Three Days in June, page 14
Cpl Ned Kelly
I decided to get on the radio to Major Argue. I said to his radio operator, ‘Put Major Argue on.’ I asked him, ‘You know who’s speaking, don’t you?’ Major Argue replied ‘Yes.’ I then told him, ‘Sunray [Lt Bickerdike] has been shot and Sunray Minor [Sgt McKay] is missing and I’m in charge at the moment. What do you want to do?’ Major Argue said, ‘I will send someone up.’
Pte Craig (Harry) Harrison
Having dropped off Taff Parry at the Company Aid Post I made my way back to 4 Platoon and after helping with Dave Kempster, I was told that Sgt Ian McKay, Cpl Ian Bailey and some others had gone to recce a position for a forthcoming attack, and as there was shooting going on everywhere, I wasn’t sure what became of them.
4.5 ‘Those of you who haven’t fixed a bayonet, fix one now’
A Company tries to inform B Company they have identified a number of machine-gun positions forward of Fly Half, more than likely the Third Bowl, but unfortunately B Company does not acknowledge the message, due to radio communication problems:
02.38hrs (zt): from C/S 19 to C/S 29: ‘Have now identified three positions, with one controlling two machine guns.’
At approximately 02.40hrs (zt), Sgt Fuller meets up with Cpl Ned Kelly.
Cpl Ned Kelly
Shortly after my chat with Major Argue, I heard Sgt Des Fuller half shouting, ‘4 Platoon, 4 Platoon, it’s Sgt Fuller coming in.’ He was trying to find us, so I called him into us. Des said, ‘Ned, what the fuck’s happening?’ I quickly briefed him about Ian McKay and his group going missing, and that Lt Bickerdike, Dave Kempster and Taff Parry had been wounded. Des said, ‘Okay, where’s Bickerdike? I’ll have a word with him.’
LCpl Roger James is still out in the darkness separated from 4 Platoon.
LCpl Roger James
At first, I didn’t want to give my position away, but after a short time I decided to shout, ‘I’m over here.’ Somebody called out, ‘Who the fuck’s that?’ and I replied, ‘It’s me, Roger!’ The voice shouted back, ‘Who the fuck’s Roger?’ and I said, ‘It’s Roger James from the Officers Mess.’ They then asked me where the enemy was and who else was with me, but I shouted, ‘I’m on my own and I don’t know where the Argies are.’ They then said, ‘Make your way back in.’ I wanted to move back, but was very wary of being shot by either the Argentines or my own side as both sides could hear me talking, but couldn’t see me. Then someone shouted, ‘Roger, make your way back in now and we’ll give you covering fire.’ I rather nervously said, ‘Okay, I’m coming in, don’t shoot me.’ So I counted down Three, Two, One, then dashed back as fast as I could go. I jumped over a line of rocks and landed on somebody. At this stage I didn’t know whether Sgt McKay, Cpl Bailey or Tony McLarnon were alive or dead, as it had all happened so fast.2
Cpl Ned Kelly, who under Sgt Des Fuller’s instruction has moved 4 Platoon forward, informs Sgt Fuller on his return that LCpl Roger James has made it back. Sgt Fuller asks Roger James about what is forward of their position: Are there any enemy? Has he seen any bunkers? However, Roger reports that he has seen nothing, it was pitch black, and it had all happened very fast. Sgt Des Fuller says, ‘Right, let’s get the rest of the Section Commanders together.’ Cpl Stewart McLaughlin of 2 Section 5 Platoon, and from 4 Platoon Cpl John Lewis of 3 Section, Cpl Ned Kelly of 2 Section and Cpl Keith Deslandes of 1 Section, all huddle together at the side of the embankment. Sgt Des Fuller says, ‘Right listen in; I am now taking charge of 4 Platoon. Basically, what Major Argue wants us to do is just keep pushing forward, so that’s what we’re going to do.’
Sgt Des Fuller takes Cpl Ned Kelly and Cpl John Lewis up to Cpl McLaughlin’s firebase up on the high ground. He scans the area in front with Cpl McLaughlin’s IWS.
