Falklands Chronology

Argentine invasion fleet sets sail under the guise of naval manoeuvres with Uruguay.

Decision taken to send submarines to Falklands. Fort Austin sails from Gibraltar to replenish HMS Endurance.

British decoders intercept radio message to the Argentinean submarine Sante Fe, which orders her to examine the beaches around Stanley for possible landing sites. .

Two British nuclear submarines HMS Spartan and HMS Splendid sail from Faslane bound for the Falklands.

Operation Azul, the Argentine invasion of the Falklands goes ahead delayed by 24 hours after bad weather.

Task Force 40	Vessel\Unit Name	Vessel Type\Unit Information
Naval Portion (Rear-Admiral Jorge Allara)	Cabo San Antonio Santismo Trinidad Hércules Drummond Granville Sante Fe Almirante Irizar Isla do los Estados	LSST 1172 Tank Landing Ship Type 42 Destroyer Type 42 Destroyer A-69 Frigate A-69 Frigate Guppy Submarine Icebreaker Troop transport
Main Landing Force (Rear-Admiral Carlos Busser)	Buzo Tactico 2nd Marine Infantry Battalion	About 60 Marine commandos About 700 Marines with at least 19 Amtracs (Amphibious tracked vehicles)
Reinforcements To be flown in by C-130 Hercules after capture of Port Stanley airfield.	25th Infantry Battalion 9th Engineer Company	About 1000 men intended to become the permanent garrison.

The plan involved the capture of the Royal Marines base at Moody Brook by men of the Buzo Tactico whilst others secured Government House. If this could not be achieved peacefully, then the 2nd Marine Infantry Battalion landing in Port Stanley would help, as well as landing near the airfield to secure it and enable reinforcements to be flown in. The Royal Marines Garrison under Major Mike Norman number 68, but there are also 11 sailors from HMS Endurance who are armed. About 25 men from the Local Defence Force report for duty, but they are not armed and are used as scouts in several places. The attack is launched after 6 am with the first attacks on Moody Brook, which is deserted, and Government House, where a vicious firefight brakes out that lasts for an hour. In this firefight 6 Argentineans attempt to enter the rear of Government House, but are repulsed with 3 men being hit (Captain Giancho is one of those fatally wounded) and the other three withdraw to an outbuilding where they surrender later. As the outlying sections of Royal Marines fall back to Government House, firefights brake out all over Stanley. In the most significant actions an Amtrac and a landing craft are destroyed with infantry rocket launchers. Gradually however the Royal Marines surrender and only 6 men make it back to Government House, where the Governor at 9:25 orders a cease-fire. The operation probably cost about 25 Argentinean lives, there were no British casualties.

22 Royal Marines on South Georgia surrender to Argentinean troops following a short battle in which an Argentine helicopter is forced down and the Argentinean frigate Guerrico is damaged by a Carl Gustav anti-tank rocket fired by the Marines. The attack costs three Argentinean lives, with a further seven injured. One Marine is slightly injured in the fighting. First Royal Air Force transport aircraft deploy to Ascension Island. HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible are prepared to sail. Both ships receive extra Sea Harriers. First British surface ships begin to head south.

HMS Hermes and HMS Invincible sail from Portsmouth in a wave of emotion. They will meet up with other ships earmarked for the South Atlantic. The Task Force will eventually number 13 warships and 4 supply ships before it reaches the 200 mile Exclusion Zone.

The luxury liner Canberra sails from Southampton with the 2400 men of 40,42 and 45 Royal Marine Commandos and 3rd Battalion Parachute Regiment.

British submarines arrive in the South Atlantic: HMS Splendid and HMS Spartan begin patrolling off the Falklands, while HMS Conqueror heads for South Georgia.

HMS Conqueror reaches South Georgia and begins patrolling the island. Britain formally announces the introduction of a 200 mile Maritime Exclusion zone around the Falklands. The destroyers HMS Antrim and HMS Plymouth, with the tanker Tidespring acting as troopship for M Company 42 Royal Marine Commando are designated Task Force 319.9 under Captain B.C. Young and sail from Ascension. These units makes up the planned invasion force for Operation Paraquet, the recapture of South Georgia.

Task Force sails from Ascension. HMS Brilliant, HMS Coventry, HMS Glasgow, HMS Sheffield and HMS Arrow are designated Task Unit 317.8.2 and are ordered to make south at top speed in case diplomatic measures cause both sides to halt all military manoeuvres.

