Post by lordroel on Jun 14, 2019 7:09:46 GMT
Day 74 of the Falklands War, June 14th 1982
Scots Guards work their way up Tumbledown; “As each position was cleared and prisoners held the numbers of advancing troops was reduced. By the time the summit of the mountain was reached there were only seven men, and of these three, including the Platoon Commander, were immediately cut down by a burst of machine gun fire. At 0800Z (0400 local) Kiszely found himself holding Tumbledown Mountain with three other men.”
At 0430 local time, the 1/7 Gurkha Rifles move through the Scots Guards pushing on to Mount William, to the north of Tumbledown Mountain.
Around first light, 2 Para reach the top of Wireless Ridge; “… we saw from the study window the amazing sight of hundreds of Argentine troops streaming like ants along Wireless Ridge, down through Fairy Grove towards the Camber. They were running before the British shells which were landing just behind them – almost keeping pace with them, throwing up great mounds of earth and rock… several houses seem to be on fire at the west end of town… from the BBC we heard that the International Red Cross had got a response from the Argentine Goverment that there was to be a designated ‘Safe Area’ for the civilian population… The Argentines could have least have let us know… the designated safe building was the cathedral, but we saw the back door of the West Store open, so stopped the Mini (van) and heaved ourselves inside… There were 126 of us in there… ”
Governor Mendez manages to speak to President Galtieri in Buenos Aires. Galtieri reminds his Governor that the Argentine military code calls for a commander to fight until he had lost 50% of his men, and 75% of his ammunition. Mendez replies, “ I cannot ask more of my troops, after what they have been through … We have not been able to hold on to the heights … We have no room, we have no support.”
Mount William is reported secure at 1300 by the Gurkha Rifles.; “Believed to be held strongly by a Battalion of enemy which, by all accounts, faced with the panache and reputation of the Gurkhas appeared to have turned tail and fled … So no heads were cut off with kukris or anything messy like that... The mere presence of the Gurkhas actually helped to quicken the final stages and save casualties....”
With Argentine troops withdrawing in obvious disarray, the British bombardments and air strikes are stopped. Elements of 2 Para enter Moody Brook and the outskirts of Stanley before stopping at the racecourse. Argentine troops are seen to throw down their weapons and surrender. After a final skirmish with an Argentine position to the west of Sapper Hill around midday, white flags are seen and a cease-fire is called.
Following contact with Argentine Captain Hussey, made via the medical network established on June 5th, SAS Commander Michael Rose, Royal Marines Capt. Rob Bell and a signaller fly to Stanley's sports pitch for a meeting with Governor Menéndez at 1500. “I told Menéndez we did not want a bloodbath in Stanley, fighting building to building, and he would not want to be known as the 'Butcher of Stanley.'”
At 2100 local time, after 6 hours of negotiations, Menéndez agrees to surrender all his forces on both East and West Falkland; “It then became apparent that the disconnected Argentine chains of command meant that Mendez would be unable to surrender the Navy and Air Force. Menendez then contacted Galtieri to obtain assurances on the control of these other forces... The administrative details were then finalised. It was agreed that the formal surrender would be 'low key' with no press present.”
Formal surrender is made in a private, and un-photographed ceremony; attended by Argentine Governor Menéndez, Capt. Hussey and Vice-Comodoro Carlos Bloomer-Reeve for Argentina; Major General Jeremy Moore, Capt. Bell, Lieut. Col. Geoff Field, Col. Brian Pennicott, Col. Reid and Col. Tom Seccombe for the UK.
Instrument of Surrender
I, the undersigned, Commander of all the Argentine land, sea and air forces in the Falkland Islands unconditionally surrender to Major General J.J. MOORE CB OBE MC as representative of Her Britannic Majesty's Government.
Under the terms of this surrender all Argentine personnel in the Falkland Islands are to muster at assembly points which will be nominated by General Moore and hand over their arms, ammunition, and all other weapons and warlike equipment as directed by General Moore or appropriate British officers acting on his behalf.
Following the surrender all personnel of the Argentinian Forces will be treated with honour in accordance with the conditions set out in the Geneva Convention of 1949.
They will obey any directions concerning movement and in connection with accommodation.
This surrender is to be effective from 2359 hours ZULU on 14 June (2059 hours local) and includes those Argentine Forces presently deployed in and around Port Stanley, those others on East Falkland, (Menendez's signature) West Falkland and all outlying islands.
[Menéndez's signature] Commander Argentine Forces
[Moore's signature] J. J. MOORE Major General
[Pennicott's signature]
Witness 2359 hours 14 June 1982
Photo: Commander of British Land Forces in the Falklands, Major-General Jeremy Moore, holding the Instrument of Surrender
Photo: A column of 45 Royal Marine Commandos yomp towards Port Stanley. A Royal Marine carrying the Union Jack flag on his backpack as identification, brings up the rear.