3 PARA operational report dated 1982
Sgt Fuller went forward to Cpl McLaughlin’s position which was a bit higher up in the rocks and with an IWS he tried to identify the enemy. The only fire now being brought to bear on them was from Full Back. Cpl McLaughlin’s group had been firing continuously at the enemy positions directly to their front and 4 Platoon were in cover at the base of the hill behind rocks.
At this stage, the .50 Cal in the Third Bowl is still firing towards Wing Forward. However, the area immediately below it and to their front looks clear, but there are three Argentine positions belonging to 2 Platoon 7th Infantry Regiment, one with a FN Mag (GPMG), and approximately seven riflemen left from the original nine-man section. 4 Platoon would now move out in single file, under covering fire from Cpl McLaughlin, and then turn right and advance uphill in extended line, moving up towards the main ridge, and attempt another attack on the .50 Cal.
Sgt Des Fuller, 31 yrs – B Company HQ
So I made a plan to carry on going forward. It was as simple as that, really. We actually couldn’t see where the enemy were: the guys were saying, ‘They’re out in front,’ ‘They’re over there,’ ‘They’re there,’ but it was pitch black. So I told Scouse McLaughlin to go back and give us covering fire. I told him what I wanted him to do, that we would continue to go forward until such time as we came upon them or they opened fire on us, and Scouse was to give us covering fire all the way through.3
Cpl John Lewis
I climbed up to where Scouse McLaughlin’s viewpoint was. And he said, ‘Lewi, come and stand in here.’ As I climbed in I noticed we were standing on the body of a dead Argentine – Scouse seemed oblivious to the fact. Des Fuller then explained what would be happening next, and told us, ‘The Support Group will give us covering fire while we move forward and then move back up, into the side of the mountain. I want all the 66s to be given to the fire-support group. Are we all okay with that?’
Cpl Ned Kelly
I whispered to Scouse McLaughlin, ‘Make sure your lads keep their fucking fire above our heads,’ and Scouse replied, ‘All right, Ned, you just watch yourself, mate.’
Pte Paul Hutchinson
I was in the fire-support position and Cpl McLaughlin was constantly telling us what was happening and what he wanted us to do. He warned us to be aware that 4 Platoon would be passing in front of us shortly.
Both Cpl Kelly and Cpl Lewis go back down and explain to their sections what is going to happen next.
Cpl Ned Kelly
When I came back down I gave them a quick brief, explaining that we were going to be moving out in single file, and then we would turn right and move up towards the main rock face. I told them, ‘I want you all to put a fresh magazine on, and those of you who haven’t fixed a bayonet, fix one now.’
Pte Mark Eyles-Thomas
Pte Jason Burt turned to me and said, ‘I’m not fixing mine.’
Cpl Ned Kelly
I then shouted up to the fire-support group, ‘Prepare to give covering fire now.’
CO has lost communications with B Company:
02.50hrs (zt): from C/S 9 to C/S 19: ‘lost contact with Call Sign 2 [B Coy] no relay through 19 [A Company].’
At approximately 02.50hrs (zt), 4 Platoon move out of cover.
Pte Mark Eyles-Thomas
Sgt Des Fuller gave the order, ‘Prepare to move,’ followed by, ‘Move now.’ We all began to feed out in single file. Once we fed out we turned to the right and began to move uphill towards the Third Bowl in extended line.
Cpl Ned Kelly’s section lead out in single file, followed by Sgt Des Fuller in the middle, with Cpl John Lewis’s section to the rear. They have advanced about 20 yards, then turned right and advanced in extended line uphill towards the main rock face, when suddenly a wall of fire erupts to their front.
Cpl Ned Kelly
It seemed to be coming from everywhere. Jason Burt was shot next to me, and then I was shot. I fell to the ground, the machine gun carried on firing, but it was as if they couldn’t angle the gun low enough to hit us. The rest of the lads carried on attacking the enemy positions. I saw the dark shape of a body lying by me, and I said to someone, ‘Who’s that?’ and he replied, ‘It’s young Jason.’ I could also hear Neil Grose – he had a chest wound and was struggling for his breath.
