Three Days in June, page 34
LCpl Kenny Watt
Manny said, ‘Alec Munro wants you to go back and cover Ged’s body.’ I replied, ‘Why me? Someone from 2 Platoon should do it.’ Manny said, ‘Ken, they’re very close to Ged, they’re his mates.’ I was about to say, ‘I was also his mate!’ but I accepted the task and moved cautiously back along the feature to 2 Platoon’s location, where I came across Cpl Laurie Bland standing with Sgt Chris Phelan and Cpl Louie Sturge. I told them what I had to do, and that I needed a poncho. Louie Sturge said, ‘Kenny, I’ll help you.’ We found a poncho and made our way over to where Ged’s body lay. Louie went to Ged’s head and I took his feet. Ged had been very badly hurt and the task was extremely distressing, but we straightened Ged out, and treated him with dignity and respect.
Pte Davie Barclay
I’m not sure who told me, I just remember someone saying to me, ‘Do you know Ged Bull’s dead?’ I couldn’t believe it; I had only spoken to him about 30 minutes ago. I went back down towards the Second Bowl, where I saw a poncho covering a body. I pulled back part of it – I am not sure why, it may have been just for confirmation, but there he was. I was gutted, I knew Ged well. I had dated his sister and knew his mum and dad. I felt numb and made my way back and tried to compose myself.
That night we searched for anything that might help us keep warm. I found a bottle of Hennessy brandy and an extremely smelly blanket, so we passed round the brandy and then wrapped the blanket around ourselves and cuddled up for the night. We were shelled through the night, but I slept right through it.
Pte Trevor Bradshaw
As it began to get dark, I looked around for something to keep warm. I found a sleeping bag with a dead Argentine still in it. As it was bitterly cold, I took him out and climbed in. I later developed scabies, which I think I got from him.
LCpl Graham Tolson
I returned to our bunker and spent the next hour in total isolation and in the complete darkness of the bunker. I curled up in a ball, and closed my eyes, but I was so cold, and the prospect of going down with hypothermia weighed heavy on my mind. Pete and Tony returned from their sentry duty and crawled in alongside of me. They too were feeling the strain from the cold and we began to curse this place. Tony Bojko said that he’d had enough. He was going to go outside and search for something that might keep us warm. He returned some 20 minutes later with a couple of blankets. They smelled absolutely disgusting, but we didn’t care.
The next morning, I woke up to see Pete and Tony sitting over a partially boiling mess tin of water. As I joined them, I noticed I had bloodstains on my trousers. ‘Don’t worry,’ said Tony. ‘It’s from the blankets, we’ve both got blood on us.’ I said, ‘Where did you get them from?’ ‘A dead Argentine was wrapped up in them, but we needed the blankets more than him.’
6.6 ‘I remember thinking, I wouldn’t like to be on the receiving end of that!’
SUNDAY 13 JUNE 1982
First light approximately 10.00hrs (zt).
Captain Adrian Freer
I spent most of Sunday under cover to avoid artillery fire. There was minimum movement. Men reinforced their positions and made them more comfortable. We were also busy cooking Argentine rations. Water was a problem. We had been spoilt at our last position as we’d had a stream running through the re-entrant. The previous day the company water party brought back the dirtiest water imaginable, to the extent that it defied purifying tablets. Sammy Dougherty and I were violently ill through the night.
Pte Ashley Wright
I woke to another freezing day, light snow, and more artillery bombardment. We could hear the artillery land at one end of the mountain, and then it would creep back along towards us. We could hear the explosions growing louder as they got nearer. The tension and strain on your nerves are very hard to describe. With each round I thought, This is the one; this is when I get it. This would be followed by the relief that you survived and the nervous laughter – till the next time. We stayed in our bunker all day.
LCpl Kenny Watt
CSM Alec Munro informed me that a Snowcat was coming forward to retrieve Ged Bull’s body, and that a few of our radio batteries and ancillaries needed to be replaced. I was to take a ‘Tom’ with me to 2 Platoon’s location and leave the kit by Ged’s body. Then the equipment would be exchanged by the personnel in the Snowcat. I spotted Pte Phil Adkins and briefed him on what we had to do. We moved back towards 2 Platoon’s position, where I was met by Cpl Mick Ferguson. I went over to Ged’s body and placed the equipment by him. We then waited in a safe position where we could see Ged. The Snowcat arrived and DSgt Geoff Deaney jumped out. He then helped us to load Ged’s body into the Snowcat.
