The Battle for Goose Green by Mark Adkin

Author:Mark Adkin [Adkin, Mark]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Military, Wars & Conflicts (Other), Europe, Great Britain, 20th Century, Latin America, South America
ISBN: 9781526707185
Google: IIIlDwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
Published: 2017-04-30T22:15:00+00:00

VIII

DAWN AT DARWIN AND BOCA HOUSE

‘If they had counter-attacked at dawn they would have thrown us off the battlefield because we were totally outgunned and wrong-footed’.

Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Keeble DSO, 2 Para’s second-incommand at the start of the battle. Speaking Out.

Whether Major Keeble’s remarks truly reflected the situation will never be known for certain as no counter-attack was made, but there can be little doubt that as the sun rose that morning 2 Para was still a long way from reaching its objectives. In terms of distance covered the battle group had progressed about half way to Goose Green in the four hours since A Company had crossed its start line. To get there was going to require the momentum being maintained for another ten hours in broad daylight, across bare terrain against an entrenched enemy. As the Paras came up against the Argentine’s main defences the climax of the battle had arrived. Undoubtedly, if the attackers could be checked there, if only temporarily, it was the right moment for a counter-attack.

Lieutenant-Colonel Piaggi had been contemplating just such a move for some time prior to first light. He knew that Manresa was in trouble and falling back despite repeated appeals to hold. Piaggi had been reporting progress to Parada at Stanley and urging support. He had been promised some troops and air strikes later that morning, weather permitting, but for now he must hold his own. To do this Piaggi made two moves which were to have far reaching consequences on the battle. The first was to order up 2nd Lieutenant Aliaga with his platoon from the 8th Regiment that had been watching the Salinas beach area. These forty men came north into the mostly empty trenches on the extreme left of the main Argentine line on the low hills south and SE of the ruins of Boca House. Come the dawn their field of fire would extend for up to 1000 metres over and beyond the gorse line. Later that morning it would be Aliaga’s men that pinned B Company for over four hours, checking its drive for Boca House.

ARGENTINES REINFORCED ON DARWIN RIDGE Map 16

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