RAF Victor makes fourteen hour reconnaissance flight from Ascension to South Georgia.

Task Force 319.9 arrive off South Georgia and Operation Paraquet begins in earnest. British helicopters from HMS Antrim and Tidespring land SAS men on the Fortuna glacier for a reconnaissance mission on Leith, whilst SBS men land by Gemini boat and begin observation of Grytviken. The SAS men are subjected to Antarctic weather conditions and request evacuation. In appalling weather conditions two Wessex helicopters crash amazingly with no casualties. In a brilliant operation all the men are safely extracted thanks mostly to the superb flying skills of the Royal Navy pilot.

On South Georgia, the SAS Boat troop is put ashore by Geminis and begin observing the Argentineans although the operation sees some boats break down and swept away to be recovered later. The SBS party is extracted by helicopter after problems with the ice puncturing their boats, but are infiltrated again the next day. Report reaches British that Argentinean submarine is in the area and HMS Plymouth with two tankers sail east to avoid detection, leaving HMS Endurance as the only ship in the area.

The anti-submarine Type 22 frigate HMS Brilliant arrives off South Georgia to reinforce the ships already present.

In South Georgia, British helicopters locate the Argentinean submarine Sante Fe on the surface and attack it with depth charges and rockets. The submarine heads for Grytviken and beaches. As HMS Antrim and HMS Plymouth arrive on the scene a decision to strike immediately is taken and a force composing of SAS, SBS and Royal Marines are put ashore by helicopter whilst the Royal Navy ships open fire with their 4.5 inch guns to persuade the Argentineans to surrender. Captain Lagos, the Argentinean Commander agrees to surrender without firing a shot.

Operation Paraquet complete as HMS Plymouth and HMS Endurance sail round to Leith and accept the surrender of Captain Astiz. The recapture of the island has cost no British casualties. 190 Argentineans have been taken prisoner, one of whom had lost his legs and another is shot dead when it was believed he was about to scuttle the Sante Fe. Meanwhile in the UK, 2 Para onboard Norland leave Hull bound for the Falklands.

The British War Exclusion Zone comes into effect. British Nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror detects long range sonar contacts and closes to investigate.

Main British Task Force enters the Maritime Exclusion Zone. An RAF Vulcan Bomber refuelled seven times from Ascension Island bombs Stanley airfield in the first of the Black Buck Missions. HMS Hermes launches the first Sea Harriers: 9 to bomb Stanley airfield, 3 to bomb Goose Green airstrip. All return safely to the Battle group having inflicted some casualties and having destroyed two Pucara ground attack planes. Three British ships HMS Glamorgan, HMS Alacrity and HMS Arrow begin a naval bombardment of Argentine positions around Stanley. In response the Argentine air force commit the first aircraft into battle which attack the ships but fail to hit with their bombs. As more aircraft are committed, Sea Harriers armed with American Sidewinder missiles destroy a Mirage, a Dagger and a Canberra. A further Mirage is damaged and shot down by Argentinean gunners as it attempts to land at Stanley. No Sea Harriers are lost. HMS Conqueror spots the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano with two escorts and begins to shadow the group. First SAS and SBS patrols infiltrated onto East and West Falkland to begin their reconnaissance work.

The British nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror receives orders to sink the General Belgrano outside the war zone and while sailing away from the islands. Launching three torpedoes from 1,400 yards the 13,645 ton cruiser is hit twice and sinks rapidly. 368 crewmen die. Although world opinion condemns the sinking, the Argentine navy is effectively neutralised, with no major surface ship venturing from the mainland waters for the rest of the war. British helicopters sink the 800 ton Argentine patrol vessel Comodoro Somollera with Sea Skua missiles and damage another the Alférez Sobral.

The RAF launch another Black Buck raid from Ascension Island but the Vulcan's bombs miss the airfield. The plane returns safely.

Argentine Super Etendard aircraft from Rio Grande are refuelled in flight and launch two Exocet air-to-surface missiles at the British Task Force. The British destroyer HMS Sheffield is destroyed and sinks on the 10th May. 20 men are killed with a further 24 injured. The other ships launch chaff and avoid being hit by the second missile. Argentinean submarines detected near the Task Force and perhaps torpedo HMS Sheffield. Sea Kings force the submarines away, and possibly damage one. In a Harrier bombing raid on Goose Green airstrip, one British Harrier plane is shot down by anti-aircraft guns.

Two Sea Harriers are lost in bad weather, probably crashing into each other.

