The battle for Wireless Ridge 13th June 1982 a 17yr old Para's account

Wireless Ridge 13th June 1982 – age 17

 This will be my last of three posts on the Falklands war from 1982 – 40 years ago. For those of you that have read my previous posts you will know that it has affected and changed my whole life. Made me strong, committed, resilient, decisive, but also, like so many, I have moments of weakness and difficulty at this time of year as I remember the fallen. Like everyone that was there, or indeed been through any War, it changes you, no way out. Many, God help them, don’t cope, and as for the rest of us, we mostly only just cope.

 Here's some thoughts from my head from that time as best I can remember them after 40 years:

 Goose Green had both killed us and hardened us. We were now mentally different having been through and survived a full-on battle.

 Despite a small respite after the Battle of Goose Green and having been under cover for a short period and had hot food, I was still cold. I also had to contend with being witness to the disaster at Fitzroy when the Sir Galahad was hit with the Welsh guards still on board. 2 Para being at the location, assisted with the injured as they came a sure. Horrific scenes.

 We were massively depleted from GG (dead and wounded) but also from general injuries and indeed cold injuries and feet issues. We were now a much smaller force than the one that landed a few weeks ago. For me personally that meant that Sections had merged and created more change and confusion.

 On the 11th we had moved from Fitzroy, by helicopter, to a lying up position to the west of Mount Kent as reserve for other units and mountain attacks, which in the end was not required, however this now meant that we set off on foot a further 15 km to get into position for our assault on Wireless Ridge. Having had fresh rations at Fitzroy for the first time in our campaign had a “certain effect” on our metabolism and thus there were as more “Stop-starts” occurred than in London traffic. It provided that moment of dark humour and micky taking that can only occur in such a situation and provide relief in more ways than one!

 We were now at Furz pass where we spent the night. It was bitter cold, I should say freezing cold and again we were in light order which means, I only had the clothes I was in plus a weapon, ammo and 1950s canvass webbing that absorbed water and doubled its weight!

 Then we laid up on frozen ground and we watched our brothers to our flank in 3 Para fight an incredible battle (Mount Longdon). I knew that others that I had trained with whilst in Para depot, were fighting there like Jason, Ian and Neil (all whom I was to find out later had been KIA may they RIP.) What was happening. We could see that this was full on, hard and an unbelievable amount of tracer and shells had been expended. It seemed that they were being shelled relentlessly.

 It was like reading the end of a horror book and knowing what awaited you when you moved next.

 This was to be a Noisy attack and when I looked forward, for the ground that I could see, it seemed like a very long distance indeed, which I found frightening as we had already had one such long advance to battle across open ground over a very long distance at Goose Green and seen how difficult and exhausting it had been. I remember thinking – will I survive this one.

 The order came to fix bayonets and move -

 I remember I couldn't get up, not out of fright, that was real too, but I was frozen stuck to the ground after laying on this frozen hinterland. I needed help to break free, Bob or Neil I think but can’t remember now, pulled me up and I can still see the frozen ground giving way for me to get up.

 Even now, I have never been so cold in all my life.

 A long advance with us as “D” Company being on the right flank, not much going on initially and then the chaos. Away in our fireteams, trench clearing as we went. Mostly, the enemy had run but we came under heavy shell fire, motors, I knew not at the time. Mostly going into soft peat, big thud, lots of spraying of peat, but not getting us. The 155mm shells created a deep large hole in the boggy ground and a few poor sole ended up to their waste in these water filled holes as we moved forward.

 The fire and manoeuvre were instinctive, engrained by constant training, muscle memory if you will – I just kept going, through trenches and clearing as I went, then, in an instance, something was different. I remember shouting for Dave my fire and manoeuvre partner, who had re-joined us after taking a non-lethal bullet at Goose Green, where’s Dave I shouted, and then hearing Bob and Neil saying keep going.

 Dave had gone, FFS. I remember being scared, being Angry. I had to keep going with the rest of the team.

 There was a lul once we got to a certain point and all the initial phases of battle had been achieved.

 Whilst the other companies held ground now, “D” Company moved to the western edge of the ridge and started to clear to the East across the whole of Wireless ridge itself toward Port stanley.

 I found this a difficult phase of battle as I was totally exhausted, nearly out of ammo, I had time in the lull to think of Dave and we had to go again now over the rocky terrain of the ridge, even more exposed if shelled than were in the wet ground of the previous advance.

 I was now moving forward but we found ourselves moving within a minefield and had to get ourselves out and back to the ridge with the rest of the Company.

 It was a horrifying business, going back and searching the trenches with their dead in bodies that were mutilated by war, despite being a soldier these are memories that haunt you forever. Despite this, as a young soldier I remember being “excited” at having found maps on some bodies and handed them in in case it was intel that would help us later.

 Once we had cleared the ridge and got to our limit of exploitation - we moved to a final point to hold the position – what’s that light I remember thinking then the realisation - wow, I could see Stanley for the first time.

 It had been hard and long.

 At some point but I can’t remember exactly when now I remember fire support arriving (Scimitars with 30mm Rarden cannons). God that gave us some cheer.

 We took stock. Almost no ammo, tired, brew on

 It is a very strange feeling at this point, tiredness, the adrenalin that had kept you moving, wains, complete exhaustion but also alertness that comes from the hardness of battle and knowing the enemy in still just hundreds of meters away.

 My senses were in overdrive - I heard a noise – was it real or just the situation I thought to myself, I said to the team, WTF is that. I looked over the ridge and could see movement...no way...a fecking counter attack...are they mad....

 Someone through white phosphorus to create cover but the wind caught it headed to us instead. Light went up and we could see the enemy on the reverse slope everywhere. More shooting and then as quick as it was started - it was done.

 We could see Argies retreating from mountain across from us and from marine’s barracks at Moody Brook below us.

 A stream of bodies heading to Stanley – it seemed to go on for ever. I thought we were going to engage but we were told not to engage....

 I didn’t really understand why at the time, I wanted to get them all and now. But of course, it was right.

 We rested, or at least our bodies forced us to rest.

 Out of our original section of 9, 4 of us were left at this point.

 I sat thinking again now – what was next…. after all of this were we now going hand to hand, street by street, house by house in Port Stanley itself. Fighting in built up area (FIBUA) is known to have the greatest attrition in a aware setting and would be horrendous.

 Then my mind stopped thinking and just went into wait out mode and dozed on the rocks......

 We had lost 3 and 11 wounded in this battle.

 14th June 1982

 As daylight broke, we heard of the surrender, and were told to move through Moody Brook and into Port stanley.

 The red berets came out and away we went, the rest is history as they say.

 Utrinque Paratus

 RIP to all of the fallen