Raid on Pebble Island
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| Falklands War |
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| Pebble Island – Goose Green – Top Malo House – Mount Harriet – Two Sisters – Mount Longdon – Wireless Ridge – Mount Tumbledown |
The Raid on Pebble Island took place on 14-15 May 1982 during the Falklands War. Pebble Island is an island with within the Falkland Islands.
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[edit] Background
Immediately after the Argentines had seized the Falkland Islands they created an airstrip on Pebble Island on which were based FMA IA 58 Pucará light attack aircraft that could have posed a threat to British ground forces once they had landed on East Falkland.[citation needed] Embarked Special Air Service assets were tasked with eliminating the threat, with naval support from the carrier HMS Hermes the Type 22 frigate HMS Broadsword as Hermes defensive escort and the County class destroyer HMS Glamorgan to provide naval gunfire support with its Mark 6 4.5 inch gun. The Naval Gunfire Support Forward Observer (NGSFO) who was responsible for co-ordinating the naval gunfire support was Captain Chris Brown RA of 148 Battery 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery.
[edit] Initial intentions
Initial intentions were for a Squadron strength air insertion from Hermes using personnel from D Squadron, 22 Regiment. The raiding party would destroy the deployed aircraft, radar site, ground crew and the force protection garrison before helicopter exfiltration to return to the deck before daybreak.[citation needed]
[edit] Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance for the raid was conducted by personnel from the Boat Troop of D Squadron, conducting an infiltration by Klepper canoe. The patrol found that strong headwinds would increase the time taken to fly in from Hermes launch point, delaying time on target an reducing the available offensive window to 30 minutes, rather than the planned 90. In light of this information the planning emphasised the importance of destroying the aircraft as a priority, with support personnel as a secondary priority.[citation needed]
[edit] The Raid
During the night of the 14 May two Westland Sea King HC.Mk.4 helicopters of 846 Naval Air Squadron, part of the Commando Helicopter Force, departed with 45 members of D Squadron on board. The delivery point was some 6km (3.7 miles) from the airstrip on Pebble Island. Mountain Troop was tasked with the destruction of the Argentine aircraft, while the remaining personnel acted as a protection force, securing approaches to the airstrip, and forming an operational reserve. The raiding party unloaded over 100 L16 81mm Mortar bombs, explosive charges, and Rocket 66mm HEAT L1A1 LAWs to carry into the engagement zone from the helicopters, with each man in the raiding party carried at least two mortar bombs.
Approach navigation was conducted by a member of the Boat Troop who had carried out the reconnaissance.
As the raiding party approached the target they spotted an Argentine sentry, however were not compromised, allowing them to enter the target and lay charges onto seven of the aircraft. Once all the aircraft had been prepared the raiding team opened fire with small arms and L1A1 rockets strafing the aircraft. All of the aircraft were damaged, with some having their undercarriages shot away. Following this cue the Glamorgan then began shelling the Argentine positions on the airfield using high explosive rounds, hitting the ammunition dump and fuel stores.[citation needed]
The defending force did not engage until the entire raiding party had re-grouped and were preparing to move out. One British soldier was hit and wounded while the raiding party returned fire using small arms and M203 grenade launchers, resulting in the death of the Argentine Commanding Officer and the suppression of any defensive effort.[citation needed]
[edit] Exfiltration
The wounded man was hauled back to the recovery site with the raiding party reaching the aircraft by the required time for transportation back to Hermes before daybreak. The decision was made to proceed with exfiltration rather than returning to destroy the defending force.
[edit] Aftermath
Assets destroyed during the raid totalled:
- Six FMA IA 58 Pucarás
- Four Turbo Mentor jets
- One Shorts SC.7 Skyvan utility transport aircraft
- Destruction of the ammunition dump
- Airstrip damaged beyond useful repair
The raid was considered a complete success, reminiscent of the type of operation carried out by the SAS in the Second World War.
