2nd April 2nd 1982 - Argentina Captures the Falkland Islands

April 2nd 1982 - Argentine forces invaded the Falkland Islands and South Georgia


 

04:30 hours  local time and 120 men of the Buzo Tactico; Argentina's Special Forces, landed by helicopter at Mullet Creek three miles to the south of Port Stanley; the islands' capital
 

Relations between Argentina and the UK had been strained over the issue of the sovereignty of the islands and Argentina had seen considerable unrest over the previous months. The Junta had drawn up a plan that they hoped would prove popular at home; a military coup de main on the islands. They believed the British would not send a military force to recapture them....


The men of the Buzo Tactico were not alone, at sea were over 4000 men of the Marines, Special Forces and Army ready to fight 80 Royal Marines of Naval Party 8901, the only British Troops on the island (although there was also a small Self Defence Volunteers force of Falklanders)

 

Naval Party 8901 knew the Argentine Forces were coming they had received warning from London that intelligence reports had spotted the forces on their way. Despite being hugely outnumbered they prepared their defences


They did what they could to deny the airstrip at the airport to the enemy by parking vehicles across it and posted detachments at key points to harrass and delay the enemy.


When the Argentine forces landed theu resisted fiercely but were beaten back to their final redoubt at Government House. A sharp frefight took place at the house in which lasted until the morning when Governor Hunt, on hearing reports of armoured vehicles approaching (The Marines brought LVTPs) ordered the detachment to surrender. 80 men had held off the combined forces of the Argentine invasion force, a number far superior to their own, for three hours without losing a single Royal Marine

The victorious Argentine forces made the marines lie face down in the road while they took down the British flag and posed for pictures stood over their prisoners.