, Imboden sent them to change positions. Puerto
Argentino was at their back. "When
the bombs fell 50 meters away we rested
and when they fell 20 meters away, we moved a little .We were so tired that the
idea of a bomb falling on us cared very little
to us".
Description of Sub-Lieutenant Marine Corp Alfredo
José Imboden: 14
"."On June 11, I decided to go to
Cortley Hill to personally lead the BIM 3 troops who occupied that defensive
position (three groups of shooters, a MAG group and an Amet 12.7. On the night
of June 13 we received our baptism of fire Around midnight we began to receive
machine gun fire from the North, on the other side of the bay. The staff, after
waiting so long, unleashed an impressive volley of rifle fire that had little
to do with "fire discipline". through the Corporals to cease the
rifle fire, since they did not have an effective range on the other shore and
immediately, I ordered the machine gunners to take their time to locate the
enemy weapons and beat them as accurately as possible. Shortly after the attack
began, Lieutenant Gazzolo reported that in his sector they were trying to repel
an English landing that had been carried out with rubber boats.
The
four MAGs and the 12.7mm pointed towards the enemy. The MAG would follow the 12.7
mm traces as the former lack tracer ammo. The British machine guns operated
uncoordinated, their bursts were short but continuous. It was decided that the
12.7 and 2 MAG would open fire on the machine gun that was more effective and
the two remaining MAG would fire the weapon that beat west.
Sub-Lieutenant Marine Corp Alfredo José Imboden
(Kindly submitted
by Argentine Navy Historical Archive)
Description of Active Sub-Lieutenant
Marine Corp Héctor Edgardo Gazzolo 14
"At 01:30 Hill 6 I was reported
that the positions were receiving fire from the north . They fired back. I
ordered the rest then to don´t open fire in order to not give up their
positions.
Later Eyes 1 and 2 reported seeing
three rubber boats on shore. I asked Hill 3 (Midshipman Marine Corp Antonio
Barrios) if he could see them.The answer was affirmative. I order Hills 1, 2
and 3 to prepare to open fire when Hill 3 marks the target with their 12.7 mm.
The boats were 100-200 m from Hill 2, 300/400 m from Hill 1 and 500/600 m from
Hill 3. I ordered to mark the target with the 12.7 mm and beat it with two MAG using 20/30 soldiers
The boats began the retreat covering
themselves with fire. I threw an illuminant which surprised them in the middle
of the water. I informed the Marine Corps command of the attack . I was then
informed that a second wave of 5 boats was spotted by radar and that it was
heading towards us. This never came, as we chased them along the enemy coast
with our 30 mm guns and six 120 mm mortars
The withdrawal 14
Active Sub-Lieutenant Marine Corp Héctor
Edgardo Gazzolo said:
"We were ordered to retreat with
only our rifle and helmet . Once we embarked on the Forrest we saw the pier
gradually fading. We talked about our pain with Midshipman Marine Corp Barrios
and Leading Rate Marine Corp Eduardo
Quiñelax.
As we navigated the smoke from the
command post fade away until we arrived to the former naval station dock.
I think it was the worst moment of my
life, the impotence and the pain were such that I think I will never resign myself
to it. While we disembarked and gathered
the section I spoke to my men to raise their morale. I observed how the
kelpers with ear-to-ear smiles had fun on us pointing the messy picture of our troops along the
street which goes to the Naval Station and the costal road "
Active Sub-Lieutenant
Marine Corp Héctor Edgardo Gazzolo
(Kindly submitted by SIAE Hugo Muñoz-Argentine
Naval Reserve Department-Archives Division)
Comments
When the HMS Sheffield was sunk (May 4, 1982) the
British mobilized the SAS in order to destroy the Dassault Breguet Super
Etendard warplanes and killing the pilots. The code of the operation was Plum Duff (plum pudding).
This was the aborted Operation Mikado (in Japanese means the
door) to Almirante Hermes Quijada Air
Base in Rio Grande (Tierra del Fuego). The Argentine radars detected the British
Sea King ZA 290 helicopter that transported them 20 km from the target. 42 SAS
participated in the attack on Pebble Island. (Borbon) 19
On May 19th the SAS
suffered the most casualties suffered by a regiment in a single day since World
War II. 19 Twenty of them died when,
their Sea King helicopter sank as a result of its engine sucking an albatross.
One of the survivors Mick Williams suffered PTSD. 22
There has been always
an antagonism between the SAS and the SBS personnel probably as a result of a
tight defense budget and a state of permanent competition to participate. 30
Former SAS Ken
Conners in his book Ghost Force
described the SBS as an unprofessional unit. In turn, two books by former SBS: First into Action by Duncan Falconer and
Black Water by Don Camsel described
the SAS as arrogant commands that ruined various operations in Northern
Ireland.
The SBS received 24
awards and recommendations for its performance in Afghanistan and 16 for Iraq.
However, in 2004, the SBS underwent a restructuring after the severe criticism
received for its actions in Iraq where a highly experienced SAS Sergeant
refused to participate with the SBS for their unprofessional performance. 16,24
That same year, the
Army Brigadier in charge of the Special Forces ordered the SAS and SBS to end their
differences once and for all.24
Regarding the Combat
of the Camber Peninsula, Hastings and Jenkins authors of The Battle for the Falklands summarized the British action by
saying : It was a spectacular operation,
which many officers thought was more typical of piracy than of military arts,
and it was close to be a disaster. But it is very possible that it contributed
to the conviction of the Argentines that they were being attacked on three
fronts. "15,17
Decorations ¨ Operations in Combat¨
- Delta Company Marine
Corps 2nd Battalion Commander Pedro
Edgardo Giachino.