In a message to the Commander-in-Chief Fleet, General Moore reports in a telex message: “In Port Stanley at 9pm Falkland Island time tonight, 14th June 1982, Major General Menendez surrendered to me all the Argentine Armed Forces in East and West Falkland, together with their impedimenta. Arrangements are in hand to assemble the men for return to Argentina, to gather in their arms and equipment, and to mark and make safe their ammunition.
"The Falkland Islands are once more under the Government desired by their inhabitants. God Save the Queen."
Margaret Thatcher, makes a speech to the House of Commons; "… in Port Stanley, 74 days after the Falkland Islands were invaded, General Moore accepted from General Menendez the surrender of all the Argentine forces … General Menendez has surrendered some 11,000 men in Port Stanley and some 2,000 in West Falkland. In addition, we had already captured and were holding elsewhere on the islands 1,800 prisoners, making in all some 15,000 prisoners of war now in our hands.…We have today sent to the Argentine Government, through the Swiss Government, a message seeking confirmation that Argentina, like Britain, considers all hostilities between us in the South Atlantic—and not only on the Islands themselves—to be at an end. It is important that this should be established with clarity and without delay.”
She also confirms that the Governor, Rex Hunt, will return to the Falklands as soon as is practicable.
Sir Anthony Parsons reports; “I saw the Secretary-General .. we have told the press that the meeting took place at my initiative: and I wished to inform the Secretary-General of the statement which the Prime Minister had made shortly beforehand in the House of Commons.... We have said nothing to encourage the speculation about a future role for the United Nations...”
Argentina tells the UN that; “ … the United Kingdom had broken its defences in a pre-dawn attack with the aid of high-technology weapons, including infra-red equipment for night viewing, portable missile-launchers and laser aiming systems; that consequently the Malvinas had been transformed into a test site for these weapons, many of which were unknown even on the international arms market;..”
Sri Lanka's President, speaking to the British Ambassador, conveys to the Prime Minister his; “.. personal assurance of Sri Lanka's support for Britain over the Falkland Islands.” Messages of congratulation for Margaret Thatcher pour in from both Commonwealth, and other, countries.
Photo: Royal Marines of 40 Commando raise the British flag on West Falkland after the Argentine surrender.
Photo: Seventy four days after invasion day Argentine troops surrendered and the Union Jack is hoisted at the Governor’s residence
Scots Guards work their way up Tumbledown; “As each position was cleared and prisoners held the numbers of advancing troops was reduced. By the time the summit of the mountain was reached there were only seven men, and of these three, including the Platoon Commander, were immediately cut down by a burst of machine gun fire. At 0800Z (0400 local) Kiszely found himself holding Tumbledown Mountain with three other men.”
At 0430 local time, the 1/7 Gurkha Rifles move through the Scots Guards pushing on to Mount William, to the north of Tumbledown Mountain.
Around first light, 2 Para reach the top of Wireless Ridge; “… we saw from the study window the amazing sight of hundreds of Argentine troops streaming like ants along Wireless Ridge, down through Fairy Grove towards the Camber. They were running before the British shells which were landing just behind them – almost keeping pace with them, throwing up great mounds of earth and rock… several houses seem to be on fire at the west end of town… from the BBC we heard that the International Red Cross had got a response from the Argentine Goverment that there was to be a designated ‘Safe Area’ for the civilian population… The Argentines could have least have let us know… the designated safe building was the cathedral, but we saw the back door of the West Store open, so stopped the Mini (van) and heaved ourselves inside… There were 126 of us in there… ”
Governor Mendez manages to speak to President Galtieri in Buenos Aires. Galtieri reminds his Governor that the Argentine military code calls for a commander to fight until he had lost 50% of his men, and 75% of his ammunition. Mendez replies, “ I cannot ask more of my troops, after what they have been through … We have not been able to hold on to the heights … We have no room, we have no support.”
Mount William is reported secure at 1300 by the Gurkha Rifles.; “Believed to be held strongly by a Battalion of enemy which, by all accounts, faced with the panache and reputation of the Gurkhas appeared to have turned tail and fled … So no heads were cut off with kukris or anything messy like that... The mere presence of the Gurkhas actually helped to quicken the final stages and save casualties....”
With Argentine troops withdrawing in obvious disarray, the British bombardments and air strikes are stopped. Elements of 2 Para enter Moody Brook and the outskirts of Stanley before stopping at the racecourse. Argentine troops are seen to throw down their weapons and surrender. After a final skirmish with an Argentine position to the west of Sapper Hill around midday, white flags are seen and a cease-fire is called.