Pte Mark Eyles-Thomas
I could see bullets ricocheting off the rock wall directly in front me. The noise of the machine gun and the muzzle flashes almost transfixed me. I ran blindly towards the gun position and dived into cover at its base. The machine gun was still firing; I crawled slightly backwards and bumped into the bayonet of 21-year-old Pte Dave Wakelin, which made me jump. We were then joined by Pte John Wynne-Jones. Suddenly someone shouted, ‘Grenade!’ On the opposite side to us were Privates Duggie Field, Simon Ward and Sulle Alhaji; they were firing and throwing grenades at the bunker we were hiding behind. I shouted over the noise of it all to Sulle, ‘Don’t throw any more grenades; we’re over here, you’ll fucking kill us.’
The enemy machine gun went quiet. John Wynne-Jones had Jeff Logan’s GPMG as Jeff had been wounded. I passed my machine-gun link to Wynne-Jones and then acted as his No. 2 [loader]. He poured a long burst into the Argentine position. As John Wynne-Jones was rattling off his rounds Cpl McLaughlin came up behind us, thumped him on the top of his helmet and shouted, ‘Fucking stop firing. We need that ammunition, the position has been taken!’ He then passed us a bandolier of ammo for the gun, snarled, ‘Take this,’ and went off into the darkness. He seemed unperturbed as to what had just happened.
Pte Mick Cullen
After reaching the top of the incline, we could hear that others had been wounded. I crawled down to try to identify and help. I came across Pte Neil Grose, who had been wounded quite badly, and whilst I was trying to remove his webbing and move him into cover I was shot in the mouth. I think it must have knocked me unconscious and thrown me further down the hill. When I regained consciousness, I tried to get back to Neil, but I couldn’t find him. I found Sgt Fuller and told him that I had been wounded in the mouth, and that he should use Duggie Field as his signaller as I wasn’t sure if my speech would be understood on the radio.
Pte Craig (Harry) Harrison
Everyone was running towards the enemy; I was firing and running, desperate to make the rock wall ahead. As I got closer to the rock wall, something struck my thigh really hard and I thought, I’ve been hit. I dived for the rocks and checked my leg for a wound. Seventeen-year-old Pte Ian Scrivens had also dived into the same bit of cover. He shone a small torch to check my leg: I only had a slight graze where a round or something had passed through my denims. Despite our desperate situation I could see Scrivs smirking.
I looked back across the ground we had just run across and could make out dark shapes and hear groans. I then saw someone sat in the rocks to our front. I could hear him talking on the radio, but his speech was slurred. It was Mick Cullen, who had been shot through the lips, but he just carried on with his job of platoon radio operator.
Scrivs and I decided that we would try to help the wounded in the open ground to our rear. The first body I came to was Jason Burt, and I could see he had been shot in the head. I felt his neck for a pulse, but he was obviously dead; I think he must have died instantly. The next person I came across was Neil Grose. I helped check him and found that he had a sucking chest wound. He also had an entry wound on his other side. I called Scrivs over and together we patched Neil Grose up. I told Scrivs to stay with him and keep him on his side. We were going to need more help to move Neil.
The Argentine view of the incident:
Cpl Gustavo Pedemonte
We continued to fire wildly. Alberto Petrucelli was firing away with his FAP 7.62mm [heavy-barrelled automatic rifle]. We were shouting, ‘Viva Argentina, come on you sons of bitches, we’re going to kill you all.’ Then someone threw grenades into our position and killed three of my soldiers (Enrique Ronconi, Alberto Petrucelli and Julio Maidana), shrapnel hit me in the buttocks and head. As I was lying on my side on the floor of my trench they fired into our trench and I was waiting to be shot. After a short time, some of the British soldiers approached and shouted something that I could not understand; I sensed that they lamented the English man who had fallen earlier at the front of our position. Someone said, ‘Peik or paic,’ but I do not know what it means.
Cpl John Lewis
Cpl Keith Deslandes’ section and my section were returning fire. I was calling out to anyone to come and help me, just to keep the momentum going. We all changed magazines and then a group of us crawled forward to an Argentine position. It was built up rather than dug in, and was firing away. We threw a couple of grenades, and almost as soon as they exploded, we all jumped up and began firing into the position. No fire was returned and I shouted, ‘Position clear.’