HMS Alacrity shells suspected positions around Stanley. Two Sea Harriers attack the Argentine trawler Narwal. The vessel is then boarded by SBS men flown in by Navy helicopters and the crew surrender without a fight. The damage inflicted by the Harriers is to great however and the crew and SBS men are evacuated and leave the ship to sink. HMS Coventry and HMS Broadsword are deployed as a missile trap off Stanley and successfully destroy two Skyhawks and a Puma helicopter, with Sea Dart missiles.

HMS Alacrity sails up the Falkland Sound to test for mines. In the process of her voyage she discovers and sinks the Argentine supply ship Isla de los Estados which is carrying aviation fuel and some military vehicles. The Argentine ship explodes after being hit by High Explosive shells fired from the frigate's 4.5 inch gun.

5th Brigade consisting of 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, 1st Battalion Welsh guards and 1/7th Duke of Edinburgh's Ghurka Rifles sail from Southampton on the QE2. HMS Glasgow and HMS Brilliant are deployed as the missile trap off Stanley. Three Argentine Skyhawks are shot down by Sea Wolf missiles. HMS Glasgow is hit by a bomb which passes straight through the ship without exploding. A further Skyhawk is mistakenly shot down by Argentinean gunners near Goose Green. Formal orders given for landing site to be San Carlos. An SAS team is inserted by canoe onto Pebble Island to begin an observation for a possible raid. The men evacuate the next night by canoe and a raid on the airstrip is prepared.

Under a heavy bombardment from HMS Glamorgan, 45 SAS men launch a hit and run raid on the Argentine grass airstrip at Pebble Island. All 11 Argentine aircraft are destroyed on the ground. The SAS men are then evacuated by navy helicopters having suffered only two men slightly injured.

Sea Harriers attack two Argentinean supply ships in the Falkland Sound. The Bahia Buen Suceso is forced to beach at Fox Bay, whilst the other the Río Carcarañá is sunk. HMS Alacrity re-enters the Falkland Sound and lands two teams of SBS men who begin 24-hour reconnaissance on San Carlos.

Two Super Entenards are launched with Exocets against HMS Glamorgan but return without firing their missiles.

British troops transferred to landing ships ready for landing. A Sea King Helicopter crashes whilst transferring SAS men to HMS Intrepid, 21 men are lost. Ships intended for the landing form a convoy and sail for San Carlos.

A Sea King helicopter from the Task Force crashes in Chile and is then exploded by the crew. The helicopter had infiltrated an SAS team into mainland Argentina to attack Rio Grande airbase and destroy the Super Entenards that were causing losses to the Task Force. 2000 Argentinean marines start to comb the area hunting for the SAS team. Back in Hereford the SAS commander decides to abort the mission and the SAS team crosses into Chile possibly suffering some casualties.

SBS men land by helicopter and secure Fanning Head overlooking San Carlos, whilst SAS men launch a diversionary attack on Goose Green to pin down the garrison there. HMS Glamorgan shells positions north of Stanley. 2 Para land at 4:40 am (7:40 GMT) and immediately set off to secure the hills surrounding the anchorage. 40 Commando land seven minutes later. After landing both units dig in on the Mountains surrounding San Carlos. 45 Commando and 3 Para are landed. By dawn 105mm guns and Rapier air-defence systems are flown ashore by helicopter. Scimitars and Scorpions from the Blues and Royals are deployed also. Two British Gazelle helicopters are hit and destroyed and another badly damaged whilst flying too close to Argentine troops. SAS troops near Stanley report an Argentinean helicopter dispersal area and RAF GR3 Harriers from Hermes attack the site after first light destroying a Chinook and two Puma helicopters. A RAF GR3 Harrier is shot down near Port Howard. The SAS men marching back from their diversionary attack on Goose Green hit and destroy a Pucara with a Stinger missile. Meanwhile the Argentine air force launch mass attacks on the San Carlos anchorage. HMS Ardent is hit repeatedly and sinks, HMS Antrim and HMS Argonaught are hit and damaged by bombs that fail to explode and HMS Brilliant and HMS Broadsword are both slightly damaged. The Argentineans lose approximately 13 aircraft (nine being shot down by Sea Harriers) , with some others damaged. Total losses for the day amount to 27 British dead with about 30 wounded. Argentine losses for the day were probably about 20 dead and several more wounded.