11.55hrs (zt): from C/S 1 to C/S 0: ‘With re-supply extra: 6 x 351 batteries / 8 x 349 batteries / 4 x 350 batteries.’
An Argentine soldier is found hiding up on top of the rocks at the Full Back position; he has been hiding there for the last 24 hours:
13.14hrs (zt): from C/S 9 to C/S 0: ‘Be aware that 1 POW is being taken down to 9A, he is from the Command Post position which has just been located, awaiting brief from Acorn.’
[‘Acorn’ is the code name for Intelligence Officer.]
LCpl Graham Tolson
We decided that we should go in search of sleeping bags, blankets or something similar. We couldn’t go through many more nights like the ones we had just been through. We walked along the northern side by the Third Bowl. I noticed a group of soldiers putting Argentine bodies into shell holes, which they then marked by sticking the muzzle of a rifle into the ground and placing a helmet on the butt. I watched the youngsters from the work party, who were mucking about, pushing and shoving each other in a playful manner. I was amazed at their joviality since I was as glum as fuck.
A Company observe reinforcements being sent to Mount Tumbledown:
14.51hrs (zt): from C/S 1 to C/S 0: ‘Considerable numbers of troops moving from Moody Brook to Tumbledown.’
Pte Jeremy (Jez) Dillon
I heard about Dickie Absolon, Mark Brown and Jerry Phillips being wounded, and later I saw 2 PARA Mortars moving up through Furze Bush Pass and watching airbursts exploding above them. We did nothing but stay in our area.
Cpl Stephen Hope dies on Sunday while on a ventilator in intensive care on board SS Uganda. Unfortunately the exact time is not known.
Sgt Manny Manfred
We received a message from CSM Alec Munro about clearing up our area, so I asked for volunteers to search for bodies and make up a burial detail. Pte Bob (Jock) Taylor and Pte John (Sid Vicious) Haire both volunteered. It was strange watching these two small men struggling with stretchers over the rough terrain with bodies that were now stiff with rigor mortis. I was doing something in my bunker when I heard someone laughing and looked out to see Bob Taylor and Sid Vicious standing with a laden stretcher, glaring over their shoulders as someone shouted, ‘Fucking hell, it’s Burke and Hare, the body snatchers.’ They took the bodies to an area which was off to the northern side of Full Back, where there were some quite large 155mm shell holes and they placed approximately six or seven bodies in each.
I had a call of nature; I made my way to a quiet area behind a rock to drop my trousers. Suddenly, without any warning, there was a massive explosion really close to me. The shell buried itself into the ground, but the blast wave hit me, and blew my helmet cover off my helmet (it was only loosely attached). It rattled me to the core, and someone who had seen my helmet cover fly away popped his head over the rock where I was squatting and asked, ‘Are you okay, Sarge?’ I was still in a bit of shock and replied, ‘I think so!’ He shouted back over his shoulder, ‘It’s okay, he’s alive.’ I quickly realized that I had lost two fillings as a result of the near miss, but it could have been much worse.
Later that night, I looked on as Wireless Ridge was being attacked by 2 PARA. I told the lads to come and watch, as it was regimental history being made, and we had a grandstand view. I could tell by the colour of the tracer and the direction of the firing who was who. The defenders would fire at our guys and once the enemy positions had been identified, there would be a massive weight of return fire, and then it would go quiet for a while. The attack moved forward gradually, until the whole ridge was secured. I couldn’t help thinking about what was to come. Moody Brook seemed a likely defensive position, and then the big one – Port Stanley.
Cpl Joe Black
I woke on Sunday to a light snow. We stayed in our area all day. Word came down that some members of D Company had been wounded, with one possibly fatal. Again, there was very little movement due to artillery fire. At about 21.00hrs (zt), Kev Darke came and told us that another member of the Anti-Tanks, LCpl Denzil Connick, had been severely wounded and would be extremely lucky if he survived, and that two other blokes had been killed in the same incident. We spent another freezing night on Longdon. We could hear 2 PARA and the Scots Guards attacking their objectives, but we never moved out of our bunker – it wasn’t worth being out in the open.