-H Company Marine
Corps 3rd Battalion Admiral Eleazar
Videla.
Acknowledgments
Claudia
N-Bonsi-Bibliotecaria Nacional-Biblioteca Capitán
de Fragata Héctor R. Ratto.-Centro Naval.
Rosa
Castillo-Cartas y Publicaciones-Servicio
de Hidrografía Naval.
Licenciada
Verónica Flamenco- Biblioteca
Central del Ejército "Grl Dr.
Benjamín Victorica"
CNIM(RE) VGM Alfredo José
Imboden
Mary
Lujan-Área Jurídica-Piso 1-Of 135-Edificio
Libertad.
María
del Carmen Moro-Ex Jefa de Cartas y Publicaciones del Servicio de Hidrografía Naval.
Suggested reading (Spanish):
El accionar conjunto del Equipo de Combate Hipólito Bouchard-Península de CAMBER-(Historias pequeñas de pequeñas fracciones)-Transitando hacia los 40 años de Malvinas-Geopolítica y Estrategia por el CNIM VGM Alfredo Imboden y Coronel VGM Jorge Monge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGGooxXP8D8
Bibliography
1-Apostadero Naval
Malvinas: Vivieron la guerra juntos y se reúnen todos los años en una pizzería-Clarin-7 de agosto 2017.
www.clarin.com/sociedad/malvinas-vivieron-guerra-juntos-reunen-anos-pizzeria_0_ByNL3hgvW.html
2-Asher, Michael-The
Regiment-The real story of the SAS-
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Regiment-Real-Story-SAS/dp/0141026529
3-Atamazoglou, Stavros-The SAS and SBS in the Falklands War: Operation
Corporate (Part 4)-Military History-
https://sofrep.com/57879/sas-sbs-falklands-war-operation-corporate-part-4/
4-Aurane, Alvaro José-El Guerrero de
Malvinas
5-Brigadier David R. Chaundler OBE. Buckingham
Covers.
6-Briley,
Harold-Falkland SAS officer promoted to top Army post-MercoPress-
http://en.mercopress.com/2000/12/21/falklands-sas-officer-promoted-to-top-army-post
7-British ground
forces in the Falklands war-
8- British ground forces in the Falklands war-Fire and Fury
http://www.fireandfury.com/orbats/falklands_great_britain.pdf
9-Brown, Jonathan-Special Boat Service: A force never far from the front line of controversy.-The Independent-10 Mar 2012.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/special-boat-service-a-force-never-far-from-the-front-line-of-controversy-7547451.html
10-Carta H-453" del Servicio de Hidrografía Naval, donde se muestra Puerto Argentino y
sus alrededores (esc. 1:30.000 - 75 cm x 52 cm)
11-Carta
H-411, Isla Soledad (esc. 1:200.000 - 76 cm x 110 cm)» (Mapa con toponimia en castellano). Depositado
por la Argentina en la Organización de las Naciones
Unidas (Buenos
Aires: Servicio
de Hidrografía Naval). 1969, reimpresión julio de 1990.
12-Chris Baxter-Letter-
13-Combate de la Península de Cambers
14-Desembarco. Separata Nº10-Actuación
de la Sección Tiradores 3/D) BIM 2(Ec), 2-3/H/BIM 3 y Seccion Marineria en
Puerto Argentino-Camber –Gesta Malvinas 82-Cuerpo
de Infanteria de Marina Argentina.
15-Gionco, Daniel G-La sección
marinería en Camber-
16-Harding, Thomas- Shake-up in Special Boat Service over claims it 'panicked and fled' in Iraq-The Telegraph-26 Jul 2004.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1467865/Shake-up-in-Special-Boat-Service-over-claims-it-panicked-and-fled-in-Iraq.html
17-Hastings, Max y Jenkins, Simon-La
batalla por las Malvinas-(Edit. Emecé-Buenos Aires 1984- ISBN 950-04-0346-3)
18-Hoole, Rob-The Forgotten few of the
Falklands-
19-Jackson, Peter-Falklands war: SAS role in
the conflict-BBC News.4 May 2012.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-17203398
20-Los buques hospitales durante el conflicto
del Atlántico Sur-Malvinas 1982.
21-Los cañones de Malvinas-La Nacion-9
de mayo 1999.
https://www.lanacion.com.ar/209945-los-canones-de-malvinas
22-Nicol, Mark-For the first time in 25 years a fomer SAS man tells of the Falklands tragedy that killed 20 –Mail Online-9 Feb 2016
23-Parker,
John-The inside story of the Special Boat Service
24-Rayment,
Sean-End your rift ,SAS and SBS are told-The Telegraph-01 Aug 2004.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1468360/End-your-rift-SAS-and-SBS-are-told.html
25-Railways of the far south-The Falklands Islands Express-
26- Rigid Raider CRAFT (RRC)
http://www.eliteukforces.info/uksf-gear/rigid-raider/
27-SAS in the Malvinas war
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvNX_5_raY4
28-Special Air Service
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Air_Service
29-Special Boat
Service-
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Boat_Service
http://www.eliteukforces.info/special-boat-service/
30-The SAS vs the
SBS-Elite UK Forces-
