Battle of Mount Longdon

The Battle of Mount Longdon was fought between the British Army’s 3rd Battalion of Parachute Regiment, led by Lt Col Hew Pike, and the 7th Infantry Regiment of the Argentinian Army, commanded by Carlos Carrizo Salvadores, from June 11 to June 12, 1982, on East Falkland, about 4 miles west of Port Stanley, during the Falklands War.

Having landed at Port San Carlos, on the western coast of East Falkland, on May 21, the 3 PARA troops marched on foot for more than 70 km eastward, across the island towards Port Stanley, carrying their military equipment and weapons. On June 10, they were within sight of Mount Longdon, which was defended by an Argentinian force composed of 500 men from the 7th Infantry Regiment, under Carlos Carrizo Salvadores. These men had dug in behind rocks and boulders on top of Mount Longdon and set up 81mm mortars and FN MAG machine gun nests.

On the evening of June 11, Lt Col Pike decided to engage the enemy. They advanced up hill over rugged terrain. It was winter in the southern hemisphere and the wind was knife-sharp and the ground was icy. Having walked across a mine field and suffered two casualties, they launched a resolute assault on the enemy positions. However, the Argentinians opened fire, using four machine guns that raked down the hill side. The British were pinned down on the frozen ground behind rocks. Adamant and determined to capture the hill, the British began switching positions as they ran up in zigzag in the dark. Corporal Stewart Maclaughlin and two men managed to take out the first machine gun nest. But the battle raged on through the night as the 3 PARAs cleared out one by one the Argentinian positions.

After more than twelve hours of fierce fighting, the British PARAs were able to capture Mount Longdon. The Argentinian forces suffered 152 casualties, from whom 31 were killed and 121 wounded. That night 23 British troops had been killed in action, and 46 were wounded. Now, the 3 Battalion of Parachute Regiment prepared for their next objective; Port Stanley.

Weapons employed

Artillery: 105 mm L118 Light Gun; 4.5 in naval guns on HMS Avenger frigate as fire support; 80 and 120 mm mortars

Machine guns: 7.62 mm MAG

Rifles: FN FAL; LAR

Maps of Opposing forces positions before the battle