CSM Alec Munro
We got the brief that Support Company would be moving down through us, later that night. They would be establishing a firebase just forward of 3 Platoon’s position, to support 2 PARA during their attack on Wireless Ridge. That night I sat with CSgt Graham Markey in 3 Platoon’s position. We had a grandstand view of the battle. I had spent over ten years in 2 PARA and watched, willing them on, as they put in their assault. The sky lit up with explosions, PARA illumination and tracer. The most impressive was the Argentine anti-aircraft cannon being fired in the ground role. I remember thinking, I wouldn’t like to be on the receiving end of that! We could also hear the distinctive but surreal sounds of a C130 landing at Port Stanley Airport. Any member of the regiment would recognize it, since it was the aircraft we regularly parachuted from.
Pte Mark (Chuck) Berry
I carried out another ration run and managed to speak to LCpl Harry Wilkie, who said, ‘Chuck, say nothing, but we’re attacking Port Stanley tomorrow.’ That night I was on a two-hour stag with Andy Broad when we heard a C130 landing at Port Stanley Airport. We reported it back to Company HQ.
22.23hrs (zt): from C/S 1 to C/S 0: ‘Hear what sounds like a C130 at Stanley airfield, also lights at that location, a convoy of vehicles left Stanley for airfield 30 minutes ago.’
Argentine Cpl Gustavo Pedemonte, 7th Infantry Regiment
That evening I was taken to the airport and loaded on board a Hercules. This would be the very last transport plane to leave the Falklands Islands returning to mainland Argentina with its load of wounded.
23.35hrs (zt): from C/S 1 to C/S 0: ‘Four–five vehicles moving Moody Brook to Stanley, C130 sounds as if it’s taking off.’
23.45hrs (zt): from C/S 1 to C/S 0: ‘Four to five vehicles now moving back from airport to Stanley.’
Pte Tony Bojko
I didn’t do much on Sunday as the shelling was quite intense. It was too dangerous to go outside unnecessarily. That night, as 2 PARA attacked Wireless Ridge and the Scots Guards attacked Tumbledown, I was sat watching it all with my pants around my ankles, as I’d developed terrible dysentery and was being violently sick at the same time, thinking, Oh, fucking hell, I’m dying. I felt absolutely awful. I eventually crawled back into the bunker and snuggled up to the blokes for warmth.
MONDAY 14 JUNE 1982
First light approximately 10.00hrs (zt).
Pte Len Baines
Another cold morning, with sleet. There was still shell fire going both ways, but for once they didn’t seem to be shelling us. It was noticeably quiet on Longdon. The OC, Major David Collett, and his Platoon Commanders were going for their orders group with the CO, for the forthcoming night attack. Surprisingly, we all seemed up for the last big push and hopefully it should be over soon.
Orders group held at 12.00hrs (zt).
During the ‘O’ Group, first report comes in concerning enemy troops moving back into Stanley:
12.10hrs (zt): from C/S 0 to C/S 9: ‘Enemy withdrawing from Sapper Hill, unconfirmed report 300 enemy withdrawing.’
12.50hrs (zt): from C/S 0 to All Stations: ‘All stations to be on 30 minutes notice to move.’
Rumour control now goes into overdrive.
CSM Alec Munro
The OC went off with Sgt Mac French for a CO’s briefing. We already had an idea that it was going to be about attacking Moody Brook. I was sitting in a bunker with Lt Jon Lee, our FOO; we were scoping out the firing positions of the 155mm artillery pieces. While we were doing this we saw long lines of troops streaming off Tumbledown, and I thought, What’s happening here? They’re all going back towards Stanley. I got my binoculars out and there seemed to be hundreds of them. I said to Lt Lee, ‘You had better get on to your guys and tell them they’re all out in the open and they’re withdrawing.’ I got on the battalion radio and told the young signaller to get hold of the CO and tell him the Argentines were pulling off Tumbledown and pulling out of Moody Brook. I thought that whatever the brief was that was being given, it was rapidly being overtaken by events. Later, Dave Collett came running up to our location and said, ‘Right, get the company ready to move, now!’ I did a quick brief to the Platoon Commanders and sorted out the line of march. 3 Platoon would lead, followed by Company HQ then 1 and 2 Platoons.
