The following pics and text were sent in by Scott Swabey, who is (was!) busy extinquishing penquins in the Falklands.
Click pics for larger photo.
All pics Copyright Scott Swabey.
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| Me standing next to the spot where Col H
Jones VC was killed in action on the 28th May 1982.
He was killed whilst attacking a gun emplacement as they were pinned down
and the bottom of the rise leading up the hill. This was during the battle
for Goose Green when 2 Para met a force of 1200 Argentines. The inscription on the plaque says In Memory of Col H Jones VC killed in action 28 May 1982. |
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Here are some more pics showing the memorial erected by 2 Paracute Regiment.
Also the memorials to RFA Sir Galahad & RFA Sir Tristram - the two troop ships
that were hit and sunk at Fitroy. Many of the 1st Battalion Welsh Gaurds were
killed here. Some survivors like Simon Weston survived to tell the horrific
tale. Where these memorials lie marks where the ships sunk. |
A total of 255 lives were lost on the British side and around 655
Argentinians.Most of the buried Argentinians (pic) at Goose Green were from the Class of 1963 - they were all young lads on both sides. The 20th anniversary starts in April as the Argentinians invaded on the 2nd April 1982. |
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| San Carlos Military Cemetary. | |
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The British Cemetary was constructed shortly after the conflict of 1982.
The shape of the stone built enclosure echoes that of the many stone corrals
found throughout the Falkland Islands. Only Fifteen Men are buried at San Carlos. Many of those died at sea and went down with their ships. These wrecks were subsequently designated official war graves. Also the families of the deceased were given the opportunity to have there relatives returned to the UK for burial so a majority of the bodies were sent home. Fourteen members of the parachute regimant and the royal marines were interred at San Carlos. The Fifteenth grave is of a Lynx helicopter Pilot who was killed after crashing on West Falkland in 1984. |
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Col. H. Jones' Grave
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San Carlos Water formed a natural sheltered mustering point for the British Troops with the nearest
Argentine garrison positioned at Goose Green, across the sussex mountains.
The 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment was given the task of landing
first with the intention that they would yomp south to the Sussex Mountains in order to deal with the Argentine troops - an attack which in the event never occurred.
40th Commando Royal Marines also landed at Blue Beach and dug in on the
ridge behind San Carlos settlement.
They were to have an uneventful war and were left to defend the Bridgehead.
The 3rd Commando Brigade Headquarters were also established here.
Blue Beach became the first port of call for the Infantry Battalions of 5th Brigade.
The 2nd Battalion Scots Gaurds and the 1st Battalion Welsh Gaurds spent a few
days at San Carlos before being shipped to Fitzroy.
Port San Carlos was of crucial importance during the 1982 conflict, two regiments landed there - 3 para on the morning of 21 May 1982 and 42 Commando came in later that day. Port San Carlos was the scene of the only opposition to the landings, the Argentinians soon realising they were outnumbered escaped north east to teal inlet and from there back to Port Stanley. It was also at Port San Carlos that the first Landing casualties were taken with two British helicopters being shot down by the retreating troops. Port San Carlos was a strategic importance as it controlled the northern flank of the bridgehead. 42 commando RM soon established itself on the reverse slope of Cerro Montevideo right on the eastern flank, later to be moved back nearer to Port San Carlos. Both Regiments remained at San Carlos for a week or so but then elements of 42 were sent to secure Mount Kent and others to aid the 2nd parachute regiment in the aftermath of Goose Green. The week spent at San Carlos was vital it gave the troops a chance to get used to being on solid ground get acclimatised and arrange logistics and organise the battalions into a war like fashion. |
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Ajax Bay, San Carlos
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Blue Beach, San Carlos.
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SH Swabey |
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