Engagement at Many Branch Point

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Commandos Clash at Many Branch Point
Part of Falklands War
Date 10 June 1982
Location Port Howard, West Falkland
Result Argentinian victory
Belligerents
Flag of Argentina Argentina Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Commanders
First Lieutenant
José Martiniano Duarte		 Captain John Hamilton †
Strength
4 commandos of the 601 Company 4 SAS personnel
Casualties and losses
none 1 killed
1 prisoner
v • d • e
Falklands War

On 10 June 1982, during the Falklands War, Many Branch Point, a ridge near Port Howard, in the West Falkland, was the site of a clash between Argentinian and British elite forces. The engagement ended with the death of the SAS patrol commander, Captain John Hamilton.

Contents

[edit] Background

While the 35 mm radar-guided and 20 mm antiaircraft guns in Port Stanley and Goose Green forced the Sea Harriers and RAF GR3 Harriers to carry out air strikes from high altitude,[1] the Argentinian garrisons at West Falkland relied only on 12.7 mm machine guns for their own protection, which left them exposed to strafing and accurate low-fly bombings.

In order to reinforce these units, the Argentine command-in-chief deployed a special forces company, the 601, to Port Howard, then headquarters of the 5º Regiment of Infantry. The commandos were equipped with British-made, shoulder-fired Blowpipe missiles[2]. After a 24-hours trip from Port Stanley, the company reached destiny.[3]

Some days later, with the British landing at San Carlos bay still ongoing, the Argentinian troops found their mark when they shot down a GR3 Harrier on a recce mission. The pilot, Flt. Lt. Jeffrey Glover, bailed out safely and was taken prisoner.[4]

Once the British achieved overwhelming air supremacy over the islands, the Argentinian elite force became isolated.[5] The helicopters which should have flown them back to Stanley were destroyed by GR3 Harriers near Mount Kent and Shag Cove House.[6] Afterwards, the missions ordered to the commandos were mainly aimed to collect information about enemy activity on the opposite coast of the Falkland Sound.

In the meantime, SAS patrols had been active around the main Argentinian advanced posts. On June 5, a 4-men party led by Captain Gavin John Hamilton moved as close as 2.5 km from the enemy to gather intelligence around Port Howard.[7] Hamilton was an officer in the squadron that raided the air base at Pebble Island on May 16.

[edit] The action

On the morning of June 9, a routine reconnaissance patrol of the Argentinian special forces, under the command of First Lieutenant José Martiniano Duarte marched to Many Branch point, a hill located 5 miles to the north of Howard. The days before, an observation post had been deployed on Mount Rosalie, but it had been compromised due to British presence. Nevertheless, the Commandos managed to slip away without been detected.[8] The squad was originally composed of 9 men; by the afternoon, with no enemies in sight, five men went back to their base, while the other four remained on the ridge. From this position, they were able to determined that a British airfield had been built near San Carlos.[9]

The following day, while in alert, Duarte heard some voices behind a rocky formation. The patrol gathered at the entrance of the cave-shaped rocks, guessing if a British section was hidden there, or simply they were local sherpherds. Suddenly, a dark-skinned man, wearing a balalclava used by Argentinian Navy's personnel, showed up. Initially there was some hesitation, but while recovering from the surprise, Duarte cried: "Argentinos o Ingleses?". After a short silence, Lieutenant Duarte ordered: "Hands up!". The answer was a 5.56 mm burst, which bounced off the stones behind him. Then, the shooting rage out of control. An Argentinian Sergeant launched two grenades, but a British 40 mm grenade exploded a few meters behind the Commandos. The fire of Duarte's patrol forced their British counterpart to get out from the rock's shelter and run down the hill's slope. One of the men attempted to cover the other, but was cut down by automatic fire and a rifle-launched grenade, falling apparently unconscious. The other soldier surrendered shortly after.

The fallen soldier was indeed killed. The prisoner was a signal corps member of Central American origin, Corporal Charlie Fonseca. The dead man was blonde, with no rank insignia. The commandos identified him by his dog tag; he was the Captain Hamilton. They found a photograph showing him with his family. The Argentinians also captured a radio, an M-16 and an AR-15 rifles, a beacon, cartography and a communications code.[10] The other two soldiers of Hamilton's party managed to conceal themselves and were later rescued by friendly forces.[11]

[edit] Aftermath

That night witnessed the inaccurate shelling carried out by British frigates on Port Howard[12]. It led to speculation among Argentinian officers that the mission of Hamilton was to act as Naval Gunfire Support Forward Observer (NGSFO).

The autopsy revealed that Hamilton was killed by a 7.62 mm shot in his back. Another bullet hit his arm. He was buried at Howard, along with an Argentinian conscript who died of starvation, a clear signal of the hopeless scenario for the troops in Western Falkland. The islanders refused to provide a British flag for Hamilton's burial.[13] The fate of Captain Hamilton became known to his comrades only when the garrison surrender to the British on June 15.[14] Hamilton's grave can still be seen up the hill from Port Howard. He was posthumously awarded the Military Cross.[15]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Woodward, page 36
  2. ^ Ruiz Moreno, page 141 and page 146
  3. ^ Ruiz Moreno, pp. 144-145
  4. ^ British aircraft losses, 21 May entry
  5. ^ Ruiz Moreno, page 333
  6. ^ Argentinian aircraft losses, 22 May and 23 May entries
  7. ^ Strawson, page 239
  8. ^ Ruiz Moreno, pp 338-339
  9. ^ Ruiz Moreno, page 304
  10. ^ Ruiz Moreno, pp 340-343
  11. ^ British Small Wars
  12. ^ Apenas había concluído esta tarea cuando se escuchó una explosión, que en un primer momento fue atribuída al estallido de una mina. Pero al rato se percibieron claramente tres cañonazos navales y todos buscaron cubiertas: los observadores ubicados en Monte María, atrás y arriba de Howard, indicaron posteriormente que se trataba de tres fragatas desde la distancia habitual de diez a doce kilómetros. El bombardeo duró hasta las tres de la mañana y fue muy impreciso: le faltaba observación. El teniente primero Fernández supuso que el primer disparo, aislado, fue un llamado al observador, al no recibir su comunicación: y los posteriores se limitaron a dirigirlos hacia las posiciones previamente marcadas -la ubicación de la Compañía B, sobre un cerro-, pero sin causar efectos. Ruiz Moreno, pp. 345-346
  13. ^ Ruiz Moreno, 346
  14. ^ Ruiz Moreno, page 420
  15. ^ London Gazette citation

[edit] References

  • Ruiz Moreno, Isidoro:Comandos en acción. Emecé editions, 1986. ISBN 9500405202.
  • Strawson, John:A History of the SAS Regiment. Secker & Warburg, 1984. ISBN 0436499924.
  • Woodward, Sandy:The one hundred days. Naval Institute Press, 1997. ISBN 0002157233.