Themes

Conflict and Change

• Introduction

• In Focus: 1900

• In Focus: World War One

• In Focus: Interwar

• In Focus: World War Two

• In Focus: Post War Conflict

• In Focus: Cold War Climate

• In Focus: Falklands and Beyond

• Special Exhibition: Falklands 25

  • - Early History

  • - Preparing for war

  • - 74 days of conflict

  • - On the front page

  • - Coming home

  • - Voices of War

Learning

• How To: Understand Propaganda

• Propaganda Image Galleries

• Education Project: Sea With Your Own Eyes

74 days of conflict

Article highlights

• 74 days of conflict

• Harriers and helos

• The heart of the Task Force

• Silent Hunters

• Tankers, tugs and the Great White Whale

• Under attack

• 'Bungs, wedges and woolley bear suits'

• Into Bomb Alley

• Harrass and deceive

• The yomp to Stanley

• 'Mother Hen' and the 'Red and Green Life Machine'

The yomp to Stanley

Royal Marines receiving a briefing (RMM)

Units of the Royal Marines and Parachute Regiment left San Carlos on 27 May to face a daunting task. There were around 10 000 Argentinian troops defending Stanley. With no roads and few helicopters available, troops often had little choice but to ‘Yomp’ or ‘Tab’ across miles of rough terrain on foot. It was wet and cold and the men had to carry everything they needed to fight and survive.

2 Para fought the first land battle at Goose Green when they attacked and captured the airstrip. The Royal Marines, Paras, Guards and other units then fought a series of hard night actions to capture Argentinian positions. Battles at Mount Longdon, Mount Harriet, Two Sisters, Tumbledown, and Wireless Ridge amongst others led to the retaking of Stanley.

Both sides suffered many casualties. The worst British loss occurred at Fitzroy on 8 June when Argentinian aircraft bombed the landing ships RFA Sir Galahad and RFA Sir Tristram as they unloaded troops and supplies. 51 men died and many more were severely wounded.

All the Argentinian forces on the Islands surrendered on 14 June. The Falkland Islanders were once again under the British flag.