Following contact with Argentine Captain Hussey, made via the medical network established on June 5th, SAS Commander Michael Rose, Royal Marines Capt. Rob Bell and a signaller fly to Stanley's sports pitch for a meeting with Governor Menéndez at 1500. “I told Menéndez we did not want a bloodbath in Stanley, fighting building to building, and he would not want to be known as the 'Butcher of Stanley.'”
At 2100 local time, after 6 hours of negotiations, Menéndez agrees to surrender all his forces on both East and West Falkland; “It then became apparent that the disconnected Argentine chains of command meant that Mendez would be unable to surrender the Navy and Air Force. Menendez then contacted Galtieri to obtain assurances on the control of these other forces... The administrative details were then finalised. It was agreed that the formal surrender would be 'low key' with no press present.”
Formal surrender is made in a private, and un-photographed ceremony; attended by Argentine Governor Menéndez, Capt. Hussey and Vice-Comodoro Carlos Bloomer-Reeve for Argentina; Major General Jeremy Moore, Capt. Bell, Lieut. Col. Geoff Field, Col. Brian Pennicott, Col. Reid and Col. Tom Seccombe for the UK.
Instrument of Surrender
I, the undersigned, Commander of all the Argentine land, sea and air forces in the Falkland Islands unconditionally surrender to Major General J.J. MOORE CB OBE MC as representative of Her Britannic Majesty's Government.
Under the terms of this surrender all Argentine personnel in the Falkland Islands are to muster at assembly points which will be nominated by General Moore and hand over their arms, ammunition, and all other weapons and warlike equipment as directed by General Moore or appropriate British officers acting on his behalf.
Following the surrender all personnel of the Argentinian Forces will be treated with honour in accordance with the conditions set out in the Geneva Convention of 1949.
They will obey any directions concerning movement and in connection with accommodation.
This surrender is to be effective from 2359 hours ZULU on 14 June (2059 hours local) and includes those Argentine Forces presently deployed in and around Port Stanley, those others on East Falkland, (Menendez's signature) West Falkland and all outlying islands.
[Menéndez's signature] Commander Argentine Forces
[Moore's signature] J. J. MOORE Major General
[Pennicott's signature]
Witness 2359 hours 14 June 1982
Photo: Commander of British Land Forces in the Falklands, Major-General Jeremy Moore, holding the Instrument of Surrender
Photo: A column of 45 Royal Marine Commandos yomp towards Port Stanley. A Royal Marine carrying the Union Jack flag on his backpack as identification, brings up the rear.
In a message to the Commander-in-Chief Fleet, General Moore reports in a telex message: “In Port Stanley at 9pm Falkland Island time tonight, 14th June 1982, Major General Menendez surrendered to me all the Argentine Armed Forces in East and West Falkland, together with their impedimenta. Arrangements are in hand to assemble the men for return to Argentina, to gather in their arms and equipment, and to mark and make safe their ammunition.
"The Falkland Islands are once more under the Government desired by their inhabitants. God Save the Queen."
Margaret Thatcher, makes a speech to the House of Commons; "… in Port Stanley, 74 days after the Falkland Islands were invaded, General Moore accepted from General Menendez the surrender of all the Argentine forces … General Menendez has surrendered some 11,000 men in Port Stanley and some 2,000 in West Falkland. In addition, we had already captured and were holding elsewhere on the islands 1,800 prisoners, making in all some 15,000 prisoners of war now in our hands.…We have today sent to the Argentine Government, through the Swiss Government, a message seeking confirmation that Argentina, like Britain, considers all hostilities between us in the South Atlantic—and not only on the Islands themselves—to be at an end. It is important that this should be established with clarity and without delay.”
She also confirms that the Governor, Rex Hunt, will return to the Falklands as soon as is practicable.
Sir Anthony Parsons reports; “I saw the Secretary-General .. we have told the press that the meeting took place at my initiative: and I wished to inform the Secretary-General of the statement which the Prime Minister had made shortly beforehand in the House of Commons.... We have said nothing to encourage the speculation about a future role for the United Nations...”
Argentina tells the UN that; “ … the United Kingdom had broken its defences in a pre-dawn attack with the aid of high-technology weapons, including infra-red equipment for night viewing, portable missile-launchers and laser aiming systems; that consequently the Malvinas had been transformed into a test site for these weapons, many of which were unknown even on the international arms market;..”
Sri Lanka's President, speaking to the British Ambassador, conveys to the Prime Minister his; “.. personal assurance of Sri Lanka's support for Britain over the Falkland Islands.” Messages of congratulation for Margaret Thatcher pour in from both Commonwealth, and other, countries.
Photo: Royal Marines of 40 Commando raise the British flag on West Falkland after the Argentine surrender.
Photo: Seventy four days after invasion day Argentine troops surrendered and the Union Jack is hoisted at the Governor’s residence
