Falklands+30: Catching Up

Well readers, I've fallen off a bit with the recounting of the 30th Anniversary of the Falklands War, so here's a round-up of what happened militarily in late April and early May, 1982.



On April 21, a small landing force under the command of Major Guy Sheridan RM began the recapture of South Georgia Island. Sheridan's company of Marines from 42 Commando were augmented by special operations forces from the Special Air Service and Special Boat Service. Their attack brushed with disaster when two helicopters crashed on the Fortuna Glacier, fortunately without loss of life. The Argentine occupiers surrendered to the British on April 25, and the first piece of British territory was liberated.

On April 30, the main Royal Navy task force commanded by Rear Admiral Sandy Woodward centered around the aircraft carriers HMS Hermes (R12) and HMS Invincible (R05) arrived in the battle area. Coincidental with the arrival of the task force, the British declared a Total Exclusion Zone (TEZ) surrounding the Falklands to go in effect at midnight local time on May 1. Within the TEZ, all Argentine units would be subject to attack.

At 0423 on May 1, the Royal Air Force conducted their first bombing raid against the airfield at Port Stanley using a Avro Vulcan bomber dispatched from Ascension Island. Later that day, destroyers and frigates belonging to Woodward's force began naval gunfire bombardment of Argentine shore positions and the task force's Sea Harriers commenced low-level bombing attacks against the enemy ashore.

In the early evening of May 2, the war would take a dramatic turn...to be continued!