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

  • Surface Fleet

  • Submarines

  • Royal Marines

  • Fleet Air Arm

• Special Exhibition: Falklands 25

Learning

• How To: Understand Propaganda

• Propaganda Image Galleries

• Education Project: Sea With Your Own Eyes

The Falklands War

Article highlights

• War in the South Atlantic

• The Amphibious Task Force

• San Carlos landings

• Beginning the land campaign

• Battling for the high grounds

• The Battle of Two Sisters

• Towards Port Stanley

The Battle of Two Sisters

45 Commando undertook the assault on the Argentine positions on Two Sisters.

Their task was to take the mountain from the Argentine 4th Infantry Regiment embedded in the mountain overlooking the approaches to the Falkland Islands’ capital.

Stanley Airfield with the Two Sisters Mountain Range in the background. (RNM)

45's commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Whitehead had planned a silent attack of the Argentine positions to begin at 2100.

X, Y and Z Companies of the Commando made up the attacking forces. X Company’s objective was the lower ridges of the mountain’s southern peak, codenamed ‘Long Toenail’.

Meanwhile Z Company would strike on the northern peak, named by the Commando as ‘Summer Days’. Next, Y Company would assault the ridge to the east.

The 8th Battery of 29 Commando RA carrying six 105 mm guns covered the Commando’s advance up the slopes, and HMS Glamorgan provided offshore gunfire support.

Due to difficulties in transporting the heavy equipment over the difficult terrain, the attack started two hours late.

X Company engaged with Argentine forces on its objective, Long Toenail, by 2330 but Argentine machine gun fire quickly beat the attackers back.

The Company dug in and soon overcome their opponents with heavy losses to the Argentine’s C Company. Z

Company’s blazing attack on Summer Days began around 0030. The Company met stiff resistance and suffered some key losses including two of their platoon commanders and HMS Glamorgan's naval gunfire liaison officer.

At 0230, fearing that they may lose their objective, the Commando performed a rousing bayonet charge on the Argentine troops, leading the stunned Argentines to surrender.

During Y Company’s assault on the eastern ridge of Two Sisters, a land-based Argentine Exocet missile hit HMS Glamorgan, causing the loss of 13 sailors.

45 Commando took the whole of Two Sisters before dawn. They met up with 42 Commando, who had also successfully achieved their objective, to await the second phase of the attack and march onto the capital, Port Stanley.

The advance on Stanley: 45 Commando move from Two Sisters. Falklands War 1982. (RMM)