Cpl John Lewis grabs Pte Sulle Alhaji and 17-year-old Pte Mick Southall, who cautiously crawl off into the darkness following Cpl Lewis. Random shots are still being fired as they inch across to where the groaning is coming from, and they find Cpl Ian Bailey.
Cpl John Lewis
We came across Cpl Ian Bailey, who had been shot three times in the hip, neck and hand. Pte Sulle Alhaji applied shell dressings as best he could and gave him morphine. While we were doing this Ian began to scream in pain and I had to tell him, ‘Beetle, fucking shut up.’ In the end, I was forced to put my hand over Ian’s mouth, as every time he screamed the enemy fired at us. I then whispered to Mick, ‘Come with me.’ We left Sulle Alhaji with Ian Bailey and went to look for any others. It was then we found Sgt Ian McKay. I checked him and whispered to Mick, ‘He’s dead, let’s get the fuck out of here.’ We then crawled back to Sulle and Ian Bailey, and dragged Ian as best as we could back into cover.
Pte Mick Cullen
I found Ned Kelly, who had been wounded. At this point it was apparent that 4 Platoon had a number of seriously wounded, and a number of walking wounded. They needed to be evacuated. However, we were pinned down by very accurate fire coming from further along the feature; I tried to identify who was dead and who was wounded, as I had to get a casualty report back to Company HQ.
Sgt Des Fuller begins organizing all-round defence. He also manages to find 5 Platoon’s radio operator Pte Steve Phillips. Sgt Fuller tells him to ‘Ask for stretchers and medical assistance.’ After B Company HQ has been informed of 4 Platoon’s casualties, they contact Support Company and request stretchers:
03.00hrs (zt): from C/S 29 to C/S 59: ‘Have taken quite a number of casualties and require a lot of stretchers, caused by heavy firefight.’
Then the CO, who is listening in to the radio traffic, asks Major Argue for a situation report:
03.02hrs (zt): from C/S 9 to C/S 29: ‘Send Situation Report.’
Major Argue replies immediately:
03.02hrs (zt): from C/S 29 to C/S 9: ‘Roger, Call Sign 21 did splinter assault on enemy position, have taken several casualties and a couple of prisoners.’
Cpl Ned Kelly
Pte Harry Harrison crawled over to me and began looking for my wound. Harry found the entrance hole, but he couldn’t find the exit wound. My upper chest and shoulders were covered in blood, so he assumed the exit hole might have been in that area. But he did as much as he could in the situation he was in; he put a shell dressing on me and administered morphine. He did all this while we were still being constantly sniped at.
After a short period of time there is still no sign of medical assistance. Sgt Fuller now decides to leave Cpl McLaughlin in command, while he makes his way back to B Company HQ with Pte Steve Phillips, to see what is causing the delay.
Pte Martyn Clarkson-Kearsley
When Sgt Des Fuller came back to B Company HQ he was a different man from the one I had seen just 40 minutes earlier. His face looked completely different; you could tell something terrible had happened.
Major Mike Argue
Casualties were building up and there were two choices: to press on in the hope that the enemy in the face of attack would break, or to stop and reorganize wherever the casualties were or had been extracted to, and use the artillery to achieve the same aim. I chose the latter; an OP was established from which the Forward Observation Officer concentrated the firepower of two batteries and three ships. I was horrified to learn that in addition to the Platoon Commander being hit his Platoon Sergeant had been killed.
CSM John Weeks
Sgt Fuller came back to give me a situation report, saying, ‘Sgt McKay is dead, we have a number of blokes that are very badly wounded that need evacuating urgently, we also need more ammo, and we need more people back up there now.’ I turned to Pte Clarkson-Kearsley and [Pte] Clifton Lewis and said, ‘Right, lads, we have to go forward and collect casualties.’
Cpl Phil Probets
I heard CSM Johnny Weeks shouting, ‘Cpl Probets, Cpl Probets,’ and I shouted, ‘I am over here, Sir.’ He said, ‘Right, son, 4 Platoon have been badly shot up. You’ve got to go forward, and you’ve got to help the casualties. Go up there, and RV with Des Fuller.’ The first person I remember treating was Lt Bickerdike, who was sitting up against a rock; he’d been shot in the thigh. In the same location was Pte Keith [Taff] Parry with a foot and knee wound.