The British HMS Antelope is struck by two bombs both of which fail to explode. Whilst attempting to defuse one of the bombs, one detonates starting a fierce fire. After abandoning ship the fire on board reaches the Sea Cat magazine and the ship explodes and breaks in two. 2 men are killed and 5 injured. Ten Argentine aircraft are claimed destroyed.

The landing ships Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad are hit by bombs in San Carlos, but the bombs fail to explode. The bombs are removed in the following days and the ships continue to be unloaded. Seven Argentine aircraft claimed destroyed.

HMS Broadsword and HMS Coventry acting as a forward missile trap are located and bombed by Argentine Skyhawks. HMS Broadsword is hit but the bomb fails to explode. HMS Coventry however is hit by three bombs and capsizes. Within minutes of this attack Super Entenards flying from Rio Grande launch Exocets against the main Task Force. Although the Royal Navy ships fire chaff and protect themselves the MV Atlantic Conveyor is unprotected and suffers a fatal hit, sinking 3 days later despite heroic efforts to save her. Despite the lucky transfer of the 10 RAF Harriers she had been carrying, her loss robs the British land forces of nine helicopters (3 heavy lift Chinooks) as well as ammunition and steel for a temporary runway near San Carlos. The attacks cost 31 dead with many more injured. Decision taken for another attempted SAS raid on the Argentine airbase at Rio Grande on Tierro del Fuego and sometime over the next few days an SAS team from B Squadron board the submarine HMS Onyx in San Carlos and sail for the Argentine mainland. Their mission is to set up a Observation Post to assess the feasibility of a hit and run raid, and if their assessment allows, to launch the raid themselves.

2 Para move off from Sussex mountain and prepare to attack Goose Green and Darwin.

Argentine aircraft attack the landing area around San Carlos killing 7 and wounding 26 others. One of the planes is hit by ground fire and crashes on its way back with the pilot ejecting. British troops (3 Para and 45 Commando) break out from their beachhead at San Carlos and begin to walk there way across East Falkland. One RAF GR3 Harrier shot down during a raid on Goose Green, the pilot bales out and is rescued. BBC announces 2 Para are moving towards Goose Green on the World Service.

In the first and probably the toughest land battle in the war, the men of 2nd Parachute regiment under Lt-Colonel H Jones, attack the Argentinean garrison at Goose Green and Darwin. In a massive firefight the initial thrust of the paras peters out and A Coy are pinned down by heavy Argentinean resistance. H Jones is killed trying to restart the momentum of the attack. Gradually the Paras work there way through the Argentinean trenches and eventually succeed in surrounding the remaining Argentinean garrison in Goose Green settlement. Surrounded, cut off with little chance of support or reinforcement, and facing the prospect of more Harrier strikes the next day, the Argentine commanders at Goose Green ask Menedez for permission to surrender, who replies it is up to Goose Green. Concluding that it is not necessary for him to hold out the Argentine commander parades his men the next morning and then surrenders. Although the Argentineans surrender to a numerically inferior force, it later emerges that only 400 of the 1,700 Argentine troops at Goose Green were front line combat soldiers whereas the 600 or so men of 2 Para were some of the finest soldiers in the world, and had already breached the best defences. The battle costs 17 British dead and about another 40 wounded. Argentine losses are 45 dead with about 90 wounded, the rest are taken into captivity. Meanwhile 3 Para with tanks from the Blues and Royals reach Teal Inlet. Black Buck Four is launched with the Vulcan bomber armed with two new American Shrike anti-radiation missiles to destroy enemy radar sets around Stanley. The mission is aborted in flight after a problem with one of the Victor refuellers.

Warships and Harriers bombard Argentine positions. British 45 Commando secure Douglas settlement. 1 Sea Harrier lost as it slides off HMS Invincible's deck in bad weather, the pilot ejects and survives. The tanker British Wye, is bombed by an Argentinean Hercules, but the bomb fails to explode.

Shelling continues as British troops advance. 45 Commando reach Teal Inlet. 42 Commando established by helicopter on Mount Kent. RAF GR-3 Harriers bomb Argentinean artillery positions near Stanley, but one of the planes is hit and fails to make it back to HMS Hermes. The pilot bails out and is rescued. The last of the Argentine airborne Exocet missiles are fired but fail to hit anything. Four Skyhawks attack the Task Force but lose two aircraft without hitting any British ships. Black Buck Five launched with Shrike anti-radiation missiles. The raid damages a radar beacon near Stanley.