A Company move off Longdon at approximately 15.30hrs (zt).
CSM Alec Munro
I could see that 2 PARA had reached the same conclusion as us and were already heading along Wireless Ridge toward Moody Brook. Regimental pride was at stake. There is no doubt both units wanted to be the first into Stanley. It was going to be a race to get there. As we reached Wireless Ridge, C Company of 2 PARA were virtually at the double trying to get in front of us.
As we moved on to the Ross Road we were intermingled with C Company from 2 PARA, but 2 PARA’s D Company were ahead of us and stormed up the road towards the racecourse. We were just glad that the two battalions of the Parachute Regiment had the honour of being the first troops into Port Stanley. We reached the far end of the racecourse and were told to stop and go firm. Major Dave Collett said, ‘Sgt Major, go and commandeer one of those houses for Company HQ.’ I found a house in the line of bungalows that appeared to have been vacated, so we moved in. We got the platoons sorted out in the other houses and watched as the remainder of the two battalions came up the road.
Much later on, the first units of the Marines were coming down the road to pass through our positions. It’s probable that Brigade had wanted the Marines to be seen as the liberators of Port Stanley. We had some friendly banter with them as they passed by, looking at our watches and saying, ‘What time do you call this?’ and other annoying phrases. They were not amused. That, of course, was the very effect we were looking for. The Marines later set up a flag-raising ceremony at Government House in front of the Press.
Pte Mark (Zip) Hunt, D Company
We had been told that 3 PARA would now pass through 2 PARA and attack the racecourse in Port Stanley. C Company would be leading, followed by A Company, and our patrol had been told to tag on to the end of A Company. Suddenly it got passed down the line by word of mouth that the Argentines had surrendered – even though I was carrying a radio, I heard it off the lads before it came over the radio. I was absolutely delighted, but at the same time we had been warned that we were now moving through an area that was mined, and I thought, Don’t want to lose my leg now that it’s over, but I thought to myself, If I am meant to stand on a mine, I will, it’s fate. Ahead of us we could see 2 PARA moving off Wireless Ridge, so we cranked it up and then the race was on to be the first British unit into Stanley.
Captain Adrian Freer
3 PARA had been tasked to take Moody Brook supported by 2 PARA; the Welsh Guards and 40 Commando, backed by a troop of the Blues and Royals, were to take Sapper Hill. Suddenly, we were moving off Mount Longdon. Then we heard the first reports of an Argentinian surrender. Both 2 PARA and 3 PARA were the first units into Port Stanley. I was slowed down by the fact that I had to collect Argentine stragglers with my group. The pace had been very hot, but with the heavy support equipment that we were carrying, we could not keep up with the lead platoons.
On the way in we passed the Argentine gun positions that had given such a hard and unpleasant time on Mount Longdon. We picked up more prisoners by the FIGAS [Falkland Islands Government Air Service] hangar. When we arrived in Stanley no one quite knew what was happening. It turned out that the Argentines had apparently not surrendered and negotiations would not start till 20.30hrs (zt). We just sat around for some time before occupying some houses on Ross Road West.
17.08hrs (zt): from C/S 1 to C/S 9: ‘We have got 5 prisoners, what do we do with them? Wait out, we will find out from Brigade.’
Pte Jeremy (Jez) Dillon
As we made our way to Wireless Ridge it started to get passed down the line that they had surrendered. I thought, Fucking hell, it’s finished and I’m still in a minefield! We eventually passed over Wireless Ridge and down through Moody Brook. By then the guys were taking their helmets off and putting berets on. We were eventually stopped just before the old war memorial and then pulled back a bit. We all sat outside a line of bungalows and brewed up. Later we watched the Royal Marines arrive and they marched straight past us, while trying not to look at us. We were then told that we could commandeer a bungalow.