19 men from the Royal Marines Mountain and Arctic warfare Cadre attack Top Malo House, defended by 17 Argentineans. In the battle that follows 5 Argentineans are killed and 7 wounded, before the remainder surrender. Three Marines are injured in the skirmish. An Argentinean Hercules transport plane is shot down by a Sea Harrier with a sidewinder. 1 Sea Harrier is shot down by an Argentinean surface-to-air missile. The pilot ejects and is rescued.

2 Para airlifted into Fitzroy, but without support and without the knowledge of Major-General Jeremy Moore. Black Buck Six launched with another anti-radar mission. The raid successfully destroys a radar set, but the Vulcan suffers a refuelling problem on the way back to Ascension and is forced to land in Rio, where it is impounded.

Scots Guards on board HMS Intrepid transferred by sea to Bluff Cove under cover of darkness to support and reinforce 2 Para.

Welsh Guards transported to Bluff Cove under cover of darkness, but amidst confusion only half are actually landed, the rest remaining on board HMS Fearless and sailing back to San Carlos.

Argentine planes bomb HMS Plymouth, but the bombs fail to explode and only wound 4 men. The remaining Welsh guards are transferred to the landing ship Sir Galahad along with some medical supplies and rapiers bound for Fitzroy. The sailing is delayed by some hours and when Sir Galahad sails from San Carlos it is ordered to go straight to Fitzroy and not onwards to Bluff Cove. The Welsh Guards are stranded on board at Port Pleasant with the Commanders refusing to be parted from their equipment which would be left on board if they had to march to Bluff Cove. Tragically, the troops are left onboard as other equipment is unloaded. Argentinean aircraft spot the ships and bomb them. The Sir Tristan is damaged the Sir Galahad is crippled. One Argentinean bomb explodes in the cargo area where the Welsh Guards are located. 50 British and Chinese die in the ships, with 159 more wounded, some terribly. Three Skyhawks shot down by sidewinders fired from Sea Harriers.

3-Para supported by HMS Avenger mount an assault on Mount Longdon, defended by the Argentinean 7th Infantry Regiment. In a bitter battle (the bloodiest of the war), lasting most of the night the Argentines are finally pushed aside after hand to hand fighting. 18 paras are killed in action whilst another 35 are wounded. Argentine losses amount to 50 dead and 50 taken prisoner.

45 Commando supported by HMS Glamorgan take Two Sisters from the Argentinean 4th Regiment after being pinned down and charging forward . British losses here amount to 4 men killed and 10 injured. 10 Argentineans are killed with about 45 taken prisoner.

42 Commando supported by HMS Yarmouth in a brilliantly planned assault take Mount Harriet guarded by the Argentinean 4th Regiment. Thanks to the superb assault plan only 1 Marine is killed, with a further 20 injured. 20 Argentineans are killed with about 300 taken prisoner.

HMS Glamorgan is hit and damaged by a land based Exocet missile whilst supporting 45 Commando. 13 British die.

RAF GR3 Harriers use laser guided bombs for the first time to destroy a Argentinean company headquarters. 2nd Battalion Scots Guards attack probably the strongest held position in the Falklands: Mount Tumbledown, defended by the best of the Argentine units in the Falklands the 5th Marine Battalion. After another bloody battle. 9 Scots Guards are killed and another 43 wounded. 37 Argentineans are killed and about 30 taken prisoner.

2 Para supported by HMS Ambuscade attack and capture Wireless Ridge from the Argentinean 7th Regiment, with the loss of 3 men killed and several wounded. The rest of the Argentineans on Wireless Ridge head towards Moody Brook, but later the Paras are counterattacked by men of the 7th Infantry Regiment. The counterattack is repulsed.

The SAS, with men from the SBS and the Royal Marine Raiding Squadron launch a hit and run attack on Stanley harbour using rigid raiders but are forced to retreat and are evacuated next day by helicopter.

2 Para enter the outskirts of Stanley. Menedez agrees to a cease-fire and surrenders the 10,000 Argentine troops still under his command.

40 Commando accept the surrender of the 5th Argentinean Regiment at Port Howard on West Falkland.

The British reoccupy the South Sandwich Islands. Britain formally declares an end to hostilities, and the two-hundred mile exclusion zone established around the islands during the war is replaced by a Falkland Islands Protection Zone (FIPZ) of 150 miles.

Service	British	Argentinean
Navy(excluding Marines)	87	393
Army	122	261
Air Force	1	55
Marines	26	37
Merchant Navy\Fleet Auxiliary	16	?

British Non-Fatal casualties	Argentine Non-Fatal Casualties
777	1,100